Switzerland’s prestigious federal institutes of technology in Zurich and Lausanne are reportedly examining whether to impose restrictions on foreign student admissions.
This content was published on
2 minutes
NZZ am Sonntag/sb
Español
es
Las universidades suizas estudian restringir la entrada de estudiantes extranjeros
The ETH Board – the governing body of ETH Zurich and EPFL Lausanne – is considering restricting access, the NZZ am SonntagreportedExternal link on Sunday.
“The ETH Board will have to discuss the admission requirements for foreign students,” the Gian-Andri Casutt, head of communications for the ETH Board, told the paper.
As well as the possible introduction of a numerus clausus – a limit on the number of admissions by foreign students – they could also require foreign students to achieve a certain average grade to enroll at ETH Zurich or EPFL. An increase in tuition fees for foreigners is also possible, NZZ said.
The number of students in Switzerland has been increasing steadily for years. In 2022, ETH Zurich and the EPFL in Lausanne had a total of 37,000 students – half from abroad. The proportion of foreigners among doctoral students is particularly high (80%). For the first time, foreigners were also in the majority among master’s students last year, NZZ said.
At the same time, the federal universities are under pressure to cut costs. Finance Minister Karin Keller-Sutter recently announced budget cuts of 2% in various sectors, such as agriculture, culture and education. This particularly affects the federal institutes, NZZ said.
“If we want to maintain the quality of teaching with increasing student numbers and a smaller budget, we have to take action,” said Casutt.
The joint secretary general of the Association of Swiss Student Unions (VSS), Luzian Franzini, said students would resist any restrictions. “The ETH must remain accessible to everyone,” he declared.
The ETH Board is expected to discuss admission requirements at a meeting on March 8-9. However, it may be a while before a decision is made. The body intends to involve various groups in the discussion.
According to Swissuniversities, the umbrella group for Swiss universities, the idea of imposing a numerus clausus on students from abroad is currently “not an issue”.
Young undocumented migrants gain easier access to vocational training
This content was published on
Rejected asylum-seekers and young undocumented migrants in Switzerland will have easier access to basic vocational training from June 1.
Migration: Swiss government wants to shorten reunification period for families
This content was published on
Family members of people temporarily admitted to Switzerland should in future be able to join them after two years instead of three.
This content was published on
2023 was a record year for the Rhaetian Railway in several respects. Never before has the narrow-gauge railway in Graubünden, eastern Switzerland, transported so many passengers and cars.
Swiss CFOs much more optimistic despite global uncertainty
This content was published on
The main concerns of business leaders in Switzerland are geopolitical uncertainty and the important trading partners Germany and China.
Record organ donation in Switzerland despite high rejection rates
This content was published on
More organ donations were recorded in Switzerland in 2023 than ever before. This was despite a high rejection rate of 58% by surviving relatives.
This content was published on
Seven years after the death of record-breaking Swiss mountain climber Ueli Steck, his estate is going to the Alpine Museum of Switzerland in Bern.
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.
Read more
More
Switzerland still popular with overseas students despite Covid
This content was published on
International students are still coming to Switzerland – a popular destination for overseas students - despite the coronavirus pandemic.
How does Switzerland compare when it comes to university tuition fees?
This content was published on
The US and UK are the top destinations for international students. Relatively low tuition fees could help Switzerland compete for the top brains.
Getting in: University admissions in Switzerland, US and UK
This content was published on
Should you start planning your university admission strategy two years in advance? The process can be complicated for international students.
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.