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Universitas 21 (U21) is the leading global network of 28 research-intensive universities from all continents. The aim of the network is to facilitate collaboration and cooperation between its members, to advance the internationalization of education and to promote the exchange of experience at all levels.
The University of Zurich has been a member since May 2017 and is the only Swiss university member. UZH's involvement supports the internationalization strategy, fosters innovative approaches, promotes research-inspired teaching and learning as well as student mobility.
UZH Representation at U21: Governance and Leadership (PDF, 119 KB)
U21's wide-ranging activities fall into three areas of focus:
The goal is to build a global perspective into as many university-related topics as possible, and to promote collaboration in these areas. This enables UZH to encourage greater levels of student and staff mobility, develop deeper links with prestigious international partners and pursue joint research on a truly global stage.
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Visit Universitas 21's website to find activities currently open for application.
Open the drop-down of the following fold-out components for more information about UZH representatives on the different U21 groups and activities.
UZH representatives meet about four times a year to discuss and jointly develop the direction of our U21 involvement and activities. The U21 Senior Leader is the liaison point between the university and the network and promotes and fosters network engagement at an institutional level.
UZH is represented by:
U21 Group |
UZH Member |
U21: Presidents | Michael Schaepman, President |
U21: Senior Leaders' Group | Katja Durkin, Head Global Affairs |
U21: Officers | Carmen Richard, Team Lead Global Networks |
Teaching-related activities include an annual U21 conference for practitioners and administrators concerned with all areas of Educational Innovation as well as joint ventures to offer online seminars on global issues, such as the increasing urbanization of the planet.
UZH is represented by:
U21 Group |
UZH Member |
U21: Educational Innovation Symposia | Gabriele Siegert, Deputy President and Vice President Education and Student Affairs |
U21: Deans of Education |
tbc |
U21 enables the University of Zurich to develop deeper links with prestigious international partners and pursue joint research on a truly global stage. Research teams at all academic levels have the opportunity to discuss and learn from each other at numerous U21 activities, such as the "Early Career Researcher Workshops" or the "Three Minute Thesis Competition".
U21: Researcher Opportunities
U21: Early Career Researcher Workshops
U21: Three Minute Thesis Competition
UZH is represented by:
U21 Group/Cluster |
UZH Member |
U21: Deans and Directors of Graduate Studies |
Claudine Leysinger, Director of Graduate Campus |
U21 Research Collaboration Group | Maurus Bolfing, Head Program Funding, Research Development Agatha Keller, Co-Head, EU GrantsAccess |
U21: Research Leaders Group | Elisabeth Stark, Vice President Research |
U21: Joint PhD's |
Thomas Hidber, Head of Academic Program Development |
The U21 student experience initiative allows students to complete a mobility stay or summer school at a partner university, to attend an undergraduate research conference, or to compete against other bright minds in the U21 student community.
Being a student at UZH means being part of an international exchange of thoughts and ideas and of an university that is globally renowned for academic excellence and benefiting from U21-led student opportunities.
U21: Student Competitions
UZH students participating in summer schools or other short programs offered by U21 universities can profit from scholarships.
Global Student Experience Website: UZH Scholarships for Short Programs
RISE is U21's newest student opportunity, an international showcase of student achievement in sustainability and social innovation designed to accelerate the scale and impact of student-led projects by connecting them with a network of experts in academia and industry. As a U21 member, UZH is invited to nominate a student-led project that addresses at least one of the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
UZH is represented by:
U21 Group/Activity |
UZH Member/Contact |
U21: Student Mobility Group | Andrea Orbann Oechslin, Deputy Head of Global Student Experience |
U21: Employability Group | Roger Gfrörer, Head of Career Services |
U21: RISE Showcase | Andrea Orbann Oechslin, Deputy Head of Global Student Experience |