5 Surprising Reasons to Study in Geneva

Sponsored by EU Business School

The city of Geneva has more to offer international students than just traditional Swiss delicacies like chocolate and cheese. Situated on the banks of the iconic Lake Geneva, Geneva’s thriving economy, impressive caliber of multinational corporations and non-governmental organizations, and attractive outdoor lifestyle make it a real hotspot for aspiring business professionals from all over the globe.

To learn more about how the city brings together modern and traditional living, and what makes it such an exciting study destination, we spoke to EU Business School, who have a campus in Geneva.

Geneva is home to more world-renowned businesses than anywhere else in the world

Geneva is the leading financial center of Switzerland and is home to an unsurpassed number of global agencies, federations, financial institutions and multinational companies, including the United Nations, the World Trade Organization, UBS, the International Olympic Committee and Thomson Reuters.

Higher education institutions, such as EU Business School, have also set up campuses in Geneva, ensuring abundant opportunities for learning, working and networking.

After graduation, students with the right skills and qualifications enjoy excellent job prospects. Switzerland boasts impressive working conditions, generous salaries and excellent quality of life and, although the job market is very competitive, highly skilled foreigners fill almost 50 percent of executive jobs.

Geneva is one of the most internationally diverse locations in Europe

Geneva’s location in the heart of Europe and its internationally diverse business landscape means an incredible 40 percent of the population are international expats and a further 25 percent are international students.

The city’s openness to diversity is demonstrated by the fact that three languages are spoken here, with French being the most common. English is also widely spoken in Geneva, so you don’t have to be able to learn a foreign language – but you will have the fantastic opportunity to add a second, third or even fourth language to your repertoire. 

Geneva is the ninth-best city in the world for quality of living

It shouldn’t really come as much of a surprise that Swiss cities are topping the charts when it comes to quality of life.

This year, Geneva took ninth spot in Mercer’s Quality of Living City Ranking which takes into consideration a wide range of key livability factors, including housing, public services and transport, medical and health considerations, and education.

You can take up skiing, paragliding and even glacier trekking in between studying

Geneva is nestled between the snow-capped peaks of the Alps and lush greenery of the Jura Mountains. As well as providing a stunning backdrop, this outstanding scenery also means you have the chance to try out some adrenaline-pumping outdoor activities while you’re here, including skiing, snowboarding and glacier trekking.

In the summer, you’re encouraged to take advantage of opportunities to try mountain biking, rock climbing, hiking and even paragliding.

Innovation is highly valued in Geneva

Rewind to March 1989. Tim Berners-Lee, a British scientist working at CERN, near Geneva, has submitted a research proposal to his boss outlining – what seemed at the time – an almost impossible idea: the sending and receiving of information via the internet on a computer.

Two years later, in 1991, the world wide web was made available for public use and has formed part of everyday life for billions of people around the world ever since. Today, it has completely changed how we live and communicate.

Geneva continues to be a hotspot for innovators and innovation. The thriving startup scene and the presence of numerous high-profile tech companies attract entrepreneurs from around the world, creating the ideal environment for business students with an entrepreneurial mindset.

If you are entrepreneurial or have a passion for business, then the dynamic and cosmopolitan city of Geneva is a fantastic place to study. EU Business School offers a wide range of bachelor’s, master’s and MBA programs with an emphasis on experiential learning in order to give students an insight into how real businesses and organizations function. This is achieved through regular visits to some of Geneva’s most renowned companies as well as exclusive lectures and conferences with world-class industrialists and business leaders.