History of the Faculty of Biomedical Sciences

By initiative of USI, in 2009 the Council of State of the Canton Ticino appointed a working group, led by the former President of USI, Prof. Piero Martinoli, to evaluate the feasibility of a medical training programme in Ticino. This initiative was motivated by the need to address an important national problem: the dearth of physicians trained in Switzerland.

The first Feasibility Report was submitted to the Department for education, culture and sport (DECS) of Canton Ticino in January 2011, which approved the findings recommending a medical training program at graduate level (Master’s) in collaboration with other Swiss medical faculties.

Hence, USI continued evaluating in the recommended direction and submitted an In-depth Report in December 2012, followed by the Report for a Faculty of Biomedical Sciences in October 2013.

Based on USI’s proposal, in March 2014 the DECS presented its dispatch to the Grand Council of Canton Ticino requesting the creation of a new Faculty of Biomedical Sciences and of a Master Medical School at USI. On November 24th, 2014, the Grand Council of Canton Ticino approved the creation of the Faculty.

“The creation of the Faculty of Biomedical Science represents an important step forward for the whole Italian-speaking region of Switzerland, and for its University. I truly believe that the Faculty will bring important benefits not only to the medical community, but will have a significant social and economic effect as well. Not only will it contribute substantially to the innovation processes currently underway in the region south of the Alps, but it will also allow Ticino to take active part in solving an urgent national problem: the shortage of physicians trained in Swiss universities".

Piero Martinoli, former USI President and chair of the project who led to the creation of the Faculty