Lausanne

Study Short Courses in Lausanne, Vaud, Switzerland

Lausanne at a glance

Lausanne, in Switzerland is one of the most diverse cities in all of Europe, with a rich cultural history of inclusion, tolerance and prosperity. Its economy is well focused on the key industries of international business, tourism and hospitality and finance. The rest of the economy is built on sustaining its increasingly multicultural population, most of which had started out as international students looking for quality higher education. Lausanne has magnificent sceneries and a pleasant climate, ideal for year-round economic activity and outdoor events. While it is one of the more expensive cities on the continent, Lausanne is also a very attractive destination to work, offering competitive salaries and additional benefits. 

Studying

Studying in Lausanne

The universities in Lausanne offer many diverse study programmes, with a wide availability for international students. You can follow a continuous education in the field of HoReCa, with a Bachelor’s in Tourism and Hospitality Management, followed by an MBA centred on Hospitality and a PhD in Tourism Studies. There are also opportunities for advanced graduate studies in sports sciences, public administration and economics. Technical schools in Lausanne offer Master’s of Sciences degrees in bioengineering, civil engineering, mechanical engineering and even nuclear engineering. For those interested in perfecting their language skills there are bachelor’s programmes, master’s and even short courses specialised in French, English or German, with a clear orientation towards business and tourism industries. Lausanne’s universities also offer comprehensive undergraduate programmes in economics, geography, heritage studies and psychology. The teaching style is clearly aimed at employability and practical skill acquisition, as well as building a multicultural perspective about the world.

Career

Career opportunities in Lausanne

Lausanne’s economy has a deficit of workers, with many of the employees being commuters from the surrounding area. Most jobs are in the retail and sales departments, followed by the tourism and hotel industry and research. The largest companies with headquarters in the city are tobacco giant Phillip Morris International, packaging corporation Tetra Laval and Nestlé’s subsidiary Nespresso. the demand for new workers is especially high for business and administration graduates, as well as in finance, mechanical engineering and hospitality management. Most of these employers accept undergraduate interns, who are continuously trained in parallel with their university curriculum.

Life

Lausanne city life

Lausanne has a vast cultural history and tradition dating back from the Antiquity, which has ensured it a rich heritage, with many landmarks and tourist attractions:

  • Notre-Dame Cathedral
  • Beaulieu Castle
  • The Roman ruins at Vicus of Vidy
  • Château Saint-Maire
  • Olympic Museum

The city is well known as the capital of international sport, housing the International Sports Arbitration Tribunal (Tass). Lausanne has a rich cultural life, with a tradition of classical music. The city is home to the Swiss Film Archive and the municipality organises regular film festivals and underground performance events. Besides the Lausanne Opera, you can also find a local ballet, called the Béjart Ballet.

For sports enthusiasts, Lausanne has local football (soccer), hockey, rowing and rugby teams, which participate in national and international professional competitions. The city’s proximity to Lake Geneva means that there are many nature retreats and wild parks on the outskirts of Lausanne, ideal for hiking, biking and other outdoor activities.

International atmosphere in Lausanne

Lausanne is, like most of Switzerland, a very cosmopolitan city, with around 42% of the population being from another country. Most of the population speak French, followed by German and Italian. Other languages spoken widely in the local communities are Spanish, Portuguese, Albanian and Turkish. While many of the locals speak more than one language, English is also widely spoken by the large young population. International students arriving to the city also increase the diversity and international outlook of Lausanne.

Weather Lausanne

Lausanne has a fairly humid weather, with an average of 1,153 mm (45.39 inches) of precipitation annually. Due to its geographic position, Lausanne has cool and wet summers, with an average of 20.3 °C (68.5 °F) in July. The winters are cold, but usually above freezing, with an average temperature of 1.2 °C (34.2 °F) in January.

Costs

Accommodation costs in Lausanne

There are numerous accommodation options available in Lausanne, for various types of budgets:

  • Rent for a one-bedroom apartment in the city centre costs 1,272 EUR/month, while three bedrooms cost 2,692 EUR/month.
  • Rent for a one-bedroom apartment outside the city centre costs 977 EUR/month and three bedrooms cost 2,055 EUR/month
  • On-campus accommodation reaches 672 EUR/month for single rooms and 868 EUR/month for studios. Student housing is usually limited and requires a significant deposit.

Living costs in Lausanne

Lausanne is a moderately expensive city, with living costs reaching between 1010 and 1622 EUR/month, excluding accommodation. Utilities amount to approximately 184 EUR/month, while food prices require up to 510 EUR/month. A monthly transport pass costs 67 EUR and a one-way ticket is 3.36 EUR.

Universities in Lausanne

The UNIL represents: an international atmosphere. One fifth of the student population and one third of the teaching staff come from abroad.

See 15 Short Courses

A renowned centre of excellence for education and applied research in sport, AISTS (International Academy of Sport Science and Technology) incorporates a multidisciplinary approach to postgraduate education and continuing professional education in sports management.

See 7 Short Courses

Switzerland has consistently remained a global leader for its focus and investment in research and education. EPFL represents the quintessence of Switzerland's innovation forces, reflected daily with the results and distinctions obtained by its researchers, the vitality of home-grown entrepreneurs and in the international networks established with other centers of excellence.

See 5 Short Courses

Founded as the world's first hotel school in 1893, EHL has a genuine, historical proximity to the tourism and hotel industry. The Swiss campuses are located in stunning natural settings: In the hills above Lausanne overlooking Lake Geneva, and in Passugg, the heart of the Graubünden region, in the Swiss Alps. The newest EHL campus is located in Singapore.

See 23 Short Courses

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