ETH Zurich - Swiss Federal Institute of Technology

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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 21 Nobel laureates, 2 Fields Medalists, 2 Pritzker Prize winners, and 1 Turing Award winner as alumni, including the great Albert Einstein himself.

The university, officially called the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich in English, 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 has two main locations: in downtown Zurich and on a modern campus built on a hill in the outskirts of the town. Students at ETH face an intensive workload, but they can still find time for cultural and other leisure activities and for attending the many 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 is a wealth of various sports on offer on campus. The largest annual event is the SOLA relay race , taking place in 14 sections 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 live music by several orchestras and bands. Every November, 10,000 dancers, music-lovers and partygoers descend on ETH’s extensively decorated main building for what is usually an unforgettable night.