Franklin University Switzerland has once again earned a place among the world’s most forward-thinking institutions in the 2025 World’s Universities with Real Impact (WURI) rankings. It is the only higher education institution in Switzerland to be featured in the 2025 WURI Global Top 25, continuing to serve as a bridge between Swiss academic tradition and global innovation.
This year, Franklin advanced to 24th place globally in the WURI Top 400 for Most Innovative Universities, reflecting the institution’s continued commitment to interdisciplinary learning, global engagement, and real-world impact. Franklin also placed 12th worldwide in the Ethics and Integrity category and 17th in the ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) Trend, recognizing its dedication to responsible leadership, sustainability, and academic transparency.
WURI is an annual university ranking system that evaluates institutions based not on traditional metrics but on their real contributions to society. Categories such as Ethics and Integrity, Crisis Management, Industrial Application, and Student Mobility and Openness highlight how institutions prepare students to lead and innovate in a rapidly changing world. Franklin’s performance was supported by three standout initiatives:
- A Joint Ethics Committee developed with HWZ University of Applied Sciences in Business Administration Zurich, which ensures ethical oversight of research involving human subjects while streamlining processes across institutions. The committee includes Prof. Bernd Bucher, Prof. Oliver Strijbis, Prof. Tatjana Balushkina, Prof. Fabio Ferrari, and Prof. Martino Ongis.
- The Green Office Swap Shop, a campus-based circular economy initiative that allows students, faculty, and staff to donate and repurpose items, reducing waste and promoting economic equity. The initiative was launched and managed by the Green Office staff and 20 volunteers, whose collective efforts have already rehomed hundreds of items.
- A bird monitoring project at the Laghetto di Muzzano nature reserve, conducted in partnership with ProNatura Ticino and the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, which combines community science, biodiversity protection, and student-led data analysis. The project is led by Prof. Patrick Della Croce and involves one FUS student.
The rankings were released during the 5th Hanseatic League of Universities (HLU) Conference, held at Negros Oriental State University (NORSU) in the Philippines from July 9 to 11. During the event, Hon. Noel Marjon E. Yasi, Psy.D. was announced as the new President of the Hanseatic League of Universities, with the ceremonial passing of the gavel conducted by Professor Emeritus Dong Sung Cho of Seoul National University on behalf of outgoing President Samuel Martín-Barbero.
As Franklin continues to foster innovation, ethical leadership, and sustainability in higher education, these international recognitions reflect the university’s enduring mission: to prepare students to become responsible global citizens through a personalized and transformative liberal arts education.