User:Quaenuncabibis/EPFL 3.0

The EPFL (École polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne) is a public research university in Lausanne, Switzerland. Founded by the cantonal government of Vaud as local school in 1853 in Lausanne, the school became a federal institution and move to the current campus only in 1969.

EPFL has over 16’000 students and collaborators from more than 120 nationalities and encompasses five schools, three colleges, 20 research institutes and 371 laboratories and research groups.

According to the ARWU World 2020, EPFL ranks among the 100 best universities on the 83rd position. In the QS World University Rankings 2021 it is listed on position 14, in the Times Higher Education World University Ranking 2021 on the 43rd rank, and in the Leiden Ranking 2020 on position 16. In 2020, Clarivate Analytics named 20 members of EPFL's faculty to its list of "Highly Cited Researchers". As of 2021, one Nobel prize winner, and one Turing Award winner has been have been affiliated with EPFL as alumni, faculty members, or researchers. The university also has a strong entrepreneurial culture and EPFL alumni have founded or co-founded many notable companies.

EPFL is listed among of the youngest institutes of technology worldwide and counts as one of the most international universities.

Like its sister institution ETH Zurich, it is part of the Swiss Federal Institutes of Technology Domain (ETH Domain), part of the Swiss Federal Department of Economic Affairs, Education and Research.

EFPL's main Lausanne campus is situated in Ecublens, near Lausanne and in vicinity to the University of Lausanne. Associated campuses are located in Fribourg, Geneva, Neuchatel, and Sion.

Creation and expansion
The school, which opened its doors in 1853, was originally called École Spéciale de Lausanne, a name inspired by Ecole Centrale Paris. It was established by five founding members:

Louis Rivier, who graduated from Ecole Centrale Paris (ECP) in 1843; Jean Gay, professor and rector of Académie de Lausanne; Henri Bischoff, pharmacist and holder of the Chair in Chemistry at Académie de Lausanne, Pierre-Joseph Marguet, former student of École Polytechnique; and Jules Marguet, an Ecole Centrale Paris graduate who received his degree in 1840.

The aim of the private school was to “educate professional engineers in Switzerland.” Previously, students had been obliged to learn engineering in France or Germany. The École Spéciale de Lausanne sought to train high-level designers and builders by teaching them chemistry, physics, mathematics, drafting, architecture and civil engineering.

At first, the school was located on Rue du Valentin in Lausanne. On 7 November 1853, 11 students began their training, 5 of whom were awarded a diploma in 1855. Between 1857 and 1858, the school constructed a new building, designed by architect Louis Joël, at Rue de la Tour 8. In 1869, the school was annexed to Académie de Lausanne – the forerunner of the University of Lausanne – at which point it became the Faculté Technique de l’Académie de Lausanne. When the Académie was reorganized and granted university status in 1890, its name was changed to École d'Ingénieurs de l'Université de Lausanne. That same year, a new program in electricity was created. In 1902, the school began offering the Special Mathematics Course for students who lacked the required qualifications. In 1943, the school opened an Architecture Section. The following year, the school relocated to the former Hôtel Savoy on Lausanne’s Avenue du Cour and to the nearby Les Cèdres district. In 1946, the school changed its name to École Polytechnique de l'Université de Lausanne (EPUL). That same year, the Physics Section opened its doors.

Federalization
EPUL was split off from the University of Lausanne in 1969 and became a federal institution called École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), the name it bears today. EPFL was the second school in Switzerland to be named a federal institute of technology, after Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule Zürich (ETH Zürich). EPFL is one of six autonomous public institutions that make up the Domain of the Swiss Federal Institutes of Technology (ETH Domain). Unlike other universities in Switzerland, which are generally managed by the cantons, the six members of the ETH Domain are overseen by the federal government. This federalization went hand in hand with the promulgation of a new Federal Act on the Federal Institutes of Technology, which was unanimously adopted by the Swiss Federal Council on 4 October 1968. Under the terms of the accompanying decree, the government committed to, within 25 years, relocate the entire institution to a single new location: the Dorigny site in Ecublens, 5 kilometers west of Lausanne. The site is adjacent to the University of Lausanne (UNIL), which moved there in October 1970. Construction at the Dorigny site began in 1974 and the first buildings were inaugurated in 1978.

Modern history
In 1991, Fondation PSE du Parc Scientifique (now known as the EPFL Innovation Center) opened at the EPFL site. Its mandate was to promote technology transfer and business creation. That same year, the Section of Computer and Communication Sciences was established.

2001 was marked by the moving of the School of Architecture to Dorigny, where all EPFL's faculties were now reunited.

Under the leadership of Patrick Aebischer, EPFL’s President starting in 2000, EPFL underwent a major transformation and substantially increased its involvement in life sciences. A joint restructuring project entitled “Sciences, Life, Society,” undertaken with the Universities of Geneva and Lausanne, was finalized in 2001. Under its terms, the Chemistry and Physics Sections, as well as the Institute of Mathematics (CMP), were transferred from the University of Lausanne to EPFL. In 2002, a new School of Life Sciences was created, with sections in bioengineering, oncology, infectious diseases and neuroscience. A flagship program of this initiative was the Blue Brain Project. A College of Humanities was also established in association with the Universities of Lausanne and Geneva.

The same year, EPFL's twelve departments were regrouped into five schools to encourage cross-disciplinary collaboration.

In 2008, the Swiss Institute for Experimental Cancer Research (ISREC) became part of EPFL’s School of Life Sciences. Research groups moved into the new building throughout the following year. In 2009, the University of Neuchâtel’s Institute of Microtechnology was attached to EPFL. The site was later renamed Microcity. The same year, Formation Continue UNIL-EPFL began providing continuing education programs for both the University of Lausanne and EPFL.

In 2014, EPFL Valais/Wallis opened its doors in Sion. The site focuses on research and development in the fields of energy, green chemistry, health and the environment. The following year, EPFL opened sites in Fribourg and Geneva. EPFL Fribourg is housed at the Smart Living Lab, a research and development center located in the blueFACTORY innovation district and created to study the future of the built environment. In Geneva, researchers at Campus Biotech are active in the fields of neuroscience, digital neurotechnology and global health.

On April 2, 2015, the Iran nuclear deal framework between Iran and the P5+1 was announced at a press conference at the Rolex Learning Center.

In 2019, to mark the 50th anniversary of the School becoming a federal institution, EPFL was given a new logo to update its image.

Lausanne campus
Since moving to the Dorigny site in 1974, EPFL forms together with the University of Lausanne a vast campus complex at the shores of Lake Geneva with about 20,000 students. The campus is served by the Lausanne Metro Line 1 (M1) and is equipped with an electric bicycle sharing system. Since 2012, only electricity from certified hydroelectric generation is being bought by EPFL to power its campus. The university was the first campus to receive the International Sustainable Campus Excellence Award by the International Sustainable Campus Network.

Of the 16,000 people that work and study at the EPFL Dorigny campus, roughly 11,800 are students in either Bachelor's, Master's or Doctoral programs, the remaining 4,200 being administrative staff, scientists, technical staff, professors and the entrepreneurs located in the Science Park EPFL. More than 125 nationalities are present on campus with 48% of the student population being foreign nationals.

Buildings
The EPFL campus in Lausanne consists of about 65 buildings on 136 acres (55 ha). Because EPFL grew and expanded over time, the campus includes different architectural styles:


 * Late 1970s–1980s: modularised building, used today by the Schools of Basic Sciences and Architecture, Civil and Environmental Engineering, Mechanical and Electrical Engineering.


 * 1990s: buildings with institutes from the Schools of Engineering Sciences and Techniques, Computer and Communication Sciences, and the Scientific Park (PSE)


 * Modern: new buildings (2002–2004) with Microengineering, Communications and Architecture institutes, the School of Life Sciences and the College of Management.


 * The Rolex Learning Center, designed by Japanese architectural firm SANAA, was inaugurated in 2010. The building hosts EPFL's library and brings together work, relaxation and service spaces.


 * An administrative building was completed in 2013, designed by French architect Dominique Perrault. The building’s facades feature alternating black and colored stripes.


 * 2014: Inauguration of the SwissTech Convention Center and of the Quartier Nord, which features student housing, restaurants and services.


 * The EPFL Pavilions building, previously called Artlab opened in November 2016. It includes exhibition spaces open to the public. The first one houses archives from the Montreux Jazz Festival; the second is devoted to experimental museum exhibitions.


 * The MED Building, which was inaugurated in 2016, hosts the Schools of Engineering and of Life Sciences. It replaced the ME Building, which dated back to the initial phase of the campus’ construction. The new building was designed by French architect Dominique Perrault, and consists of two wings connected by a central atrium. The building’s facades are clad in metal mesh, and the building itself is the subject of a research project: a network of sensors that provide real-time data about occupants’ movements and behavior and that measure temperature, light levels and humidity for optimal energy management.


 * In 2018, the GA building was built. It houses the "Le Polychinelle" children's center, an after-school care center, two children's classes as well as the Science Promotion Service (SPS) of EPFL.


 * EPFL’s Innovation Park, located at the southwest end of the Lausanne campus, consists of 14 buildings. The first one, Building A, was built in 1993. Altogether, the Park is home to more than 150 start-ups. EPFL's Innovation Park is part of the Swiss Innovation Park network.

Associated campuses
EPFL occupies several associated campuses in Switzerland, often sharing these spaces with partner academic institutions and hospitals:

EPFL Geneva
Inaugurated in 2015 following the acquisition by Ernesto Bertarelli of the Merck Serono building, previously hosting the pharmaceutical company’s headquarters, the Campus Biotech was designed jointly by EPFL and the University of Geneva as a modular interface aimed at maximizing the chances of seeing ideas generate start-ups. This center for innovation in the fields of neurotechnologies, digital health and global health currently hosts several research initiatives, facilities and startups:


 * The Wyss Center for Bio and Neuroengineering, an interdisciplinary center which aims to further understand the brain and to develop therapeutic by bringing together scientists, engineers and business ventures.


 * The Center for Neuroprostetics, which focuses its research efforts in topics related to neurorehabilitation, notably through the development of neuroprosthetic devices and of brain-computer interfaces.


 * The Blue Brain Project: Founded in 2005 and headed by Israeli neuroscientist Henry Markram, the project aims to build detailed digital reconstructions and simulations of a complete rodent brain in order to learn more about its cognitive functions and behavior. In 2015, the project published the first digital reconstruction of the rat somatosensory cortex.


 * The health 2030 initiative, which aims at exploring the potential of new technologies such as big data management, digital epidemiology, next generation sequencing, bioinformatics and genomics in the field of health and personalized medicine.


 * The campus also hosts various industrial partners and startups active in the field of biotechnologies.

EPFL Fribourg
The EPFL Fribourg campus is part of the Smart Living Lab, based at the Bluefactory innovation district that is integrated in the Switzerland Innovation Park Network. Located in Fribourg since 2014, the Smart Living Lab is a research and development center for the future of the built environment. This living lab focuses its activities on human comfort and well-being, environmental performance, and digital transformation in the building.

A joint initiative of EPFL, the University of Applied Sciences and Arts of Western Switzerland and the University of Fribourg, the Smart Living Lab federates scientists from a range of disciplines conducting research on construction technologies, energy systems, user behaviors and design processes. An experimental building for the Smart Living Lab is planned for construction in 2021 on this site.

EPFL Neuchâtel
Neuchâtel currently hosts three centers and institutes linked to EPFL:


 * The Institute of Microengineering and the Micro-Manufacturing Science and Engineering Center are both hosted in the Neuchâtel Microcity building. Microcity aims at bringing together the skills of national and international research institutes such as EPFL, the University of Neuchâtel, the Swiss Center for Electronics and Microtechnology, the Swiss Foundation for Research in Microtechnology and the Arc University of Applied Sciences, but also of regional professional training centers linked to the canton of Neuchâtel. Particularly active in the fields of micro-nanotechnology, microfabrication and industrialization processes, it aims to promote competencies and interactions in research and development, industrialization and technology transfer, offering expertise in the areas of business consulting, housing, finance and communication. Microcity currently hosts 10 chairs and more than 200 EPFL employees.


 * The Center for Artificial Muscles. In collaboration with the Inselspital Bern and the University Hospital of Zurich, this Center aims to develop minimally invasive methods for the treatment of heart failure.

EPFL Valais/Wallis (Sion)
Located in the city of Sion, the EPFL Valais/Wallis campus is part of the Energypolis project, which brings together the expertise of EPFL and the University of Applied Sciences of the canton of Valais as well as other regional health and research and development initiatives. In 2021, EPFL Valais/Wallis hosts 13 laboratories and more than 200 researchers active in fields related to health, energy and environmental issues.

Language Centre
The Language Centre offers language and communication modules for French, German, Italian and English (CEFR levels A1 to C2) to enable learners to participate more effectively in academic, professional and social situations in an internationalized multilingual and multicultural context. These modules are reserved for EPFL students, staff members and for their spouses.

Tandems are also organized and set up within the framework of the Tandem Program of the Faculty of Arts/EFLE of the University of Lausanne. This concept includes two people of different first languages meeting regularly to teach each other their respective language.

Direction
EPFL is governed by a President, elected for 4 years terms by the Board of the Swiss Federal Institutes of Technology (ETH Board), five Vice-Presidents, and the central services of EPFL. The current President of EPFL is Martin Vetterli, who succeeded to Patrick Aebischer on 1 January 2017. In 2020, he was re-elected for a second term starting in 2021.

The President's office is divided into seven departments: the general secretary's office, which oversees management operations; the legal affair's office; EPFL's internal and external communication department Mediacom; the governmental affairs office, which promotes EPFL in Switzerland and abroad; the international affairs office, involved specifically in the international development and promotion of EPFL; the faculty affairs office, in charge of faculty positions' advertisement and of the hiring process; and finally of the philanthropy service, which allows donator's contributions to research, education and innovation initiatives.

Five Vice-Presidents, appointed by the ETH Board on the basis of recommendation by the acting president at the beginning of each term, coordinate the School's activities. The Vice-Presidents have decision-making authority over their area of activity. As of 2021, the Vice-Presidents are: Jan S. Hesthaven (Vice-President for Academic Affairs), Ursula Oesterle (Vice-President for Innovation), Matthias Gäumann (Vice-President for Operations), Françoise Bommensatt (Vice-President for Finances) and Gisou van der Goot (Vice-President for Responsible Transformation).

Schools and Colleges
EPFL is organized in five schools and three colleges. Altogether, over 70 centers and research institutes currently host more than 370 laboratories and research groups. Its faculty is made up of over 350 professors who teach and perform research.

School of Basic Sciences (SB)
Directed by dean Paul Dyson, the School of Basic Sciences hosts the Institutes of Mathematics, of Chemical Sciences and Engineering and of Physics. Several international, national and institutional research centers are attached to the School of Basic Sciences, such as the European Centre of Atomic and Molecular Computations (CECAM), the Max Planck-EPFL Centre for Molecular Nanosciences and Technology, the Swiss Plasma Center, the Bernoulli Center of Mathematics, the Biomedical Imaging Research Center and the Interdisciplinary Center for Electron Microscopy,

School of Engineering (STI)
The School of Engineering aims to train engineers for careers in industry or research, to perform research and promote technology transfer in engineering and to provide engineering solutions to societal issues in fields such as intelligent and complex systems, sustainable society, health and life sciences and data & network enabled society. Directed by Dean Ali Sayed, the School comprises five research and education institutes: the Institute of Electrical Engineering, the Institute of Mechanical Engineering, the Institute of Materials, the Institute of Microengineering and the Institute of Bioengineering.

School of Architecture, Civil and Environmental Engineering (ENAC)
Composed by the Institutes of Architecture, of Civil Engineering and of Environmental Engineering, ENAC is directed by dean Claudia R. Binder. Interdisciplinary in nature, the School aims to address questions related to societal challenges such as climate change, urbanization and digital transformation. In 2019, 2251 students were enrolled in the School's undergraduate programs and 428 researchers participated in its research projects.

School of Computer and Communication Sciences (IC)
As of 2021, the School of Computer and Communication Sciences is directed by dean James Larus. The School regroups 50 research laboratories active in fields such as computer architecture, criptography, privacy and security, image and signal processing, networks, artificial intelligence and machine learning, human-computer interfaces and digital education.

School of Life Sciences (SV)
Created under Patrick Aebischer's presidency in 2002, the School of Life Sciences is directed by Andrew Oates and hosts six research centers: the Swiss Institute for Experimental Cancer Research (ISREC), which joined EPFL in 2008, the Global Health Institute, which research focuses on infectious diseases, the Institute of Bioengineering, the Brain Mind Institute and the Center for Neuroprostethics, and the Blue Brain Project.

College of Management of Technology (CDM)
Created in 2004, the College of Management of Technology focuses its research and education in issues related to management sciences. Directed by French economist Dominique Foray, the college hosts the Management of Technology and Entrepreneurship Institute and the Swiss Finance Institute at EPFL. It offers postgraduate programs in finance and in management, technology and entrepreneurship.

College of Humanities (CDH)
The College of Humanities promotes collaborative research and education programs that integrate human and social sciences with life and natural sciences, engineering, as well as other EPFL technical fields. The College offers a Master's degree and a PhD program in Digital Humanities and over 150 classes in social and human sciences at the Bachelor's and Master's level. Research at the CDH is performed in two research centers: the Institute for Area and Global Studies and the Digital Humanities Institute.

EPFL Middle East (EME)
In 2010, EPFL announced the creation of a new research and education institute in Ras Al Khaimah, United Arab Emirates. The construction of a new building was planned to host research laboratories and a Master's degree in energy management and sustainability and research. However, in 2013 it was revealed that the project was delayed due to economical issues as well as difficulties recruiting local and foreign students.



Academics
EPFL is a partly residential research university with a majority of enrollments in graduate and professional programs, as well as an online-only Extension School. EPFL's academic calendar is in line with all major Swiss universities with the school year starting in September and being divided into two semesters: autumn semester (weeks 38 to 51) and spring semester (weeks 8 to 22).

All candidates with a Swiss high-school maturity diploma (cantonal certificate recognized by the Confederation or federal certificate) are able to enter to the first year of the EPFL Bachelor’s program of their choice without precoditions. For candidates holding other types of diploma, such as federal vocational maturity diplomas, specific admission conditions are required.

International students with an upper secondary school certificate are required to have a final grade average of 80% or more of the maximum grade. Furthermore, EPFL encourages international students to gain at least a B2 level in French (according to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages) to follow classes purposefully. Candidates who do not meet the conditions for first year admission have to take EPFL’s admission exam to enter a Bachelor’s program of their choice.

In the propaedeutic cycle, the first year of studies, focuses on the broad and basic understanding of subjects relevant for scientists, engineers or architects. While the curriculum focuses on mathematics, physics and computer science, it also comprise courses discipline-specific disciplines as well as human and social sciences (SHS), which both continue throughout the Bachelor’s and Master’s stuides. The purpose of the latter is to foster the development of critical thinking skills regarding societal, ethical and environmental consequences. Switching study disciplines at the end of the first year is allowed in certain cases.

Students finishing the first semester of the propaedeutic year with a grade average below 3.5 (on a scale of 6) have to take a full-time Review Course (MAN) during the second semester. This course ensures student in the scientific fundamentals required to restart the propaedeutic curriculum at the beginning of the following academic year under optimal conditions.

Undergraduate program
EPFL offers 13 Bachelor's degrees in natural sciences and engineering across its five schools that usually are structured as a three year program. The study programs are enriched by 150 optional courses in social and human sciences offered by EPFL's College of Humanity. In 2020, 5,871 Bachelor's students were studying at EPFL.

On the level of Master's degrees, EPFL offers 26 study programmes. In 2020, 3,488 students were enrolled on the Master's level.

Both undergraduate study programs are supplemented by study specific or transdisciplinary minors.

The possibility to study abroad for one or two semesters is offered during the third Exchange during third Bachelor year as EPFL maintains several long-standing student exchange programs, with partner universities around the globe.

In cooperation with international partner universities, EPFL offers double degree programmes on Bachelor's and Master's levels. As of 2020, the partner universities are École Polytechnique (Paris), CentraleSupélec at Paris-Saclay University, École centrale de Lille, École normale supérieure de Lyon, Polytechnic University of Milan, Technical University of Munich, Institut supérieur de l'aéronautique et de l'espace (ISAE-SUPAERO), Grenoble Institute of Technology, Polytechnic University of Turin, Technical University of Denmark and ETH Zurich.

Graduate program
EPFL has 21 doctoral programs on offer that are complimented by a wide variety of courses such as languages or business skills. In 2020, 2,199 PhD candidates were enrolled.

Collaborations
The EPFL is member in a range of international societies and networks such as EuroTech Universities Alliance, Network of Excellence in Engineering Sciences of the French-speaking Community (RESCIF), CESAER,, CLUSTER, SEFI, International Sustainable Campus Network (ISCN), Scholars at Risk (SAR), Agence universitaire de la Francophonie (AUF), European Universities Association (EUA), and International Association of Universities (IAU).

Libraries and Museums
The EPFL Library is a public library with an academic vocation. It is located in the Rolex Learning Center on EPFL's Lausanne Campus. Opened in 2010 following the merger of the former campus libraries, it welcomes approximately 1 million visitors each year. It offers its collections, services and spaces to EPFL members as well as to an external audience.

The library offers 800 workplace, privileged access to information and a meeting places. It is open to the public every day of the week, from 7am to midnight. The library provides computers, photocopiers, printers, document scanners, and microfiche and microfilm readers.

Research
EPFL annual operating revenues for the fiscal year 2019 amounted to CHF 1.056 billions. The main source of funding are federal contributions that amounted to CHF 686 millions. Indirect public funding were received the Swiss National Science Foundation, Innosuisse, other Swiss federal programs and EU Framework Programmes that amount to CHF 183 millions (2019) and are the second-largest source funding. The private sector, non-profit organizations, services revenue, tuition, and donations and bequests contributed further CHF 187 millions (2019). Throughout the institution's history, EPFL researchers have made breakthroughs such as the School of Engineering's development of low-cost solar panels (Grätzel cells) under the leadership of Michael Grätzel. Grätzel ranks among the most cited scholars worldwide and was awarded the 2010 Millennium Technology Prize for this invention. Among EPFL's inventions are the first optical computer mouse, MOOC, and the programming language SCALA. The EPFL was also crucially involved in the development of projects like the race sailing ships Alinghi and Hydroptère, solar panel powered aircraft Solar Impulse and the Breitling Orbiter ballon expeditions. In 2020, the team of Grégoire Courtine successfully implanted a neural prothesis that enables a patient with spinal cord injuries to control his legs and walk independently with a rollator.

Clarivate's 2020 list of highly cited researchers includes 24 EPFL faculty members. Nominated in several categories or in the cross-field category are immunogist Andrea Ablasser, physicist Christophe Ballif, mathematician Annalisa Buffa, chemist Paul Joseph Dyson, material scientist Michael Grätzel, neuroscientist Pierre Magistretti, materials scientist Nicola Marzari, chemist Mohammad Khaja Nazeeruddin, chemical engineer Kevin Sivula, chemist Shaik M. Zakeeruddin.

Rankings
In the international QS World University Rankings 2021 EPFL is listed on position 14 overall in the world, 6th in Europe, and 2nd in Switzerland. The Times Higher Education World University Ranking 2021 placed EPFL at the 43rd rank globally, the 12th rank in Europe, and the 2nd in Switzerland in 2021. The CWTS Leiden Ranking 2020 focusing on research lists EPFL on position 16 globally and position 4 in Europe. According to the World's Most Innovative Universities 2019, Reuters lists EPFL 17th worldwide and 4th in Europe. . The Round University Ranking positions EPFL on the 19th rank globally and 17th in Europe. The Global Employability Ranking and Survey 2020 (Geurs) compiled by Emerging lists the EPFL globally and in Europe, 20th and 6th, respectively.

Another international ranking, the Shanghai Jiao Tong University Academic Ranking of World Universities, placed EPFL 83th globally and 4th in Switzerland in 2019. As stated by US News & World Report Best Global Rankings 2021, EPFL is placed on the 58th position globally.

Up until the year 2019, the Times Higher Education World University Ranking listed the EPFL in the Young University Ranking: 2019 and 2018 on the 2nd place behind Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, and 2017 on the 1st rank.

Student body
The number of students attending studying at EPFL has been rising heavily since EPFL was formed in 1969 under its current name. In 1969 EPFL had roughly 1400 students, that number had grown to 2367 by 1982, 4302 by 1997, 9921 students in 2014, and 10,536 students at the end of 2016. Within the student body, 112 different nationalities are represented. In the period from 1982 to 2014 the female proportion of the student body has increased from 12% to 27%. The proportion of female students is lowest at the School of Computer Science and Communication, 15%, and highest at the School of Life Sciences, 49%.

Student Organizations
The school encourages the formation of associations and sports activities on campus. As of 2012 more than 79 associations exist on campus for recreational and social purposes. In addition, the school has its own monthly newspaper, Flash. Included in the 79 associations are


 * AGEPoly is the Student's Association. Its purpose is to represent the EPFL's students, defend the general interests of the students and inform and consult its members on decisions of the EPFL Direction that concern them.
 * The Forum is a student association responsible for organisation of the Forum EPFL. The Forum was founded in 1982 as a platform for exchange and meeting between the academic and professional communities. Today, it is one of the largest recruiting events in Europe, and the largest in Switzerland.
 * UNIPOLY is the EPFL Association for Sustainable Development, the Association works to create awareness of sustainable development on campus and in western Switzerland. UNIPOLY is part of the World Student Community for Sustainable Development, an international network of student organisations for sustainable development consisting of EPFL, ETH Zurich, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, University of Tokyo, University of Fort Hare, University of Nairobi, Chalmers, and University of Yaounde.



Social events
Several music festivals are held yearly, the largest one being the Balélec Festival, organized each year in May since 1981. The festival welcomes 15,000 visitors to around 30 concerts.

Civic engagement
The EPFL was the birthplace of the Archimedean Oath, proposed by students in 1990. The Archimedean Oath has since spread to a number of European engineering schools.

The Archimedean Oath is an ethical code of practice for engineers and technicians, similar to the Hippocratic Oath used in the medical world:


 * "I commit to keeping completely, to the full extent of my capacities and judgment, the following promises:
 * I shall use my knowledge for the benefit of mankind.
 * I shall not put my skill to the service of people who do not respect Human Rights.
 * I shall not permit consideration regarding religion, nationality, race, sex, wealth and politics to harm people affected by my actions.
 * I shall bear the entire responsibility for my actions and shall in no way discharge them on another.
 * I shall practice in respect for the environment.
 * I shall not use my knowledge for destructive purposes.
 * I shall practice my profession in complete intellectual honesty, with conscience and dignity.
 * I solemnly take this oath, freely and on my honour."

EPFL Alumni
The EPFL Alumni is a department of EPFL whose mission is to maintain a lifelong link between the school and its around 37,000 graduates. All EPFL graduates holding a Bachelor, Master, Doctorate or EMBA degree, as well as certain other postgraduate degrees, are automatically members of the network.

The EPFL Alumni offers EPFL graduates a permanent link with the school through its communication (newsletters, magazines, social networks, etc.) as well as numerous services, including physical and digital events, personalized career advice, a lifetime email address, and numerous discounts notably for continuing education. The EPFL Alumni is active worldwide through its 27 chapters around the world.

Since 2004 EPFL Alumni presents the EPFL Alumni Award annually to EPFL graduates with distinguished careers. Among the awardees are Daniel Bore l (founder and chairman of Logitech), Franck Riboud (chairman at Danone), André Borschberg (CEO and pilot of the Solar Impulse), Jacques Baur (R&D Director of Rolex), Igor Perisic (LinkedIn), Claudia de Rham (cosmologist) and Mattia Binotto (Scuderia Ferrari).

EPFL Magazine
In 1973, EPFL launched its internal newspaper, called Flash. From an opinion paper where professors and students crossed swords on major political issues, it became over the years an information paper open to all departments of the school, following an almost bi-monthly rhythm. In 2016, it was replaced by EPFL Magazine, enriched with thematic dossiers, articles on campus life, and major interviews. Published 9 times a year, it was distributed until the end of 2020 on EPFL campuses.

In 2021, a new magazine called Dimension was launched with the ambition of going beyond the perimeter of the School. Produced by by EPFL's communication department Mediacom in collaboration with EPFL's alumni network, the science-oriented magazine is published four times a year with a print run of 35,000 copies. It is distributed on and off the EPFL campus, and is available by subscription and as download pdf.