International Office

The University of Basel pursues internationalisation goals at the levels of strategic partnerships/cooperations, research, teaching and studies, mobility, internationalisation at home and intercultural competence, global responsibility and the necessary framework conditions. Measures are implemented as strategic initiatives both from the Rectorate and from the faculties and departments.

Internationality is a means of improving the quality of all core areas and supports a sharpened profile. Internationalisation processes are multidimensional and serve as a quality driver and reputation factor in international competition, especially in research and teaching at global, institutional and individual levels. Internationality is an essential and characteristic feature of research. It also enables students to prepare for their professional careers and to work in an intercultural and globalised environment ("global learning"). It thus also contributes to the fulfilment of the UN's Sustainable Development Goals (SDG 3, 4, 16 and 17).

The University of Basel maintains over 400 partnerships with more than 200 universities in more than 40 countries around the world and promotes student, lecturer and staff exchanges/mobility. 

As International Office we support and advise on behalf of our three sections:

Student Exchange

coordinates exchange programs for students of the University of Basel and advises exchange students incoming and outgoing from partner universities worldwide, whether studying in Europe (SEMP/Erasmus), worldwide or in Switzerland. You will find the overview of our partner universities in our MoveON Partneruniversity Database.

International Relations

coordinates international relations and co-operations of the University of Basel, among these also the cross-border programme Interreg Upper Rhine.

Welcome & Euraxess Center

informs and assists new University members in terms of non-academic issues such as moving to the Basel area, integration, administration with authorities etc., as outlined on the comprehensive Welcome Center website. Additional duties are the coordination as well as the support of the FCA aka ESKAS scholarship holders.

* Find more information on our INTRANET pages > see VR Forschung|Research > International Office *

The University of Basel has been a member of the international university network Scholars at Risk (SAR) since 2019/20. In cooperation with partner universities (host institutions), SAR arranges temporary research and/or teaching positions at universities in the SAR network so that persecuted academics from one country can continue their work in safety at a foreign host institution. The aim of SAR is to protect those researchers whose lives, freedom and well-being are under serious threat. The intention of the temporary stay is to enable scholars to continue their work and develop their professional network so that they can either return to their home universities as soon as the political situation permits or continue their careers at an institution in the host country or abroad.

The University of Basel can employ researchers and lecturers who officially receive SAR endangered status (risk of arrest, risk to physical security, etc.) as guests for up to 1 year existing financing provided, thereby offering the opportunity to maintain ties to the academic community SAR Switzerland

Contact

Since 1989, the University of Basel has been part of Eucor – The European Campus, a trinational university network comprising the Universities of Freiburg, Strasbourg, Haute-Alsace and the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology. The consortium promotes cross-border cooperation in the Upper Rhine region and offers students, doctoral candidates and staff unique opportunities, ranging from free course selection from five course catalogues, including travel subsidies, to joint doctoral programmes, staff weeks and targeted funding for researchers and teachers, such as the Cross-Border Education Grant and Seed Money. 

Since 2022, the University of Basel has also been involved in the European University Alliance EPICUR through Eucor, which is funded by the Swiss Programme for Erasmus+ (2022–2026). EPICUR connects nine European universities and offers students and doctoral candidates innovative, practical teaching formats in international and interdisciplinary teams. Lecturers and staff also benefit from a wide range of mobility and networking opportunities within the alliance.

Contact and further information for students study in Europe with Eucor & EPICUR.