Academic mobility at the Academy

Exchange programmes

The USI Academy of Architecture, through the Mobility Office, offers its students and others coming from Switzerland and abroad the following possibilities:

  • Swiss Mobility programme. It provides an opportunity for USI students who wish to spend one or two semesters studying in another Swiss university and for students of other Swiss universities who wish to study in Mendrisio.
  • SEMP (Swiss-European Mobility Programme, former Erasmus). Exchange students from USI may spend one or two semesters studying in one of the European partner universities, with full validation of credits (ECTS) obtained from course work and successful examinations results. Similarly, incoming students may spend one or two semesters at USI. So far, USI has signed more than 60 exchange agreements with European universities.
  • International exchange programme. It gives the possibility to USI students to spend one semester studying in one of the International partner universities with which a bilateral agreement has been signed, and to students coming from the partner universities to study at USI.
  • Swiss European Mobility for Placement Programme, which allows to serve a professional internship in Europe lasting 9 consecutive months.

In addition to coordinating these programmes, the International Office cooperates with counterparts in similar services and central academic offices: Rectors' Conference of the Swiss Universities; Movetia; State Secretariat for Education and Research. The Office is also responsible for procuring SEMP scholarships and other funding sources for study-abroad programmes.
The task of the International Relations and Mobility Office is to advise and select outgoing students as well as to accept, assist and welcome incoming (exchange and visiting) students. Therefore, students planning to take part in these programmes should address their enquiries directly to the service. The International Relations Office will then put in place the appropriate administrative procedure, and provide information and advice on various practical matters (e.g. residence permit, insurance, housing, etc.).

Partner Universities