The University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland (, FHNW) is a university of

applied science Applied science is the application of the scientific method and scientific knowledge to attain practical goals. It includes a broad range of disciplines, such as engineering and medicine. Applied science is often contrasted with basic science, ...

s in Switzerland. It is one of the largest universities in the country in terms of student enrollment. It is an inter-

cantonal The 26 cantons of Switzerland are the Federated state, member states of the Switzerland, Swiss Confederation. The nucleus of the Swiss Confederacy in the form of the first three confederate allies used to be referred to as the . Two important ...

public law institution with its own legal personality. The cantons are

Aargau Aargau ( ; ), more formally the Canton of Aargau (; ; ; ), is one of the Canton of Switzerland, 26 cantons forming the Switzerland, Swiss Confederation. It is composed of eleven districts and its capital is Aarau. Aargau is one of the most nort ...

Basel-Landschaft Canton of Basel-Landschaft or Basel-Country, informally known as Baselland or Baselbiet (; ; ; ; ), is one of the 26 cantons forming the Swiss Confederation. It is composed of five districts and its capital city is Liestal. It is traditional ...

Basel-Stadt Canton of Basel-Stadt or Basel-City ( ; ; ; ) is one of the 26 cantons forming the Swiss Confederation. It is composed of three municipalities with Basel as the capital. It is traditionally considered a " half-canton", the other half being B ...

, and

Solothurn Solothurn ( ; ; ; ; ) is a town, a municipality, and the capital of the canton of Solothurn in Switzerland. It is located in the north-west of Switzerland on the banks of the Aare and on the foot of the Weissenstein Jura mountains. The town is ...

. As part of the state treaty, the supporting cantons manage the FHNW with a fourfold performance mandate. This includes training and further education, application-oriented research and development as well as services for the benefit of third parties.

History

The FHNW was founded on January 1, 2006, based on a state treaty between the cantons of Aargau, Basel-Landschaft, Basel-Stadt, and Solothurn. It was created from the merger of the Aargau University of Applied Sciences (FHA), the Basel University of Applied Sciences (FHBB), the Solothurn University of Applied Sciences (FHSO), and the Basel University of Education and Social Work and the Solothurn University of Education.

Courses and students

The courses are characterized by their practical relevance and are offered as full and/or part-time studies. The FHNW offers 29 bachelor's and 17 master's courses in the fields of applied psychology, architecture, construction and geomatics, design and art, life sciences, music, teacher training, social work, technology, and business. In further education, Master of Advanced Studies (MAS), Executive Master of Business Administration (EMBA), Diploma of Advanced Studies (DAS), Certificate of Advanced Studies (CAS) as well as specialist seminars and conferences are offered. Development of student numbers (students enrolled as of October 15, excluding continuing education).

Organisation

The strategic management body of the FHNW is the Fachhochschule Council, which is elected by the governments of the supporting cantons. Operationally, the FHNW is managed by the executive committee (Crispino Bergamaschi) and the Directorate. The overall supervision of the FHNW is exercised by the parliaments of the four supporting cantons. They set up an Interparliamentary Commission (IPK). The four cantonal governments are responsible for joint supervision of the FHNW, and their business is prepared by the government committee and the four directors of education. Financial supervision is carried out by the financial controls of the supporting cantons. The FHNW currently consists of nine Schools (* = main location), and one more is planned (to be announced early 2025): *School of Applied Psychology FHNW (

Olten Olten (; High Alemannic: ''Oute'') is a town in the canton of Solothurn in Switzerland and capital of the district of the same name. Olten grew into a town during the Middle Ages at the location of a bridge over the Aare. After a period of de ...

*) *School of Architecture, Civil Engineering and Geomatics FHNW (

Muttenz Muttenz is a municipality with a population of approximately 17,000 in the canton of Basel-Country in Switzerland. It is located in the district of Arlesheim and next to the city of Basel. History Under the Roman Empire a hamlet called Montet ...

*) *School of Art and Design FHNW (

Basel Basel ( ; ), also known as Basle ( ), ; ; ; . is a city in northwestern Switzerland on the river Rhine (at the transition from the High Rhine, High to the Upper Rhine). Basel is Switzerland's List of cities in Switzerland, third-most-populo ...

*) *School of Life Sciences FHNW (Muttenz*) *School of Music FHNW (Basel*) *School of Education FHNW (Muttenz, Solothurn, Windisch*) *School of Social Work FHNW (Muttenz, Olten*) *School of Engineering and Computer Science (Brugg-Windisch) *School of Economics (Basel, Windisch, Olten*)

References

{{coord, 47.4819, 8.2114, type:edu_globe:earth_region:CH, display=title Universities in Switzerland Universities and colleges established in 2006 2006 establishments in Switzerland