Private University in the Principality of Liechtenstein

About us

The UFL is a non-profit foundation (Art. 552ff of the Liechtenstein Persons and Companies Act) and has its headquarters in the municipality of Triesen. The final approval by the Government of Liechtenstein in a letter dated February 14, 2007, was preceded by various stages of a regularly reviewed establishment and expansion. Following the "Authorization to Establish and Run the University of Human Sciences in the Principality of Liechtenstein" on August 29, 2000, the university was opened on October 3, 2000. On April 4, 2003, the government granted the university state recognition. The recognition is based on a peer review and in consideration of the remarkable pioneering achievements obtained. In the summer of 2004, the university underwent a fundamental reorientation. The former teaching and research focus in the fields of psychology and philosophy was replaced by medical-scientific and legal research. In August 2006, following this reorientation, the University Council submitted an application to the Government of the Principality of Liechtenstein to change its name. In a letter dated April 2, 2008, the change of name to "Private University in the Principality of Liechtenstein" was finally noted.

Evaluation

The quality audit of the UFL by the renowned accreditation agency ACQUIN was completed in 2017 and a corresponding report was submitted. The quality audit covered the study organization, the teaching material, and the teaching staff of the UFL. In their published report, the experts confirm the strategy of the UFL and emphasize the opportunities and at the same time make numerous valuable recommendations, especially with regards to personnel, infrastructure, and organizational questions, for the further sustainable development of the UFL. Our university sees itself as a learning organization and will incorporate the relevant advice and valuable suggestions into the further development of the university.

Vision

The Private University in the Principality of Liechtenstein (UFL) sees itself as a modern university educational institution and sees its task in independent teaching and research. With its accredited part-time doctoral programs in medical science and law, it is unique in the region. The UFL is committed to the concept of lifelong learning and organizes its courses exclusively on a part-time basis.

Mission

The UFL offers courses in medical science and law. The range of courses is supplemented by further educational courses. The UFL pays particular attention to the offer of part-time doctoral programs. The UFL accompanies ambitious people who wish to combine professional expertise and scientific reasoning. The UFL works on coordinating university requirements, individual practical experience, and the practicability of part-time studies. The UFL regularly involves students. We endeavor to ensure the permanent accreditation of the study programs. The doctoral studies at the UFL are professional and practice-oriented. It is oriented towards accompanying and later on subsequent professional activity. The UFL attaches great importance to the quality of teaching and the teaching competence of its lecturers. Thanks to its small size, the UFL can ensure personal and individual support for its students.

The research activities at the UFL are application-oriented. Research projects within the framework of dissertations are closely related to the professional activity of the doctoral students. Research activities within the framework of structured UFL research units are directly related to the scientific priorities of the faculties. The UFL cultivates international research co-operations and strives for expansion. International networking with universities and research institutions ensures the exchange of students and lecturers and enables access to modern research facilities. The graduates' research results are published in their own series.

The UFL attaches great importance to sustainable integration in Liechtenstein and especially in Triesen and strives to build up a good relationship with the community. The UFL sees itself as an important cornerstone of an internationally attractive educational location in Liechtenstein and contributes significantly to the educational diversity in the region. The UFL regards the transfer of knowledge from research to the public as one of its most important tasks. It thus assumes social responsibility. Within the framework of public events, scientific findings are to be made comprehensibly accessible to the population.

Through the ALUMNI network, the UFL cultivates its relationship with its students and continues to do this even after the students' successful completion.

UFL Alumni

Our potential

An "alumnus" was actually a "pupil", a penniless graduate of monastic schools. What has remained to this day is the term alumni as a representative of graduates of universities and colleges. In a university, however, which only offers postgraduate courses, the term "pupil" would probably be the wrong one, since the graduates are exclusively academics who have already started a successful career, are usually in the middle of life and dare from a position of strength to take the step of completing a doctoral course while still working. Because that means hard work and that requires perseverance, strength, and a lot of self-motivation. Due to its international orientation, the UFL not only attracts top-class professors but also experienced personalities as students who want to develop themselves further. The UFL alumni are therefore anything but pupils; on the contrary, the UFL with its graduates also has great potential for experience in science and practice. And that is exactly what it wants to use more strongly in the future, also in order to further advance its own development.

Scientific Exchange

The aim of "UFL ALUMNI" is to intensify contacts with UFL graduates, to involve them more closely in the scientific exchange, and thus also to use their experience potential and to receive an impetus to further improve research, teaching and corporate culture. The high research quality of the UFL students is also to be made accessible to the interested academic community; the UFL's own publication series with the research work has already become a flagship of the university. All UFL alumni have access to the network of the Private University in Triesen, they receive access to the research results of the graduates, various events such as the popular Health & Life Sciences series or courses can be attended free of charge.

Dedicated Ambassadors

The UFL management has appointed ambassadors from among the UFL graduates of the two faculties of Law and Medical Sciences. Three graduates from each faculty and one coordinator are appointed as "ambassadors". The ambassadors actively contribute to the positive reputation and knowledge of the UFL and support the communication measures of the UFL. They answer questions about the study program and give references for the UFL. They represent the UFL on various occasions and maintain the scientific exchange with their former fellow students. They are contact persons for suggestions and initiatives of the UFL-ALUMNI network. Twice a year the ambassadors meet with the university management and coordinate the tasks for the alumni network. They perform their duties on a voluntary basis. We would, therefore, like to take this opportunity to thank them for their commitment.

Location

The Private University in the Principality of Liechtenstein (UFL) is located in Triesen, Dorfstrasse 24, and has its premises in the former cotton weaving mill Jenny, Spörry & Cie. on the third floor. The reception can be reached via entrance no. 4 at the end of the factory courtyard (lift available). The classrooms can be reached via the staircase in the glass tower in the inner courtyard.

Education in Triesen

With the UFL in the municipality, Triesen is the only municipality in Liechtenstein to offer a complete educational portfolio. Triesen is the educational location of Liechtenstein. The former head of the municipality, Günter Mahl, attests to the excellent work of those responsible at the private university: "Scientific work, the animation of thinking and thinking ahead, solution-oriented research and the transfer of knowledge are the cornerstones of your university. As a community, we can be proud and at the same time grateful that this offer of well-founded university education is an attractive factor for our location". Community leader Mahl continues:

"Educational institutions that succeed in preparing inquisitive, critically-thinking, and prudently acting people for our society perform work of inestimable value. The municipality of Triesen can be proud to be the only municipality in Liechtenstein to be able to offer a complete educational portfolio. Starting with daily structures, public and private compulsory schools, a bilingual grammar school, and public secondary schools, together with music schools and a university: Triesen is the educational location of Liechtenstein. It is, therefore, all the more gratifying that the UFL has repeatedly succeeded in establishing and asserting itself in the university landscape with commitment, passion, innovation, and a future-oriented focus". Locally, the UFL finds the best conditions for this in Triesen. Where else could one find a place where so much attractive living space and recreational areas are available in addition to education? Where else would professors and students be able to pursue science embedded in a 150-year-old factory? The municipality of Triesen is happy to make it possible for students, university management, administration, professors, and lecturers to fall back on these unmistakable added values for discussing complex scientific questions in an ideal environment.

Welcome to Triesen!