Franklin College Switzerland is a private, independent, liberal arts college in Switzerland with an enrollment of approximately 450 students. Located in the Italian speaking city of Lugano, Franklin offers Bachelor of Arts degrees that are accredited by both the Commission on Higher Education of the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools in the United States and by the Swiss University Conference in Switzerland. Franklin identifies its mission as "to provide a multi-cultural and international academic environment within which students acquire the essential knowledge and critical, creative and analytical abilities necessary to attain success in their chosen careers and to live culturally enriched and rewarding lives." Born out of the former Fleming College, Franklin College was chartered in 1969, founded as a non-profit, independent, post-secondary institution. Franklin College is named for Benjamin Franklin, the United States' first ambassador to Europe. Since its incarnation, Franklin has stressed the importance of international studies as the basis for a strong, global education.