ETH Zurich - Swiss
Federal Institute of Technology
·
ABOUT
ETH
Zurich is one of the world's leading universities in science and technology and
is known for its cutting-edge research and innovation. It was established in
1855 as the Swiss Federal Polytechnic School, and a century and a half later
the university can count over 20 Nobel Prize laureates as alumni, including the
great Albert Einstein himself.
The
university, commonly known as Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich, has
16 departments that offer academic education and conduct scientific research in
subjects ranging from engineering and architecture to chemistry and
physics.
Education
at ETH Zurich combines solid theory with practical application, and most degree
programs build on strong mathematical foundations. For undergraduates the main
teaching language is German, while most master's programs and doctoral studies
are in English.
Located
in Zurich, Switzerland's largest city, ETH Zurich is largely based on a modern
main campus built on a hill in the outskirts of the town. Students at ETH have
twice as many lectures as those at other Swiss institutions, but can still
attend regular exhibitions, plays and concerts, as well as take advantage of
the regular symposia and conferences on campus, where some of the best minds in
science come to speak.
ETH
students like to exercise their bodies as well as their minds, and there are
various sports events held on campus, of which the largest is an annual SOLA
relay race in 14 sections, taking place over a total distance of 140
kilometers. More than 900 teams have been known to take part at once in the
annual spectacle.
Since
the 1880s, students have also been able to show off their best moves at the
Polyball, a classic ball event featuring a live orchestra and famous national
singers, in which 10,000 dancers, music-lovers and partygoers descend on ETH’s
extensively decorated main building for what is usually an unforgettable
night.
