President's Welcome

I am pleased to welcome you to Franklin College Switzerland.

Franklin College strives to be one of the most respected small colleges and universities in the American system of higher education – one of the finest systems of higher education in the world. Among the institutions that comprise this system is a unique subset distinguished by excellence. By and large this subset is composed of small, independent schools, generally steeped in the tradition of the Liberal Arts, though some offer a comprehensive array of disciplines.

Franklin excels in the characteristics that make the best of these small institutions stand out. We provide an environment where personal attention is given to each student’s academic needs. Our faculty is noted for its teaching excellence, not just in the classroom, but also in informal instruction that takes place every day on our campus. Students and faculty have frequent contact and interaction. There is an understanding that excellence in teaching and good scholarship go hand in hand.

We believe the physical aspects of the College must create an environment that both encourages and supports intellectual discourse and research. To that end, we have doubled the size of our campus in recent years and we continually implement technical enhancements to our facilities. These efforts support a wide variety of activities and a more diverse campus life.

A unique aspect of Franklin is the importance we place on global perspective. Our student body is vital to our mission of providing intellectual awareness and respect for cultures other than our own. The college actively seeks students who are truly international – individuals who manifest a genuine interest in being informed citizens of the global village. A natural curiosity, a sense of adventure and an attitude of tolerance are expected of all students who study at Franklin.

In order to enhance the criteria that place us among the finest small colleges and universities in the American system of higher education, Franklin is continually engaged in self-examination and reassessment. The quality of our faculty consistently meets the criteria. Beyond the faculty, our greatest assets are our location and the truly international nature of our environment. Many members of our faculty and staff carry two passports and have lived around the world. Our students come from more than 50 countries. Our curriculum emphasizes the global aspects of the disciplines we study and is enhanced by our unique academic travel curriculum, taking students to every point on the globe as part of their graduation requirement.

Recently the Swiss University Commission accredited our programs as equivalent to those of a Swiss university. This accreditation, as well as our accreditation in the United States, is a testimony to the quality of instruction we deliver and the excellent learning environment we provide. Still, the best way to achieve continued success and growth is to never accept the status quo. My colleagues and I genuinely look forward to working together to improve on our successes. Franklin will continually provide education that sets us apart as one of the finest small institutions of higher learning in the world.

Erik O. Nielsen,

President