Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich

The Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich (ETH Zurich) is one of the leading international universities for technology and the natural sciences. It is well known for its excellent education, groundbreaking fundamental research and for implementing its results directly into practice. To researchers, it offers an inspiring working environment, to students, a comprehensive education. Founded in 1855, ETH Zurich today has more than 18,000 students from more than 110 countries, including 3,900 doctoral students. About 500 professors currently teach and conduct research in engineering, architecture, mathematics, natural sciences, system-oriented sciences, and management and social sciences. Twenty-one Nobel laureates have studied, taught or conducted research at ETH Zurich, underlining the excellent reputation of the university. Transferring its knowledge to the private sector and society at large is one of ETH Zurich’s primary concerns. The 80 new patent applications filed each year and the more than 300 spin-off companies that have emerged from the institution since 1996 are evidence of ETH Zurich’s success in this area.

Consistently ranked the top university in continental Europe, ETH Zurich, the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, is a leading player in research and education in Switzerland and worldwide. ETH Zurich's 16 departments offer Bachelor, Master and Doctoral programs in engineering and natural sciences. The language of instruction in the Bachelor programs is German, whereas English is the common languge on the graduate level. All degree programs provide a solid scientific foundation combined with outstanding all-round skills, equipping ETH graduates with the abilities and flexibility needed for a career in industry, business or the public sector, as entrepreneur or scientist. The international outlook - two-thirds of all professors are international - and the excellent teaching and research infrastructure make ETH Zurich the ideal place for creative personalities. The links with business and industry are very close, Zurich being the economic center of Switzerland and home to numerous international companies. And beyond world-class education, Zurich also offers many other quality-of-life highlights. Zurich has a metropolitan flair, excellent sports facilities, an extensive range of cultural and recreational offerings - and a very vibrant nightlife.

ETH Zurich has more than 16,000 students from approximately 80 countries, 3,500 of whom are doctoral candidates. More than 400 professors teach and conduct research in the areas of engineering, architecture, mathematics, natural sciences, system-oriented sciences, and management and social sciences.

ETH Zurich regularly appears at the top of international rankings as one of the best universities in the world. 21 Nobel Laureates have studied, taught or conducted research at ETH Zurich, underlining the excellent reputation of the institute.
Transferring its knowledge to the private sector and society at large is one of ETH Zurichs primary concerns. It has succeeded in this, as borne out by the 80 new patent applications each year and the 215 spin-off companies that were created out of the institute between 1996 and 2010. ETH Zurich orients its research strategy around global challenges such as climate change, world food supply and human health issues.

As at all universities in Switzerland, the academic year is divided into two semesters. Examinations are often held during examination sessions which are immediately before the beginning of the next semester (only a few select courses offer an exam immediately after the semester ends). After the first year of study, bachelor students must pass a block examination of all courses taken in the first year, called the Basisprüfung. If the weighted average score is not sufficient, a student is required to retake the entire Basisprüfung which usually means having to re-sit the whole first year. About 50% of the students fail the Basisprüfung on the first try and many of them choose to drop out of the course instead of repeating the Basisprüfung. The structure of examinations in higher academic years is similar to the Basisprüfung (Basis examination), but with a higher success rate. The regular time to reach graduation is six semesters for the Bachelor of Science degree and three or four further semesters for the Master of Science degree. The final semester is dedicated to writing a thesis.

Education at ETH Zurich generally focuses more on theoretical aspects than application and most degree programs contain a high amount of mathematical training. The main language of instruction in undergraduate (Bachelor) studies is German and for admission a proof of sufficient knowledge of the German language is required for Bachelor students. Most Master's programmes and doctoral studies are in English.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

The mission of MIT is to advance knowledge and educate students in science, technology, and other areas of scholarship that will best serve the nation and the world in the 21st century. The Institute is committed to generating, disseminating, and preserving knowledge, and to working with others to bring this knowledge to bear on the world's great challenges. MIT is dedicated to providing its students with an education that combines rigorous academic study and the excitement of discovery with the support and intellectual stimulation of a diverse campus community. We seek to develop in each member of the MIT community the ability and passion to work wisely, creatively, and effectively for the betterment of humankind. The Institute admitted its first students in 1865, four years after the approval of its founding charter. The opening marked the culmination of an extended effort by William Barton Rogers, a distinguished natural scientist, to establish a new kind of independent educational institution relevant to an increasingly industrialized America. Rogers stressed the pragmatic and practicable. He believed that professional competence is best fostered by coupling teaching and research and by focusing attention on real-world problems. Toward this end, he pioneered the development of the teaching...

The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), founded in 1861, is located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and is one of the foremost U.S. institutions in science and technology. It is comprised of five schools and one college, including the renowned School of Engineering and Sloan School of Management, offering Bachelor's, Master's, and Doctorate degrees. Notable alumni include Ben Bernanke, Chairman of the Federal Reserve, Benjamin Netanyahu, prime minister of Israel, and American astronaut "Buzz" Aldrin.

MIT is located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, across the Charles River from downtown Boston. Only freshmen students are required to live on campus, but about 70 percent of students choose to remain on campus during their four years. MIT offers housing in one of the coolest dorms in the country, commonly called "The Sponge," designed by architect Steven Holl. The MIT Engineers boast more than 30 NCAA Division III teams, and their mascot is a beaver, which MIT chose because of its "remarkable engineering and mechanical skill and its habits of industry." Each class designs a unique ring called the "Brass Rat" that is revealed during sophomore year, a tradition that dates back to 1929.
MIT focuses on scientific and technological research and is divided into five schools and one college. Among its graduate schools are the highly ranked School of Engineering and Sloan School of Management, in addition to strong programs in economics, psychology, biology, chemistry, earth sciences, physics and mathematics. Research expenditures at MIT have typically exceeded $650 million each year, with funding coming from government agencies such as the Department of Health and Human Services and Department of Defense. The "Independent Activities Program," a four-week term between fall and spring semesters in January, offers special courses, lectures, competitions and projects. Distinguished alumni include Apollo 11 astronaut Buzz Aldrin, former U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan and Federal Reserve Bank Chairman Ben Bernanke.

MIT receives many applications from very smart and talented international citizens. From this great pool of candidates, we may only take a small cupful. Every year more than 4,000 international students apply to MIT, and we can admit fewer than 150. 

We limit the number of international students we can accept because of our generous financial aid. MIT is one of the few schools in the US that offers need-blind admissions and meets their full financial need. "Need-blind" means you will not be disadvantaged in the admissions process because of your financial need. "Meeting your full financial need" means MIT will give you enough financial aid so that you can afford to attend, no matter how much or how little your family can pay. 

Even though the international application process is very competitive, we still admit wonderful students from all over the world every year. There are students from 116 countries at MIT. Approximately 9% of our undergraduates are international, and 40% of graduate students are citizens of other countries. There is a strong international community here at MIT, so no matter how far you are from home, you can still feel at home here. 

In the 1930s, President Karl Taylor Compton and Vice-President (effectively Provost) Vannevar Bush emphasized the importance of pure sciences like physics and chemistry and reduced the vocational practice required in shops and drafting studios. The Compton reforms "renewed confidence in the ability of the Institute to develop leadership in science as well as in engineering." Unlike Ivy League schools, MIT catered more to middle-class families, and depended more on tuition than on endowments or grants for its funding. The school was elected to the Association of American Universities in 1934.

Still, as late as 1949, the Lewis Committee lamented in its report on the state of education at MIT that "the Institute is widely conceived as basically a vocational school", a "partly unjustified" perception the committee sought to change. The report comprehensively reviewed the undergraduate curriculum, recommended offering a broader education, and warned against letting engineering and government-sponsored research detract from the sciences and humanities. The School of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences and the MIT Sloan School of Management were formed in 1950 to compete with the powerful Schools of Science and Engineering. Previously marginalized faculties in the areas of economics, management, political science, and linguistics emerged into cohesive and assertive departments by attracting respected professors and launching competitive graduate programs. The School of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences continued to develop under the successive terms of the more humanistically oriented presidents Howard W. Johnson and Jerome Wiesner between 1966 and 1980.

Hong Kong University of Science and Technology

Established in 1991, the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) is an international research university dedicated to top-notch education and research.  Founded on its mission to advance learning and knowledge through teaching and research particularly in science, technology, engineering, management and business studies complemented by humanities and social sciences, as well as assisting in Hong Kong’s socioeconomic development, this young and ambitious University has gone beyond the wildest dreams of many, climbing high in international esteem and reaping numerous honors and accolades. In 2015, HKUST is ranked 59th among 800 universities and no.4 in the world’s top 100 Universities Under 50 by Times Higher Education.

With respect to individual Schools, HKUST also puts in a strong performance. The School of Engineering is named No. 16 amongst world’s top 100 engineering and technology universities by Times Higher Education World University Rankings published in 2015. It is ranked No. 1 in Greater China. Its much sought-after Kellogg-HKUST Executive MBA (EMBA) program, amid high expectations, also topped the Financial Times EMBA global rankings for the fifth straight year.

Hailed widely as a ‘miracle’, the stunning achievements of HKUST do not come about miraculously.  They boil down to the University’s positioning as a focused elite research university; its strong ties to global institutions and wide-ranging connections with Mainland China; the championing of interdisciplinary studies; its dedication to educating well-rounded students who flourish in today’s world, strong in entrepreneurial spirits and innovative in thinking; its mission to be a global premier knowledge hub, crystallized in the Institute of Advanced Study; and, last but not least, a spectacular setting by the sea that makes the University an attractive location for the pursuit of intellectual and academic excellence.

The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) is a young and dynamic university devoted to education and research particularly at the postgraduate level. Founded in 1991, HKUST comprises five schools – Science, Engineering, Business and Management, Humanities and Social Science, and the Fok Ying Tung Graduate School in Guangzhou. We also have various institutes, such as the Institute for Advanced Study of HKUST, and the HKUST Shenzhen Institute based in Shenzhen. Our world-class international faculty members, coming from diverse backgrounds, are all PhD-qualified. Our undergraduate and postgraduate students represent a large number of nationalities.

The School of Engineering (SENG) is the largest of the 6 Schools within HKUST. It has 6 departments: Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Civil and Environmental Engineering, Computer Science and Engineering, Electronic and Computer Engineering, Industrial Engineering and Logistics Management, and Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering. It is the only education provider on chemical engineering in Hong Kong. The School provides more than 40 degree programs at the bachelor's, master's and doctoral levels.

In 2015-16, Times Higher Education World University Rankings in Engineering and Technology placed HKUST Engineering No.16 globally, the best ever position achieved by any local university since the establishment of this league table in 2010. QS World University Rankings by Faculty 2015 - Engineering and Technology ranked HKUST No.14 globally which made SENG No. 1 in Hong Kong for six consecutive years. SENG has over 100 exchange partner universities in 26 countries/regions in the world.

Georgia Institute of Technology

Georgia Institute of Technology is a public institution that was founded in 1885. It has a total undergraduate enrollment of 14,682, its setting is urban, and the campus size is 400 acres. It utilizes a semester-based academic calendar. Georgia Institute of Technology's ranking in the 2016 edition of Best Colleges is National Universities, 36. Its in-state tuition and fees are $12,204 (2015-16); out-of-state tuition and fees are $32,396 (2015-16).

Georgia Tech, located in the heart of Atlanta, offers a wide range of student activities. The Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets, an NCAA Division I team, compete in the Atlantic Coast Conference and have a fierce rivalry with the University of Georgia. Since 1961, the football team has been led onto the field at home games by the Ramblin' Wreck, a restored 1930 Model A Ford Sport Coupe. Georgia Tech has a small but vibrant Greek community. Freshmen are offered housing, but aren't required to live on campus. In addition to its campuses in Atlanta and Savannah, Georgia Tech has campuses in France, Ireland, Costa Rica, Singapore and China.

The College of Engineering at Georgia Institute of Technology has a rolling application deadline. The application fee is $75 for U.S. residents and $75 for international students. Its tuition is full-time: $12,344 per year (in-state); full-time: $27,600 per year (out-of-state); part-time: $515 per credit (in-state); and part-time: $1,150 per credit (out-of-state). The 2014 Ph.D. student-faculty ratio is 4.2:1. The College of Engineering at Georgia Institute of Technology has 535 full-time faculty on staff.
Students at the Georgia Tech College of Engineering have extensive degree options. There are close to 20 areas to specialize in, from medical physics to aerospace engineering. Among many well regarded programs at the Tech Engineering, the industrial engineering and biomedical engineering programs are especially highly ranked.

The Georgia Institute of Technology is one of the nation’s top research universities, distinguished by its commitment to improving the human condition through advanced science and technology. Georgia Tech is a member of the Association of American Universities (AAU), an association of 62 leading research universities in the US and Canada. Georgia Tech’s campus occupies 400 acres in the heart of the city of Atlanta, where 20,000 undergraduate and graduate students receive a focused, technologically based education. Accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS), the Institute offers many nationally recognised, top-ranked programmes. Undergraduate and graduate degrees are offered in the colleges of Architecture, Computing, Engineering, Sciences, Scheller College of Business and the Ivan Allen College of Liberal Arts. Georgia Tech is consistently ranked among the top 10 public universities in the US.

The Georgia Tech campus is located in Midtown, an area north of downtown Atlanta. Although a number of skyscrapers—most visibly the headquarters of AT&T, The Coca-Cola Company, and Bank of America—are visible from all points on campus, the campus itself has few buildings over four stories and has a great deal of greenery. This gives it a distinctly suburban atmosphere quite different from other Atlanta campuses such as that of Georgia State University.

The campus is organized into four main parts: West Campus, East Campus, Central Campus, and Technology Square. West Campus and East Campus are both occupied primarily by student living complexes, while Central Campus is reserved primarily for teaching and research buildings.

Ecole Polytechnique Federale De Lausanne

From its foundation in 1853, EPFL, the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne, has evolved into a top-ranked research and teaching institution that attracts some of the best intellects in the world. Nearly 15,000 people -- students, professors, scientists and administrative staff, from around 120 nationalities -- share this campus in its idyllic spot overlooking Lake Geneva and the Alps. EPFL offers study programs at four levels: 13 different 180 ECTS-credit Bachelor's Programs, 22 different 90-120 ECTS-credit Master's Programs, 18 orientations within the Doctoral School, and a School of Continuing Education.

Education, research and technology transfer are core to EPFL, which boasts more than 250 on-campus laboratories situated in 136 acres on the shores of Lake Geneva. Today, the \"parc scientifique\" is home to some 7,000 students and 3,000 professors, assistants and entrepreneurs grouped into seven schools and associated research institutes.

Throughout its history, EPFL has kept evolving, revamping its programmes or creating new curricula to anticipate scientific and technological developments. Today, EPFL offers complete curricula in basic sciences, engineering, computer science and communication systems, life sciences, architecture, civil and environmental engineering, both at Bachelor's and Master's level. It also offers Master programmes in Nuclear Engineering, Computational Science and Engineering, Management of Technology and Financial Engineering. To students interested in getting involved in research, the Doctoral School offers 19 PhD programmes across the various research institutes of EPFL.
The programmes are structured to foster innovation and interdisciplinary research. Throughout their studies, students have the opportunity to be actively involved in research projects in the campus' 250 laboratories and research groups. EPFL offers ideal conditions for multidisciplinary research and plays an important role in a variety of scientific and industrial partnerships (Blue Brain, Space Centre, Solar Impulse, and many others).

In addition to its commitment to high standards in education and research, EPFL strongly supports technology transfer and the creation of new enterprises, particularly through its on-campus Science Park, which hosts over 100 companies, plus about 15 start-ups every year.
EPFL delivers highly regarded degrees and its graduates enjoy excellent international or domestic employment opportunities. Not surprisingly, 92% of them find a position within 6 months of their graduation.

The École d'ingénieurs de l'Université de Lausanne, from which EPFL in its modern-day form originates, was located in the center of Lausanne. In 1974, 5 years after EPFL was separated from University of Lausanne and became a federal institute under its current name, the construction of a new campus at Dorigny in Écublens, a suburb south-west of Lausanne on the shores of Lake Geneva, began. The inauguration of the first EPFL buildings of the new campus took place in 1978.

The EPFL campus has been evolving ever since. The first stage of the development plans, with a total budget of 462 million Swiss francs, was completed in 1984 and in 1990 the second stage was completed. The construction of the northern parts of campus began in 1995 with the construction of the Microtechnology building, completed in 1998, and the architecture building, completed in 2000. In 2002, the department of architecture also moved to the campus in Écublens, uniting all departments of EPFL on the same site. The latest addition to the EPFL campus is the Rolex Learning Center completed February 2010. The Rolex Learning Center includes areas for work, leisure and services and is located at the center of the campus. The EPFL campus is now being expanded with the construction of the Swiss Tech Convention Center to be completed in 2014.

Delft University of Technology

Delft University of Technology:

Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands is a modern university with a rich tradition. Its eight faculties and over 40 English-language Master program are at the forefront of technological development, contributing to scientific advancement in the interests of society. Ranked among the top universities of technology in the world, TU Delft’s excellent research and education standards are backed by outstanding facilities and research institutes. TU Delft maintains close links with (inter)national industry, a strategic alliance contributing to the relevance of its academic program and career prospects for its graduates. All education program encourage creative and independent thinking with a focus on problem solving. The student body is made up of over 100 nationalities. The university has partnerships with leading universities all over the world, enabling students and researchers to increase their international experience through cooperation and exchange. TU Delft is also a member of the IDEA league of five leading engineering universities in Europe, as well as of CESAER, the association of European schools of technology and engineering. Delft University of Technology is located in Delft, a picturesque city full of student activities, and within close range of major cities in the Netherlands and the rest of Europe.

With more than 15,000 students from around the world, Delft University of Technology is the largest university of technology in the Netherlands. A fascination for science, design and engineering is the common denominator driving our students and scientists. Our eight faculties offer a wide range of study programmes in the engineering and science fields. Our researchers are at the forefront of technological developments and contribute to scientific advancement in the interests of world society. They are backed by outstanding facilities and research institutes, among them the renowned Kavli Institute for Nanoscience. Our proudest achievement is the yearly graduation of new generations of TU Delft engineers: creative doers who can think outside of the box, and are passionate seekers of tangible solutions that matter.

Initially, all of the university buildings were located in the historic city centre of Delft. This changed in the second half of the 20th century with relocations to a separate university neighbourhood. The last university building in the historic centre of Delft was the university library, which was relocated to a new building in 1997. On the 12 September 2006 the design of the new university neighbourhood, Mekelpark, was officially approved, giving a green light to the transformation of the area around the Mekelweg (the main road on the university terrain) into a new campus heart. The new park replaced the main access road and redirected car traffic around the campus, making the newly created park a safer place for bicycles and pedestrians.

Caltech

Caltech at a Glance

The California Institute of Technology (Caltech) is a world-renowned science and engineering research and education institution, where extraordinary faculty and students seek answers to complex questions, discover new knowledge, lead innovation, and transform our future.

Caltech's 124-acre campus is located in Pasadena, California.
Mission

The mission of the California Institute of Technology is to expand human knowledge and benefit society through research integrated with education. We investigate the most challenging, fundamental problems in science and technology in a singularly collegial, interdisciplinary atmosphere, while educating outstanding students to become creative members of society.
History

Founded as Throop University in 1891 in Pasadena, California, and renamed the California Institute of Technology in 1920.

California Institute of Technology is a private institution that was founded in 1891. It has a total undergraduate enrollment of 983, its setting is suburban, and the campus size is 124 acres. It utilizes a quarter-based academic calendar. California Institute of Technology's ranking in the 2016 edition of Best Colleges is National Universities, 10. Its tuition and fees are $45,390 (2015-16). 

The California Institute of Technology (Caltech) is a world-renowned science and engineering research and education institution, where extraordinary faculty and students seek answers to complex questions, discover new knowledge, lead innovation, and transform our future.

Caltech's 124-acre campus is located in Pasadena, California.

Since 2000, the Einstein Papers Project has been located at Caltech. The project was established in 1986 to assemble, preserve, translate, and publish papers selected from the literary estate of Albert Einstein and from other collections.

In fall 2008, the freshman class was 42% female, a record for Caltech's undergraduate enrollment. In the same year, the Institute concluded a six-year-long fund-raising campaign. The campaign raised more than $1.4 billion from about 16,000 donors. Nearly half of the funds went into the support of Caltech programs and projects.

In 2010, Caltech, in partnership with Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and headed by Professor Nathan Lewis, established a DOE Energy Innovation Hub aimed at developing revolutionary methods to generate fuels directly from sunlight. This hub, the Joint Center for Artificial Photosynthesis, will receive up to $122 million in federal funding over five years.

Since 2012, Caltech began to offer classes through MOOCs under Coursera, and from 2013, edX.

Jean-Lou Chameau, the eighth president, announced on February 19, 2013, that he would be stepping down to accept the presidency at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology. Thomas F. Rosenbaum was announced to be the ninth president of Caltech on October 24, 2013, and his term began on July 1, 2014.

Caltech is incorporated as a non-profit corporation and is governed by a privately appointed 46-member board of trustees who serve five-year terms of office and retire at the age of 72. The current board is chaired by David L. Lee, co-founder of Global Crossing Ltd. The Trustees elect a President to serve as the chief executive officer of the Institute and administer the affairs on the Institute on behalf of the board, a Provost who serves as the chief academic officer of the Institute below the President, and ten other vice presidential and other senior positions. Former Georgia Tech provost Jean-Lou Chameau became the eighth president of Caltech on September 1, 2006, replacing David Baltimore who had served since 1997. Dr. Chameau's compensation for 2008–2009 totaled $799,472. Chameau served until June 30, 2013. Thomas F. Rosenbaum was announced to be the ninth president of Caltech on October 24, 2013, and his term began on July 1, 2014. Caltech's endowment is governed by a permanent Trustee committee and administered by an Investment Office.

Academic Life

The student-faculty ratio at California Institute of Technology is 3:1, and the school has 64.9 percent of its classes with fewer than 20 students. The most popular majors at California Institute of Technology include: Engineering; Physical Sciences; Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services; Biological and Biomedical Sciences; and Mathematics and Statistics. The average freshman retention rate, an indicator of student satisfaction, is 97 percent.