The University of Applied Sciences of Southern Switzerland (SUPSI) is one of the 7 Universities of Applied Sciences in Switzerland (Fachhochschule, Haute école Spécialisée, University of Applied Sciences).

It has a university statute, focused on professional training and applied research. Together with the University of Southern Switzerland (USI), to which it is closely linked in terms of collaboration activities and common institutions, it is the only Italian language university pole in Switzerland, with almost 4,000 students in the Lugano region.

The distinguishing features of SUPSI are that it provides study opportunities to those who have already gained some professional experience and who continue to operate in a professional capacity, that the teaching program incorporates full-time lecturers-researchers and part-time professional operators, that it offers a wide range of continuous courses to those operating professionally, and that it conducts applied research projects in collaboration with companies and institutions in the region.

The institute involved in this project is the Institute of Material and Constructions (IMC).

Avec ses 10'000 étudiant-e-s, la HES-SO est le plus vaste espace de formation professionnelle supérieure de Suisse. Vaste réservoir de compétences, d’idées, d'innovations, de créativité et de savoirs, la HES-SO a la volonté de jouer un rôle prépondérant dans le développement socio-économique du pays. Elle entend contribuer ainsi à donner un nouveau souffle à la Suisse occidentale. La HES-SO propose six grands domaines de formation, eux-mêmes subdivisés en filières d'études:

• Sciences de l'ingénieur
• Economie et services
• Design et arts visuels
• Santé
• Travail social
• Musique

The institutes involved in this project are the HES-SO Fribourg and the HES-SO, EI-Yverdon.

The University of Lugano (Università della Svizzera italiana-USI) was founded in 1996. As a public institution independent of state control, it joined the nine cantonal universities and two federal institutes of technology that form the Swiss university system. It distinguishes itself as the only university outside Italy where the official language of tuition is Italian.

Today, USI comprises four Faculties: Economics, Communication Sciences and Computer Science in Lugano, and Architecture in Mendrisio, for a total student population of approximately 1550 from 35 different countries, and a total teaching staff of 300 professors and assistants.

Benefiting from a unique geographic, political, and cultural location, USI has gained distinction as a multilingual and multicultural university, with a broad international outlook. It enjoys privileged relations with several Italian universities, particularly with those located in Northern Italy, and has built special collaborative or exchange partnerships with a number of foreign universities in Europe and elsewhere.

The institute involved in this project is the Accademia di architettura.