Franklin University Switzerland

Founded in 1969, FUS was among the first institutions to bring American Liberal Arts education to Europe. Today, after 50 years of succesful growth, it is the only university in the world that offers interdisciplinary, experiential and personalized learning through interactions both inside and outside of the classroom.

They say home is where the heart is, but that can mean different things to different people. The journey of finding your place in the world is unique, and Franklin is proud to contribute to that.

But what is the best part of Franklin? The sense of community, great student-professor relationships, creativity, academic experiences, the beautiful location, the alumni network, and the integration of different cultures. These and many more are the reasons why you should choose Franklin.

Becoming a Franklin student means studying in a global environment while living in the heart of Europe and connecting with people worldwide. Join an incredible academic experience that will contribute to your personal and professional growth. Wherever you come from around the world, Franklin will become your home. 

One of the best ways to find out if Franklin is the right fit for you is to make a visit to our campus. During your personalized visit, you will have a guided tour of campus, meet with current students and professors, attend a class or two and get a taste of what it is like to live in Lugano. To arrange a visit, please complete our  Prospective Students Campus Visit form.

We recommend visiting campus when our classes are in session – be sure to take a look at our Academic Calendar as you consider a date for your visit. Our offices in Sorengo, Switzerland, are open from 8:30am to 5:00pm, Monday though Friday.

Even if you are unable to visit us in Lugano, we encourage you to meet us at an upcoming global event or set up a time to speak with us virtually via Skype or by telephone.

The Franklin campus is located on a hillside in Sorengo, above the city of Lugano. 

We invite all Franklin parents and family members to visit Franklin during the year. The Office of Advancement will gladly schedule a campus tour, visits with faculty or meetings with members of the administrative staff. Reach out to our  Advancement Office  in Sorengo, Switzerland, open from 8:30am to 5:00pm, Monday through Friday, to arrange your visit.

We encourage our Alumni to visit Franklin whenever they can – contact either  Tara Bracher,, Assistant Dean of Alumni and Parent Relations, or our Sorengo office of Advancement  to make arrangements.

The Franklin University Library services are split between the two campuses. On the Main Campus, students can find the The David R. Grace Library, while on the North Campus The Fowler Learning Commons is easily accessible. The two hold a collection of approximately 36,000 volumes, a small collection of print periodical titles, and a variety of multimedia materials.

Franklin University Switzerland attracts exceptional scholars from around the world. Our faculty members come from as far afield as Germany, Italy, India, France, Japan, Serbia, Guatemala, England, Ireland and Scotland, as well as from Switzerland and the United States.

Faculty are appointed for their diverse approach to the sharing of knowledge, their breadth of perspective and their ability to bridge gaps between various academic areas. As active scholars, Franklin faculty pursue independent research agendas and publish their work on a regular basis. A strong emphasis on scholarly activity and global perspectives allow them to provide students at Franklin with a stimulating and rewarding learning experience extending well beyond the walls of the classroom.

In addition to the print collections, the FUS Library subscribes to multiple electronic resources, digital indexes and full-text databases including: EBSCO, Nexis Uni, JSTOR, and ARTstor. The FUS Online also subscribes to a large collection of ebooks provided by EBSCO. Subscription databases access is limited by IP address to the Franklin network. Off-campus access is limited.

THE DAVID R. GRACE LIBRARY

The David R. Grace Library, housed in the University’s Main Villa, offers a quiet study environment. It holds a collection of approximately 36,000 volumes, a small collection of print periodical titles, and a variety of multi-media materials. The collection has been selectively developed with particular regard to the curricular needs of Franklin University Switzerland.

THE FOWLER LEARNING COMMONS

Located in the Lowerre Academic Center on the North Campus, the Fowler Learning Commons is home to a selection of reference books and materials as well as the University’s French, Italian, German, Portuguese, Russian, and Spanish book collections. Science and math books are also located at Fowler (call numbers 500-649.999). A talking friendly, tutoring and study space, it also provides computers and a quiet room.

FRANKLIN UNIVERSITY SWITZERLAND VIEW (VALUES, IDENTITY, AND ETHICS WORKGROUP)

Franklin Value Statements

Franklin strives to imbed these values in our community and institution through education, discussion, research and a pursuit of excellence.

We strive for academic excellence and celebrate the accomplishments of our community. We measure our success by the global impact of our students, faculty, staff, and alumni.We promote intellectual curiosity through international learning experiences that challenge students to discover their passions and gain deeper levels of insight and leadership. We foster interdisciplinary opportunities for students, faculty, and staff to support innovative and sustainable approaches to learning and research.Located in the heart of Europe, we encourage an experiential and multinational learning and living environment that develops critical thinking through our Liberal Arts model, small classes, strong student and faculty relationships, residential campus, and hands-on Academic Travel experiences.

We commit to continuous improvement while maintaining standards of personal and academic integrity and actively pursuing transparency and excellence in our operations. We aim to accomplish this while upholding a climate of mutual respect and free expression in all our endeavors.