EPFL - Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne
The
École polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) is a research institute and
university in Lausanne, Switzerland, specializing in the natural sciences and
engineering.
Its
roots can be traced back to the foundation of a private school in 1853, which
to start with only had 11 students. Those days are long gone though, with the
modern day EPFL one of two Swiss Federal Institutes of Technology and student
numbers in Lausanne now totaling over 10,000.
Located
in the French-speaking part of Switzerland, EPFL is twinned with the Swiss
Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich (ETH Zurich). As part of its research
and teaching activities, EPFL is one of the only universities to run a nuclear
reactor, a fusion reactor, a Gene/Q Supercomputer, and have P3 bio-hazard
facilities.
EPFL has
a very singular admissions process, which, for would-be undergraduates who are
Swiss nationals, is not selective at all. At the end of freshman year, however,
a block exam determines whether students can continue or have to repeat the
year, with many home students dropping out entirely at this point.
The EPFL
campus lies on the shores of Lake Geneva and consists of 65 buildings across
136 acres. Facilities include banks, bars, two museums – the Musee Bolo and
Archizoom – as well as bars, restaurants and cafeterias.
There
are students of 112 different nationalities here, though as of 2014 women made
up only 27 percent of the student body. Life on campus is vibrant, with many
student-formed clubs and associations providing social and recreational
opportunities.
A wide
range of sports and leisure facilities keep students physically active while
studying. EPFL also has an active student media, publishing the monthly
newspaper Flash and there are daily broadcasts on the student radio
station.
Another
priority on campus is the arts, with the university holding several annual
music festivals each year. The largest is Balélec Festival, where 15,000
visitors descend upon the university to watch 30 concerts on two outdoor and
four indoor stages.
Tags:
Education