Professionalism, Quality, Innovation

The new Fachhochschule Nordwestschweiz FHNW, founded on 1 January 2006, is a regional university of applied sciences with a national and international outlook.The FHNW aims to establish itself as one of the leading and most innovative universities of applied sciences in Switzerland.
The FHNW was created as the result of a merger of the three Aargau, beider Basel and Solothurn Universities of Applied Sciences, the Solothurn University for Pedagogy, the University for Pedagogy and Social Work beider Basel and the Basel MusicAcademy.The latter will become part of the FHNW on 1 January 2008.

The FHNW includes eight universities in the fields of applied psych-ology; architecture; construction and geomatics; art and design; life sciences; pedagogy; social work; and technology and business.The FHNW covers the full range of university of applied science fields provided for by law, allowing it to participate along the entire value chain. Most of the universities are located in Aarau, Basel, Brugg-Windisch, Muttenz and Olten.

All universities meet the requirements defined by the Federal Office for Professional Education and Technology (BBT): degree courses (diploma programmes), further education courses (NDS, NDK), applied research and development (aR&D), third-party services, and cooperation with third-level academic and research institutions at home and abroad.

Courses of study are practical and based on market demands.They are offered as full-time, part-time and combined programmes.The FHNW has implemented the Bologna Declaration based on the planning specifications of the BBT. Bachelor’s degree programmes were begun in autumn 2005, and Master’s programmes will be available starting in winter 2008/2009. This ensures that the FHNW is well equipped for competition with other national and international universities.
Peer reviews conducted by Swiss and international university experts have attested to the high level of professionalism and high quality standards of the FHNW. In late 2003, the Federal Council awarded unlimited authorisation to the FHNW and approved all existing courses of study.

The FHNW offers a varied range of continuing education options in all fields: an executive Master’s programme, postgraduate studies, postgraduate courses, specialised courses, seminars and conferences. It has earned an excellent reputation among decision-makers.

No university without research: The FHNW places a high priority on aR&D.The FHNW develops research projects in cooperation with partners from the business world and with institutions at home and abroad. The FHNW joined forces with the University of Basel, the Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI) and the Friedrich Miescher Institute to start the Integral Product Development (IPE) project to develop expertise in topics of the future.The aim of the IPE is to use services and advising to transfer new research results and to position the FHNW as a platform for knowledge transfer between universities, the business community and society. The project is aimed primarily at small and mid-sized companies in the region and public institutions and administrative bodies.The FHNW reinforces north-west Switzerland’s position as a business location.

The FHNW places particular importance on four aspects: innovation, interdisciplinary cooperation, international partnerships and a collegial atmosphere from which employees, instructors and students all benefit equally