In line with the institutional policy of enhancing university buildings for the benefit of the community, an access management project for the Uni Mail building will be implemented starting September 1, 2025, introducing access control from the 3rd floor upwards.
Access control on floors 3 to 6
From 6 p.m. on weekdays, as well as during weekends and public holidays, floors 3 to 6 are accessible only to UNIGE community members and authorized external users (guests, service providers, partners).
Objectives
The aim of this project is to better define spaces according to operational needs, namely:
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Floors 3 to 6 – Semi-public spaces: Access reserved for UNIGE community members and authorized persons on weekdays from 6 p.m., as well as on weekends and public holidays, upon presentation of the multiservices card. These floors remain open to all UNIGE members, across all faculties and departments.
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Basement to 2nd floor – Public spaces: These areas (library, large auditoriums, cafeterias, etc.) remain accessible to everyone, according to the building’s opening hours.
This system aims to:
✔️ Preserve calm work and study spaces
✔️ Reduce misconduct
✔️ Foster a climate conducive to community life
✔️ Maintain the University’s openness to the City and preserve essential public accessibility
Important: Always carry your multiservices card with you
Access and Multiservices Card
Access to the premises during restricted access hours requires a multiservices card, the application procedure depending on the person’s status.
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Person with a @unige.ch address: a multiservices card must be requested → Procedure
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Participant in a CAS, DAS or MAS program: the program’s administrative coordinator submits the individual multiservices card request on behalf of all participants.
→ See tab below “Access for Continuing Education participants and instructors”
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Participant in another type of continuing education (session, day course, micro-certification, module): the participant must use the security intercom.
→ See tab below “Access for Continuing Education participants and instructors”
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External instructor with a @unige.ch address: a multiservices card must be requested → Procedure
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Occasional instructor with a temporary UNIGE contract but no @unige.ch address: the training or event manager retrieves a spare multiservices card from the Faculty and temporarily hands it over to the instructor.
→ See tab below “Access for externals lasting more than one day”
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External visitors (without UNIGE address or contract): access is primarily in person; otherwise, a “visitor” card can be collected at the reception desk, or access may be granted via the security intercom.
→ See tab below “Occasional access for external visitors”
In general, the administrative coordinators of continuing education programs send the list of participants (the “Oracle FCO” list) to campus security (csi(at)unige.ch) adding the instructor’s name and the room number, or by filling out the form including: last name, first name, program name, date, time, and course room.
For degree-granting programs: submission as soon as registration closes.
For sessions, day courses, modules, and micro-certifications: submission no later than the day before the start of the course.
Access for Participants
CAS / DAS / MAS: program administrative coordinators must request a multiservices card for each participant.
Sessions, day courses, micro-certifications, modules, non-degree programs:
Once participants have been announced by the program coordinator, they must use the campus security intercom to access the premises.
Access for External Instructors
With a @unige.ch address:
A multiservices card is mandatory. → Application procedure
Without a @unige.ch address:
A generic multiservices card is temporarily provided by the program coordinator, against signature, even for one-time teaching.
The coordinator is responsible for informing the instructor where to collect the card (reception desk or faculty).
Each faculty must maintain a loan record of multiservices cards.
In areas where access control is in place, UNIGE community members are responsible for granting access to external visitors. The procedure for external visitor access is as follows, in order of priority:
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Whenever possible, the external visitor should be welcomed in person by a UNIGE member or by the course instructor (external trainer). In this case, a meeting point should be agreed with the guest — for example, in the hall or on the 2nd floor, via the stairs or elevators.
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Any UNIGE-affiliated person expecting a one-time visit from an external guest during restricted access hours must inform Internal Security (csi(at)unige.ch) in advance. They are responsible for borrowing a “Visitor” card during Uni Mail reception desk opening hours and handing it over to the guest. The external visitor may also collect the card in person during reception opening hours, provided that a UNIGE member has previously informed Campus Security (csi(at)unige.ch). The card is issued against signature and must be returned no later than the following day.
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Outside Uni Mail reception desk opening hours, visiting external guests may contact Internal Security via the intercom by dialing 022 379 12 22. Their visit must have been announced in advance by a UNIGE member to Campus Security (csi(at)unige.ch)
Any faculty or service based at Uni Mail wishing to provide access to an external person for more than one day shall issue a multiservices card to them against signature.
Each faculty or service may, upon request to the STEPS service, obtain a number of pre-programmed multiservices cards, which the faculty or service manages internally. A loan record of multiservices cards must be maintained by the faculty.
Elevators
During the day, between 7:30 a.m. and 6:00 p.m., from Monday to Friday, all elevators are freely accessible to everyone.
During restricted access hours (in the evening after 6:00 p.m. and on weekends):
• The four elevators in blocks 0 and 2 (park side) are equipped with multiservice card readers allowing staff members and students to access floors 3 to 6.
• The four elevators in blocks 1 and 3 (tram side) only allow access beyond the 3rd floor to people who have an office key for Uni Mail.
The renovation of the elevators on the tram side, planned for 2026, will allow card readers to be installed and thus standardize the entire system.
Gates and Intercoms
To access the 3rd floor, gates are now equipped with multiservices card readers.
Intercoms are located at:
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The Block 0 freight elevator
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The 2nd floor, near the staircases of Blocks 0–1
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The 3rd floor, near the staircases of Block 2 and Block 3
In case of access problems, please use the intercoms to reach Campus Security at 022 379 1222.
Emergency Staircases
Measures have also been taken to secure the emergency staircases on floors 3 to 6, in order to prevent transit between these floors, thereby strengthening the security of restricted-access areas. The emergency staircases remain usable at all times in case of evacuation.
Pilot phase of the project
These security measures follow, in particular, requests from the relevant Faculties and interfaculty centers, as well as several surveys conducted among Uni Mail students. They are part of a pilot phase. The access control hours may therefore be adjusted based on the evaluation carried out at the end of the autumn semester.
FAQ
Access to floors 3 to 6 is reserved for UNIGE community members and authorized persons:
Monday to Friday from 6 p.m. onwards All day on Saturdays, Sundays, and public holidays
Floors 3 to 6 – Semi-public areas:
By presenting the multiservices card to a card reader (at the stairwell gate or in the elevator equipped with a card reader), members of the UNIGE academic community – across all faculties and services – may access the restricted floors.
Yes, thanks to the multiservice card, all students from all faculties, centers, and institutes can access all floors of Uni Mail during the building’s opening hours.
The multiservice card is issued to new students by the Admissions Office upon confirmation of their enrollment –> Students – Multiservice Card – UNIGE.
In principle, access is only granted to people carrying a multiservice card.
In exceptional cases of forgetting the card, please call Campus Security (via the intercom or the front desk phone: +41 22 379 1222) and provide proof of your status as a member of the UNIGE university community (email, UNIGE directory, etc.).
If you are not a member of the UNIGE university community and you have an appointment with someone affiliated with UNIGE during these hours, please contact this person by phone (using the front desk phone at the reception desk, if necessary). You can then agree on a meeting point in the public area where this person will come to meet you.
As soon as possible, follow the procedure “In case of loss or theft”: Loss or theft – Multiservice Card – UNIGE
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Block your card
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Obtain a new card
If you urgently need to access the restricted floors, please call Campus Security (via the intercom or the front desk phone: +41 22 379 1222) and provide proof of your status as a member of the UNIGE university community (email, UNIGE directory, etc.).
If you have an office at Uni Mail, your key can be used on a switch located next to the elevator buttons to access the restricted floors. This applies to the four elevators in blocks 1 and 3 (tram side).
A card is not required to take the elevator down to the free-access area (floors -1, ground floor, 1st and 2nd). It is also possible to use the stairs to reach the free-access area. The gates can always be opened when going down.
However, a multiservice card is required to move from one restricted-access floor to another by elevator (floors 3 to 6).
Starting from 6 p.m. on weekdays and throughout the weekend, you must carry a multiservice card to justify your presence on the restricted-access floors.
From 6 p.m. on weekdays, as well as during weekends and public holidays, you must carry a multiservice card to justify your presence on the restricted-access floors.
Participants and speakers of Continuing Education courses, ECAV courses or exams, or events organized by external entities at UNIGE are allowed to remain on the restricted-access floors, provided they can prove their registration as participants or their mandate as speakers.
-> See tab "Access for Continuing Education participants and speakers"
Yes, random checks are carried out by Internal Security. This is why it is recommended to always carry your multiservice card or your “Visitor” card with you.
People without a card must be able to justify their presence by another means (email from a UNIGE contact, registration confirmation, etc.).
No, the multiservice card is personal and may not be lent.
A member of the UNIGE community can request a “Visitor” card on behalf of a third party, by following the procedure: Occasional access for external visitors.
A member of the UNIGE community can request a “Visitor” card on behalf of a third party, by following the procedure: Occasional access for external visitors.
For occasional access:
> See the tab above “Occasional access for external visitors”
For access lasting more than one day:
> See the tab above “Access of more than one day for external visitors”
Contact Campus Security via the elevator or gate intercom (phone number +41 22 379 12 22).
It is also possible to contact the Uni Mail security officer by dialing 333 from the front desk phone at the reception.
Provide proof of your course registration (email, UNIGE or organizing entity contact, etc.).
Auditors, participants in Continuing Education courses, ECAV courses or exams, or events organized by external entities at UNIGE are authorized to remain on the restricted-access floors, provided they can prove their registration as participants.
In principle, the list of participants in such courses is sent by the organizing entity to Campus Security.
Contact Campus Security via the elevator or gate intercom (phone number +41 22 379 12 22).
It is also possible to contact the Uni Mail security officer by dialing 333 from the front desk phone at the reception.
Provide proof of your course registration (email, UNIGE contact, or organizing entity contact, etc.).
Participants in Continuing Education courses, ECAV courses or exams, or events organized by external entities at UNIGE are authorized to stay on the restricted-access floors, provided they can prove their registration as participants.
In principle, the list of participants for such courses is sent by the organizing entity to Campus Security.
Yes, the freight elevator is accessible from level -1, located next to the PRM parking spaces at the bottom of the access ramp. The multiservice card allows access to any floor, even during restricted access hours.
As soon as possible, contact IT Support (CAD or by email: cartes(at)unige.ch) to have your multiservice card checked.
https://cartes.unige.ch/faq
If you urgently need to access the restricted floors, please call Internal Security (via the intercom or the front desk phone: +41 22 379 1222) and provide proof of your status as a member of the UNIGE university community (multiservice card, email, UNIGE directory, etc.).
