On Sunday voters in St Gallen gave the go-ahead to grant its university CHF160 million ($164 million) in funding for building a new campus. The university is bursting at the seams.
This content was published on
2 minutes
Keystone-SDA/Le Temps/ilj
Русский
ru
Избиратели одобрили планы расширения Университета Санкт-Галлена
The aim is to have enough space for around 3,000 students by 2027. It is not yet known what the new campus will look like; architects will be invited to submit their ideas following the vote.
Costs
The whole project will cost CHF207 million, of which the eastern canton will provide CHF160 million, the city CHF2 million and the federal authorities CHF25 million. The university has to stump up CHF20 million.
Under Switzerland’s system of direct democracy, it is not unusual for local votersExternal link to have a say on funding major building projects or educational matters (cantons are in charge of education in Switzerland).
The turnout rate, however, was exceptionally low, at 26%.
Rising numbers
The vote comes at a time of rising student numbers in Switzerland, as there is a trend towards more and more people taking degrees.
More
More
Half of Swiss to have higher education degrees by 2037
This content was published on
The Swiss population’s education level will rise even further over the next 20 years. The reason: demand from employers.
However, it did come after the university was shaken by an expenses scandalExternal link, and with criminal proceedings still pending against a professor, as the university outlined at the start of MayExternal link. There have also been political debates about professors’ external mandates.
Some of the previous votes on public funding for the university in 1985 and 2005 were quite close, although they were ultimately accepted.
Those in favour of the project pointed to the university’s economic importance for the region: it employs 3,000 people and creates an added value of CHF235 million a year, according to the Le Temps newspaper.External link
Popular Stories
More
Climate adaptation
Why Switzerland is among the ten fastest-warming countries in the world
High-net-worth individuals prioritise well-being over material possessions
This content was published on
The priorities of wealthy private individuals have shifted against the backdrop of ongoing geopolitical tensions and trade disputes. While spending on luxury goods is declining, demand for travel and experiences is unabated.
Swiss researchers sequence genome of 1918 Spanish flu virus
This content was published on
Researchers from the Universities of Basel and Zurich (UZH) have sequenced the genome of the Spanish flu virus, thanks to a sample taken from an 18-year-old Swiss boy who died in the city on the Limmat in 1918, when the pandemic spread around the world.
Swiss martyr beatified in Barcelona by Catholic Church
This content was published on
François-Benjamin May (1870-1909), a member of the Marist Brothers congregation, has been recognised as a 'blessed' by the Catholic Church.
Prevention and tech could help save billions on Swiss healthcare costs, says Deloitte
This content was published on
By focusing on prevention and technology, it would be possible to reduce Switzerland's healthcare bill by CHF30 billion a year by 2040, according to Deloitte Switzerland.
Environment director warns of increasing climate-related risks in Switzerland
This content was published on
The director of the Swiss Federal Office for the Environment (FOEN) has warned of increasing climate-related risks in Switzerland in an interview with SonntagsBlick on Sunday.
Gotthard traffic queue hits 11km at start of holiday season
This content was published on
The start of the summer holidays saw a long traffic jam in front of the Gotthard tunnel on Saturday. Traffic jams between Erstfeld and Göschenen in canton Uri were up to 11 kilometres long early in the morning.
This content was published on
Universities in Switzerland have been posting high student numbers as the new academic year begins, with the trend likely to continue.
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.