The University of Basel is a public research university located in the city of Basel, Switzerland. Founded in 1460 by Pope Pius II, it is the oldest university in Switzerland and is currently ranked among the world’s top 200 universities. The university has produced many notable alumni, including eight Nobel laureates.
Basel is located in northwestern Switzerland on the Rhine River. It is one of the three medieval university towns that make up the Republic of Basel, along with Bern and Zurich. The town developed around an early Christian cathedral and castle, which date back to the 4th century AD.
The University of Basel was founded on 4 April 1460 by Pope Pius II. It was originally intended as a school for theology and law, but soon began to offer courses in medicine, natural sciences, and humanities as well. In 1833, it became a cantonal institution under state control.
Today, the University of Basel comprises seven faculties: Humanities and Social Sciences; Law; Economics; Science; Medicine; Pharmacy; and Psychology and Education. It offers Bachelor’s, Master’s, doctoral degrees as well as post-doctoral programmes. Research at the university is organized into more than 80 departments and institutes.
The University of Basel has a long tradition of excellence in research and teaching. Notable alumni include eight Nobel laureates: Friedrich August Kekulé von Stradonitz (Chemistry), Hermann Emil Fischer (Chemistry), Paul Hermann Müller (Physiology or Medicine), Tadeusz Reichstein (Physiology or Medicine), Max Planck (Physics), Werner Heisenberg (Physics), Otto Stern (Physics)and Karl Jaspers(Philosophy).