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Franklin Switzerland
Sorengo (Lugano), Switzerland

Franklin Switzerland is seeking to fill a temporary, project-based appointment as Senior Advisor for Academic Strategy and Accreditation. This is a time-limited assignment designed to support the institution during a defined period of academic planning, accreditation preparation, and curriculum alignment.

This role is structured as a specialized, fixed-term engagement focused on clearly defined institutional priorities. It does not constitute a standing academic office and is not part of the permanent organizational structure.

Reporting to the President, the Senior Advisor will work closely with members of the President’s Cabinet, academic leadership, and faculty committees to provide expert guidance on a set of defined academic initiatives. The Advisor will contribute strategic insight, facilitate coordination across academic units, and support the development of key institutional deliverables, while operating in an advisory capacity without line management responsibility.

The successful candidate will bring deep experience in academic leadership within the U.S. liberal arts context, together with real experience with U.S. accreditation processes and international higher education environments. Experience bridging U.S. and European academic systems is particularly valuable.

Assignment Overview

The Senior Advisor for Academic Strategy and Accreditation will support the institution through a defined set of academic priorities over a limited period of no more than one year.

The assignment is structured around advisory, facilitative, and project-based contributions. The Advisor will not hold line authority over faculty or staff and will not serve as a formal member of the institution’s governance or administrative hierarchy.

The Advisor will work in close coordination with the President and designated academic leaders, contributing expertise and guidance while supporting institutional processes led by existing internal roles.

Core Areas of Work

Accreditation and institutional effectiveness

• Provide expert guidance in the preparation of institutional self-study materials and accreditation documentation for the Middle States Commission on Higher Education Self-Study process that must be completed during the 2026/27 academic year.
• Support the ongoing alignment of institutional practices with Swiss quality assurance expectations.
• Assist in organizing, synthesizing, and reviewing academic documentation in order to create accreditation and institutional effectiveness alignments between U.S. and Swiss systems.

Curriculum alignment and academic strategy

• Support ongoing work to align and strengthen the undergraduate and graduate curriculum, including interdisciplinary structures and shared academic frameworks.
• Provide guidance on curriculum development processes, drawing on experience with the U.S. residential liberal arts education model and international academic contexts.
• Facilitate structured conversations among faculty and academic leaders related to curriculum coherence and program development.

Academic governance and policy

• Advise the President and academic leadership on academic governance structures and policy frameworks based on best practices that facilitate Franklin’s effectiveness at the overlap of U.S./Swiss/Bologna regimes.
• Provide expert advice toward the clarity and alignment of academic decision-making processes, without exercising formal decision authority.

Faculty development and academic community

• Engage with faculty in a collegial, advisory capacity to support teaching development, curriculum design, and academic collaboration.
• Where appropriate, conduct formative, non-evaluative consultations with faculty focused on professional development and academic practice.
• These consultations are advisory in nature and do not form part of formal evaluation or promotion processes.

Research and academic positioning

• Advise on the development of research strategy consistent with expectations for a Swiss university institute and a U.S. university. Provide perspective on positioning academic programs within international and interdisciplinary contexts.

Operating Structure

The Advisor will:

• Work directly with the President as primary point of coordination.
• Collaborate with Associate Deans, program directors, and academic support units in an advisory capacity.
• Participate in meetings and discussions as invited, without formal membership in standing governance bodies.
• Maintain a defined schedule of engagement that may include a combination of on-site and remote work over the course of the assignment.

Assignment Terms

• This is a fixed-term, project-based assignment of up to eleven months, anticipated to begin in August 2026.
• The assignment is structured as a temporary engagement focused on specific institutional priorities and deliverables. It does not constitute a permanent or continuing role within the institution. The work of the Advisor is designed to support continuity and sustained progress on key academic initiatives during a period of leadership transition.

Qualifications

• Terminal degree from an accredited institution.
• Substantial experience in academic leadership within higher education at the Dean level or higher.
• Demonstrated expertise in U.S. accreditation processes, institutional effectiveness, or academic strategy related to accreditation.
• Deep familiarity with the U.S. residential liberal arts educational model, including its pedagogical approaches, faculty roles, and student support expectations. Experience as a faculty member or academic leader within a liberal arts institution, including engagement with a residential learning community, is highly desirable.
• Familiarity with or willingness to develop a strong understanding of the Swiss and European higher education landscapes, including expectations related to research output, grant funding, and institutional quality assurance.
• Experience in international or cross-system higher education contexts is highly desirable.
• Ability to work collaboratively in a complex academic environment and to support institutional processes through advisory and facilitative engagement.

About Franklin Switzerland

Franklin Switzerland, founded in 1969, is one of the first institutions to bring liberal arts education to Europe and to be recognized by both U.S. and Swiss accreditation agencies. A leader in international education, Franklin provides an experiential and multinational learning environment through small classes, strong student and faculty relationships, a residential campus, and hands-on Academic Travel experiences.

With roughly 300 students from more than 60 countries, set in the safe and striking landscape of Lugano, Franklin is distinctive: an intimate residential community, a uniquely dual U.S.–Swiss accreditation, and an Academic Travel program that turns the world into a classroom. Franklin promotes intellectual curiosity and critical thinking, strives for academic excellence, and fosters interdisciplinary opportunities for its students, faculty, and staff. Franklin acknowledges the accomplishments and global impact of our community through a culture of trust that respects diversity, equity, inclusion, and continuous improvement.

Equal Opportunity

Franklin Switzerland is an Equal Opportunity / Affirmative Action employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. For further information, please see Franklin’s website:

How to Apply

For consideration by the search committee, candidates are asked to submit the following documents in PDF format at hr@fus.edu:

â–ª A current CV detailing relevant experience;
â–ª A letter of interest that addresses the key areas of this job description and explains why Franklin Switzerland is a compelling next step;
â–ª Contact information for three references;
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Please note that, due to Swiss visa and work-permit regulations, applications from Swiss or EU nationals will be given priority in the evaluation process