On the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts
The Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts (HSLU) celebrates its 20th birthday this year. In 1997, it was founded by the six cantons of Central Switzerland as one of the first universities of applied sciences in Switzerland. Today, the HSLU is already facing new challenges.
The Rector of the Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts (HSLU) Markus Hodel: "Universities of Applied Sciences and Arts combine practical orientation and scientificity. A model with a future." In 1997, the cantons of Lucerne, Uri, Schwyz, Obwalden, Nidwalden and Zug founded the University of Applied Sciences of Central Switzerland. Technology & Architecture and Business were the first areas of study. These were followed by three staggered fields of study: Design & Art, Social Work and Music.
In 1997, 293 students were enrolled in the first UAS degree programmes; today there are 6,209 students in 23 Bachelor's and 14 Master's degree programmes. Around 4,600 students are completing continuing education. In the past 20 years, around 15,000 people have graduated from the Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts and received a diploma.
History goes back a long way
"Our University of Applied Sciences has given Central Switzerland a powerful boost in its educational, economic and cultural development," says Rector Markus Hodel of the anniversary celebration on 19 June 2017.
Some of the predecessor institutions of the University of Applied Sciences and Arts can look back on a very long tradition, so that the Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts combines 420 years of educational expertise under its roof: in 1877 - and thus 140 years ago - the Lucerne School of Arts and Crafts was founded, from which today's Department of Design & Art emerged. The Department of Social Work is 99 years old, the Department of Music 75 years old, Technology & Architecture 59 years old, and higher business education has been offered in Central Switzerland for 46 years. The "youngest" of the HSLU's departments, the Department of Computer Science, began operations in Rotkreuz in 2016.
Research - part of the performance mandate
A significant proportion of the almost 1,200 lecturers and assistants (total staff: 1,645) work not only in the areas of education and training, but also in research and development.
Since the founding of the universities of applied sciences, research & development has been part of the performance mandate. The Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts published its first research report in 2005. In the previous year, research accounted for just over ten percent of the total budget (CHF 14 million); today, this share is around twice as high at 21 percent (CHF 51 million of around CHF 253 million in total expenditure).
In 2016, the Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts launched 416 new projects with companies and institutions or other educational and research institutions in Switzerland and abroad. In 2019, the Department of Finance, namely the Institute of Financial Services Zug IFZ of the Department of Economics in Zug, will move into a joint HSLU new building.
Read more about the 20th anniversary and the history of the Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts here
An in-depth interview about quality characteristics and challenges of a university of applied sciences like the HSLU can be found in the double issue of Management und Qualität (MQ 7/8 2017). The issue with the focus on "Education" will be published on 11 July 2017.
