University of Basel

University of Basel is a public research university in Basel, Switzerland.

The University of Basel was founded in 1460 in conjunction with the Council of Basel, a major ecclesiastical council of the Catholic Church. The council had been convened in 1431 to address issues of reform within the church, and it included representatives from all over Europe. The presence of so many scholars in Basel led to the establishment of a temporary university, which was formally recognized by Pope Pius II in 1459.

The new university quickly became a center of humanist learning, and it attracted some of the most renowned scholars of the time, including Erasmus of Rotterdam and Paracelsus. Basel also became a stronghold of the Protestant Reformation, and the university played a key role in spreading the new religious ideas throughout Europe.

The University of Basel has a long and distinguished history, and it continues to be a leading center of higher education and research in the world.

Based on the QS World University Rankings of 2025, University of Basel is positioned as the #131 top university in the world, which makes it the #4 top university in Switzerland. The university's global rank decreased by 7 points from last year.