A Higher Education First: EPFL Extension School Launch Lets Learners Gain ECTS Credits for Fully Online Programs

LAUSANNE, Switzerland, April 6, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

With the launch of the EPFL Extension School, the Swiss École polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) is making it easier for people with or without previous university credentials to acquire high-level, accredited digital skills. In a first for a top 10 European university, these online-only programs will lead to a recognized qualification and ECTS credits.

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Web development, mobile development and data science will be at the core of the vocational education programs the EPFL Extension School will launch in the fall of 2017. The programs, each consisting of multiple online courses in English, will not require participants to have any particular academic background or degree. Yet they will be demanding enough to ensure that learners become highly specialized in cutting-edge fields sought out by industry.

"The programs are designed to give participants high-level technological skills so that they can succeed both professionally and personally in the digital age," says Prof. Marcel Salathé, the academic director of the EPFL Extension School.

Thanks to the support of industry partners like Google, Microsoft and Swisscom, participants in EPFL Extension School programs will gain real-world experience using the latest digital tools and technologies.

For Working Professionals 

With these accredited continuing education programs, the EPFL aims to offer individuals the opportunity to acquire and certify their digital skills. The programs can be completed in as little as three months on a full-time basis; however, learners are able to work at their own pace, allowing them to combine study with work and other personal commitments. Those who successfully complete programs can receive an official certificate from the EPFL along with ECTS credits.

The programs will be priced at 250 Swiss francs per month (approximately $250 USD), making them accessible to a wide public and allowing the EPFL Extension School to provide individualized, one-on-one support to learners.

Excellence in Online Education 

EPFL is the European leader in online learning thanks to its innovative teaching methods and its experience in creating more than 50 MOOCs since 2012, which have attracted over 1.6 million learners. The EPFL's courses on the Scala programming language are among the most popular and successful MOOCs ever developed.

For more on the EPFL Extension School, please visit https://exts.epfl.ch.

For additional information or interview requests, please contact Laura Downhower, Executive Director, EPFL Extension School, +41-21-693-50-41, info.exts@epfl.ch?subject=EPFL Extension School