Founded in 1537 as a school of Protestant theology and granted university status in 1890, UNIL is Switzerland's second oldest university. Located in Lausanne along Lake Geneva, it combines centuries of tradition with cutting-edge research and innovation.
16919
total students
31
acceptance rate
2423
faculty staff
swiss excellence
state secretariat
UNIL provides comprehensive career development through extensive industry partnerships and research opportunities. The university maintains strong connections with employers worldwide, facilitating student success through practical experience and professional preparation.
These are the expert instructors who will be teaching you throughout the course. With a wealth of knowledge and real-world experience, they’re here to guide, inspire, and support you every step of the way. Get to know the people who will help you reach your learning goals and make the most of your journey.
Dr. Alex Biedermann: Forensic Science Expert and Decision Analysis Scholar
Dr. Alex Biedermann serves as Associate Professor at the School of Criminal Justice, Faculty of Law, Criminal Justice and Public Administration at the University of Lausanne (UNIL). His academic credentials include BSc and MSc degrees in Forensic Science from UNIL and a Ph.D. focusing on graphical models and probabilistic inference in forensic evidence evaluation. His professional experience includes work as a scientific advisor for the Swiss Federal Department of Justice and Police, handling cases for the Office of the Attorney General of Switzerland. Through his Coursera courses "Challenging Forensic Science: How Science Should Speak to Court" and "La science forensique au tribunal: témoin digne de foi?" he helps students understand the complexities of forensic evidence interpretation. As principal investigator of the NORMDECS project funded by the Swiss National Science Foundation, he studies forensic interpretation through probability and decision theory. His research connects forensic science and law with computational statistics and philosophy of science. With over 100 publications to his name, he continues to advance the field of forensic decision analysis while maintaining visiting appointments at institutions in Adelaide and Beijing.
Forensic Science Expert and Evidence Interpretation Specialist
Dr. Christophe Champod serves as Full Professor at the School of Criminal Justice, University of Lausanne, where he earned both his M.Sc. and Ph.D. (summa cum laude) in Forensic Science in 1990 and 1995 respectively. After serving as assistant professor, he led the Interpretation Research Group of the Forensic Science Service (UK) from 1999 to 2003 before returning to Lausanne as full professor. He currently manages the ISO/SEC 17025 accredited forensic laboratory at ESC while overseeing education and research on identification methods. His expertise extends to expert witness work, and he serves on the Steering Committee of the International Fingerprint Research Group (IFRG). Through his Coursera courses in forensic science, he teaches students about evidence interpretation in court settings. His contributions to forensic science have earned him numerous accolades, including the 2020 Douglas M. Lucas Medal and the 2015 Distinguished ENFSI Scientist Award. His research focuses on inferential aspects of forensic identification techniques and the evaluation of forensic evidence.