Portrait

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Freedom and individual responsibility, entrepreneurial spirit and open-mindedness: ETH Zurich stands on a bedrock of true Swiss values. Our university for science and technology dates back to the year 1855, when the founders of modern-day Switzerland created it as a centre of innovation and knowledge.

At ETH Zurich, students discover an ideal environment for independent thinking, researchers a climate which inspires top performance. Situated in the heart of Europe, yet forging connections all over the world, ETH Zurich is pioneering effective solutions to the global challenges of today and tomorrow.

The legal foundation for ETH Zurich as a university run by the federal government is the Federal Institutes of Technology Act (FIT Act).

The FIT Act formulates the basic mission for the institutions in the ETH Domain. It also regulates the division of competencies between the Parliament, the Federal Council, the ETH Board, the two Federal Institutes of Technology and the four research institutions of the ETH Domain.

external page FIT Act

In the Message on the Promotion of Education, Research and Innovation ("ERI Message"), the Federal Council formulates the guidelines, objectives and measures that constitute its policy on education and science. The performance mandate for the ETH Domain is an integral part of the ERI Message. It is on the basis of this that the ETH Board works out its four-year strategy.

external page Further information about the ERI message and the performance mandate

Portrait Teaching

ETH Zurich trains true experts and prepares its students to carry out their tasks as critical members of their communities, making an important contribution to the sustainable development of science, the economy and society.

Find out more about the principles of teaching

Portrait Research

Basic research is the foundation for the success of ETH as a whole and particularly for mission-oriented research targeted at solving global challenges. Interdisciplinary collaboration will be strengthened in all strategic action areas, thereby promoting the translation of research results into real-world applications and teaching.

Discover the diversity of research

Dialogue with society

Humankind is facing complex challenges. To tackle these challenges, it is vital that science, industry, and society engage in dialogue. For this reason, ETH Zurich is committed to communicating its scientific insights to the wider public while presenting the advantages and disadvantages of specific courses of action. ETH Zurich is consequently in constant communication with the public and makes its scientific expertise available to policymakers and administration at local, regional, and global level.

Two children are cutting shapes out of an orange plasticine. Next to them is a bottle with oil and one with water. A scientist stands behind them and guides them. — At "Scientifica", young and old get a direct insight into the work of our researchers and teachers. At the same time, there is a special programme for decision-makers from politics and business. (Photograph: Alessandro Della Bella)

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Navigate through the halls of ETH Zurich where Nobel Prize winner Albert Einstein launched his career. You'll get an exciting insight into the university’s research and how its industry applications benefit society.