Your FirstGen Community in the Swiss Higher Education Landscape
FirstGen Academics Network (FirstGen Network) is an emerging network dedicated to supporting university students, academics, and graduates across Switzerland who are the first generation in their families to attend or have attended university or Swiss higher education.
Joining our community means recognizing that the journey of being a first-generation academic, graduate, or student extends beyond achieving a university degree. It’s about acknowledging the persistent uncertainties, the feeling of not fitting in, and the ongoing challenge of adapting to the academic environment—even after graduation. Moreover, it’s about celebrating the unique strengths and resilience that individuals develop on this journey, qualities that continue to shape their lives long after their university experience is over.
Our primary goal is to create a space where first-generation students, doctoral candidates, academics, and graduates at various stages of their careers can connect, exchange experiences, and find mutual support. We understand the questions and obstacles that first-generation individuals face, and together, we provide each other with valuable insights, encouragement, and inspiration. Additionally, our network strives to raise awareness within Swiss universities about the experiences and needs of first-generation students and academics.
Through a variety of initiatives, including resource-sharing, networking events, career workshops, and peer-to-peer exchanges (with plans for a dedicated mentorship program), we aim to cultivate a nurturing and inclusive community. This community empowers both current and “former” first-generation academics and students to not only overcome challenges but also to thrive and help each other to achieve their full potential.
We are currently planning to expand the network to various locations to establish a local FirstGen Network community. If you are interested in staying up to date and receiving additional information, please sign up to receive future updates.
Come and visit our next open meeting! Every last Monday of the Month, we meet online at 19:00. Register for our Newsletter (right bar on this page) to join the community and our next open meeting.
Join us!
If you identify as a first-generation person or an ally, we would love for you to join our community. 🤗
News & special events
Shared Roots, Different Routes: A Dialogue on Being the First in the Family to Attend University
What does it really mean to be the first in your family to enter the academic world? Whether you are a student just starting your studies or a researcher establishing a scientific career, being the “First in the Family” to attend university brings a unique set of perspectives—and challenges.
We invite you to Shared Roots, Different Routes, a dialogue bringing together voices from various career stages. The session will explore how coming from a non-academic background influences life decisions, research paths, and resilience within the scientific community.
This event offers a platform for students to hear from those further along the path, and for scientific staff to reflect on their own journeys. It is a unique opportunity to exchange experiences on navigating academia without a family legacy.
When: April 27 2026, 17:00-18:30
Where: Online
From Roots to Results: An Interactive Reflection on Educational Family Background, Privileges, and Achievement
Join us for From Roots to Results, an interactive reflection on how your family’s
educational background influences your own academic path. While our careers are shaped by many complex factors, the specific dimension of academic lineage—or being the first in the family to attend university—is often overlooked. In this event, we are zooming in on this specific dimension. We will look at how family educational background sets aspects of the stage, while celebrating the resilience and achievements that brought all of us to where we are today. This isn’t just about looking back—it’s about understanding the power of your own journey.
Organized in collaboration with the FirstGen Network, this event takes place across several partner universities, to support all those studying or working in Switzerland who are the first in their families to attend university :
UniversitĂ della Svizzera italiana + University of Neuchâtel: Monday, 04 May 2026; 12:30 – 14:00 (online)
EPF Lausanne: Tuesday, 05 May 2026; 17:30 – 19:00 (in-Person)
University of Fribourg: Wednesday, 06 May 2026; 16:15 – 17:45 (in-Person)
ETH Zurich: Thursday, 07 May 2026; 11:00 – 12:30 (in-Person)
PSI – Empa – Eawag: Thursday, 08 May 2026; 15:30 – 17:00 (in-Person)
Past events
Film Screening and Discussion with Director Samir: The Miraculous Transformation of the Working Class into Foreigners.
What does the history of trade unions have to do with inclusion and hospitality in Switzerland today? How has the public imagination of workers changed alongside industrialization, social movements, and migration since the end of World War II?
Join us for a film screening and discussion around these questions. We will watch and discuss the documentary “The Miraculous Transformation of the Working Class into Foreigners” together with the film director, Samir.
When: November 12, between 17–20
Where: PB Labs (RZ D8), Clausiusstrasse 59, 8092 ZĂĽrich
Register here
This event is organized by the WIDE Group, the First Generation Network Zurich, and ETH Diversity. It invites us to collectively reflect upon how our personal and political histories shape the ways in which we work, teach, and learn.
Additional information: Documentary | 129 min | Italian, German, French with English subtitles Watch the trailer here: www.working-class.ch
