Discover your nature
About us
The City of Lugano together with the Università della Svizzera italiana (USI), the University of Applied Sciences and Arts of Southern Switzerland (SUPSI) and Franklin University Switzerland (FUS) presents the “Learn Lugano” platform within the ” Lugano University City” project.
Initiated at the end of 2021 within the Development Guidelines of the City of Lugano 2018-2028, the macro-project Lugano City University aims at consolidating Lugano’s role as a university pole of reference on a local, national and international level. This project not only strengthens the link between the city and the academic world, but also promotes Lugano as a centre of educational, cultural and research excellence, contributing significantly to its socio-economic development.
The Learn.Lugano.ch website aims to offer both prospective and current students the information they need to live and study in Lugano.
Learn Lugano: a platform for studies, testing, and research
Learn Lugano is available to students for studies in the fields of digital marketing, user experience (UX), promotion, and the use of AI technology. It can host tests and serve as a case study.
This commitment to innovation aims not only to provide a real tool for study activities in the field of digital communication but also to ensure that the site meets the current and future expectations of students.
Interested in collaborating with Learn Lugano or want to use it for your studies? Contact us
Co-Creation and innovation: a new website for students, born from student collaboration
The structure of the Learn Lugano website is the outcome of a unique collaborative process, where we had the privilege of co-designing together with the students from various universities. This project came to life during the Online Communication Design course at the Università della Svizzera italiana (USI) and the Management course at Franklin University Switzerland (FUS), enriched by internships with students from the Scuola Universitaria Professionale della Svizzera Italiana (SUPSI).
What was done with the students: involved a comprehensive benchmark analysis, examining how other cities promote their universities and which contents are most relevant for students, developing usage scenarios, setting priorities through design thinking activities, up to the testing of the first website mock-ups.
Learn Lugano unveiled
Between 2021 and 2022, the City of Lugano carried out a study with Deloitte accompanied by field projects with students from the universities, an analysis of the main university cities, as well as through workshops and meetings with the rectories, which led to 3 main reflections that served as the basis for the realisation of the Learn Lugano website.
Below is an extract of what emerged from the study.
Phase 1
In the first part of the project, 6 reference models were identified by studying 50 identified university cities. The models represent the grouping of university cities that show common similarities. Among the models identified, the “Campus City” model was selected because it is the most closely aligned to the reality of Lugano.
Phase 2
Starting from the selected reference model, a concrete example of the future university city of Lugano was constructed (interviews and workshops). This procedure made it possible, starting from the “framework” defined by the selected reference model, to define Lugano as a university city that mainly
– Places its students at the “centre” of the city context, listening to and involving students in the community
– Increases the number of students in an organic manner with the aim of remaining a ‘human-scale’ city
– Encourages students to take up permanent residence in the municipality during the university period
Phase 3
Finally, using the interviews conducted with the universities, the experience of the consultants, and the suggestions of experts involved in the project, 30 initial interventions were defined and the corresponding timeframes set for the city municipality to start implementing the campus. The proposed interventions range from simple ‘university city enabling’ activities to ‘economic support’ and ‘job placement and training opportunities’.
The branding of Learn Lugano was curated by the agency Ander Group.
The strategic intervention was guided by the objective of creating a distinctive and appealing brand for the city of Lugano as a university destination.
The name “Learn Lugano” was conceived in English to attract an international audience and to highlight the strong link between education and the city context. This name embodies the essence of Lugano as a place of learning and discovery.
At the same time, the claim ‘Discover your nature‘ was formulated, an engaging invitation directly addressed to students, suggesting that they explore both their personal potential and the riches offered by the city’s academic and natural environment. This claim reflects the mission to inspire and guide students in their quest for knowledge and personal growth in Lugano.
The essence of the “Learn Lugano” brand was further explored and deepened through an engaging visual and storytelling process.
The logo itself was conceived as a visual narrative of the identity of the university city of Lugano, with the book symbolising education and Monte San Salvatore representing the natural beauty of the region. These elements, together with the profile of the lake and mountains, narrate the harmonious fusion of education and environment that characterises Lugano as an academic destination.
The images selected for the site were carefully chosen to convey the welcoming and stimulating atmosphere of Lugano as a centre of learning, with shots showing both the natural beauty of the city and the vibrant student community.
