City and University of Geneva

Founded in 1559 by Jean Calvin, the University of Geneva (UNIGE) is dedicated to thinking, teaching, dialogue and research. With 16,500 students hailing from more than 150 different countries, it is Switzerland’s second largest university.UNIGE offers more than 290 types of degrees and more than 280 Continuing Education programmes covering an extremely wide variety of fields: exact sciences, medicine, humanities, social sciences, law, etc. Its domains of excellence in research include life sciences (molecular biology, bio-informatics), physics of elementary particles and astrophysics. UNIGE is also host and co-host to six National Centres of Competence in Research: PlanetS, SwissMap, Chemical Biology, Affective Sciences, Synaptic Bases of Mental Diseases and LIVES-Overcoming vulnerabilities in a life course perspective.

Just like the city of Geneva itself, the university enjoys a strong international reputation, both for the quality of its research (it ranks among the top institutions among the League of European Research Universities) and the excellence of its education.

ECER 2021 will take place in Uni Mail, the newly constructed part of the University of Geneva. It is located in the heart of the city and 10 minutes walk from the beautiful Parc des Bastions. Uni Mail offers several auditoriums and numerous conference rooms, all of which have cutting-edge equipment. More than 30 internet terminals are available in the University.

Link to the University of Geneva website

Breathtaking scenery
While the Jet d’Eau fountain, soaring 140 metres into the air, remains the emblem of Geneva, the views and circuits in the city are as magical as they are varied. There is, of course, Lake Geneva, the largest lake in Western Europe but the city also boasts numerous parks, monuments and attractions as well as the old town, all of which can be explored on foot or by bike.
 
Fascinating culture
Visitors won’t have time to get bored in Geneva! The cultural calendar includes concerts, festivals, theatre, dance and many other events. Furthermore, some sixty art galleries and forty museums offer visitors the chance to discover original exhibitions and rare collections.

The birthplace of luxury watchmaking
Geneva is also known around the world as the symbol of luxury watchmaking. If this long-standing tradition continues to fascinate people passing through and perpetuates this exceptional image, it is primarily because it still calls on a wide range of specialist professions in which precision is absolutely essential. This know-how can be appreciated simply by taking a look at the boutique windows or visiting the specialist museums.

Summer activities
With the arrival of summer, Geneva showcases its very best assets. Visitors can relax in its magnificent parks, take a dip and enjoy free concerts and festivals at the heart of the city as well as the legendary Fêtes de Genève (or Geneva festival) by the lake shore.
 
Capital of peace
Geneva hosts the European headquarters of the United Nations and is home to more than 200 international organisations, most of which can be found around the Place des Nations, the site of the impressive “Broken Chair”, a wooden sculpture standing 12 metres high reminding everyone who sees it of the important fight against anti-personnel mines.