Franklin University Switzerland
 | |
| Type | Private university |
|---|---|
| Established | 1969 |
| Accreditation | MSCHE, AAQ |
| President | Samuel Martín Barbero |
Academic staff | 54[1] |
| Undergraduates | 386[1] |
| Location | , , |
| Colors | Red and White |
| Mascot | Falcon |
| Website | www |
Franklin University Switzerland is a private university institute[2] in Lugano, Switzerland. Founded in 1969, Franklin offers Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science degrees[3] accredited in both the United States[4] and Switzerland.[5]
History
[edit]Formerly Fleming College, the university was founded in 1969. It is named after Benjamin Franklin.[6]
Academics
[edit]The average class size at Franklin is 16.[7] Four-year bachelor courses at Franklin cost between 117,000 and 220,000 Swiss francs.[3] About half of the around 400 students are American.[3]
In 2024, the Swiss Neue Zürcher Zeitung newspaper (NZZ) reported on deficiencies in Franklin's academic governance. It wrote that several of Franklin's professors had a weak academic record, with one having published nothing for 15 years.[3] Moreover, according to the NZZ, several professors reported being pressured by university leadership into giving unearned passing grades to students from wealthy families, often after an intervention by these families.[3] Franklin denied these allegations.[3]
Academic Travel Program
[edit]The Academic Travel Program is an integrated part of the Franklin University Switzerland curriculum and is included in tuition, with supplemental fees required for a few destinations. Academic Travel is a credit-bearing degree requirement in which students study topics relevant to a particular place or places and then go with their class to study on location for two weeks.[8] Travel is led by faculty members and relates to the academic expertise of the individual professor and to his or her knowledge of a given country or area.[citation needed]
Accreditation
[edit]Switzerland
[edit]Franklin is accredited in Switzerland by the Swiss Accreditation Council AAQ as a university institute.[5] In 2020, the Council rejected Franklin's request for accreditation as a university, and the Swiss Federal Administrative Court rejected Franklin's appeal against that decision in 2023.[3][9] The institution is required to change its name and branding accordingly by 2026.[3]
US
[edit]Franklin is accredited in the United States by the MSCHE.[4] The institution is authorized to offer bachelor's and master's degrees through the State of Delaware.[citation needed]
Campus
[edit]
The main campus (known as Kaletsch Campus), acquired in 1985, is composed of a private villa with attached library, auditorium, and classroom wing, surrounded by a wooded park. Also on this campus is a dining hall called the "Grotto". In 2005 the university acquired an additional campus nearby (known as North Campus), adding administrative, education, athletic, social and residential capacity. The current campus spans 2 hectares (5 acres). The Franklin campus is residential, and is on a hillside overlooking the town of Lugano, in the Italian-speaking canton of Ticino, Switzerland.[citation needed]
Athletics
[edit]Franklin University Switzerland offers students a wide variety of sports and fitness programs, as well as activities to promote a healthy lifestyle. Some on-campus sports facilities include the Tone Athletic Center, two volleyball courts, a basketball court and a soccer field. Organized athletic activities include Men's and Women's Soccer, Men's and Women's Basketball, and Lugano Street Dance. Students are also encouraged to start athletic programs. Student-led activities have included Field Hockey, Yoga, Cross-fit, and Self-Defense.[citation needed] Since 2000-2001 (with an exception of a bye year in 2001–2002) Franklin's men's soccer team has competed in the National Swiss Division (5th League).[citation needed]
References
[edit]- ^ a b "Basic Facts and Figures". Franklin University Switzerland Official Web Site. Franklin University Switzerland. Retrieved 2019-01-11.
- ^ Swiss law distinguishes between universities and university institutes; the latter provide a more narrow range of studies or degrees than universities. See: Hochschultypologie: Unterscheidung Universitäten und universitäre Institute bzw. Fachhochschulen und Fachhochschulinstitute, Auslegungshilfe des Hochschulrats, Schweizerische Hochschulkonferenz, 2020
- ^ a b c d e f g h da Silva, Gioia (2024-12-23). "Franklin University Switzerland: Erschleichen sich wohlhabende Ausländer hier Uni-Diplome?". Neue Zürcher Zeitung (in Swiss High German). ISSN 0376-6829. Retrieved 2024-12-23.
- ^ a b "Franklin University Switzerland". Middle States Commission on Higher Education. Retrieved 2022-03-24.
- ^ a b "Franklin University Switzerland Swiss Accreditation" (PDF).
- ^ "History". www.fus.edu. Franklin University Switzerland. Retrieved 25 March 2022.
- ^ "Facts and figures about Franklin University Switzerland". www.fus.edu. Retrieved 2022-03-24.
- ^ "Franklin - A US College in Switzerland". Degree Abroad. GoAbroad. Retrieved 2013-09-16.
- ^ Decision B-388/2022 of 11 August 2023
External links
[edit]45°59′51.36″N 8°56′20.4″E / 45.9976000°N 8.939000°E
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