Data creates awareness, and publishing it creates transparency. On this page we introduce different reports and studies to the topics of diversity and inclusion and publish the yearly Equality Monitoring of ETH Zurich.
Diverse Data
Generally, it should be noted that at ETH Zurich as well as most other universities, there is still little data on many diversity criteria. This is mainly because most of these characteristics are not usually documented in order to protect individuals’ privacy.
For example data on the dimension "gender" is mostly analysed in a binary system, i.e. for the categories 'woman' and 'man'. Different studies mentioned on this page are based on data collected by the Federal Statistical Office, which uses the legally recognised binary gender system in its statistics. It therefore remains unclear in such studies how trans, inter, non-binary and agender people are recorded.
Current Studies on Diversity at ETH Zurich
ETH Diversity maintains a document with all studies conducted at ETH Zurich on the topic of diversity, inclusion and equity.
If you are conducting or have completed a study or data collection you would like to share, please inform us.
If you would like to have access to the document, including the contacts of the study authors, please send us a message.
You can reach us at
VSETH organized a survey in FS19 to get a better overview of student satisfaction. The responses provide insights into what is important to students and how VSETH can advocate for it.
2024 the study was conducted a second time. This time not only students were surveyed, in collaboration with AVETH the survey was also opened for academic staff at ETH Zurich.
How are our scientific staff doing? To be able to answer this question better, ETH Zurich has conducted surveys among its doctoral students, postdoctoral researchers and established researchers in the last three years. The analysis of the 2023 survey revealed gender-specific discrepancies, among other things. Women were less positive than men about overall satisfaction, mental health, dealing with conflicts and coping with pressure.
Why do less women than men study STEM subjects? Which factors lead to the so-called "Gender Attainment Gap" at universities? And how can this gap be closed? The report "Gender Attainment Gaps. Literature Review and Empirical Evidence from IARU Universities" provides answers. In this report, Professor Renate Schubert and Ioana Marinica discuss recent literature and analyze empirical data of five IARU universities. Finally, four concrete measures to fight gender attainment gaps at universities are recommended.
The demand for workers with qualifications in mathematics, computer science, natural sciences and technology (STEM) remains high. However, few women choose to study STEM, which contributes to the gender wage gap in the labour market. In his article, Justus Bamert uses several educational data sets from the Federal Statistical Office as well as data from PISA surveys to analyse how the share of women in STEM fields has developed in Switzerland and discusses possible causes based on the latest research literature.
The IAT-analysis conducted at the exhibition "Check your Stereotypes" indicates, that gender-stereotypes are effective in the groups of men and women who completed the IAT at this exhibition. Both groups tend to associate “career” and “natural sciences” more with “male”, and “family” and “humanities” rather with “female”. The test “gender & natural sciences/humanities” additionally shows that women are less influenced by the stereotype “humanities are a women’s thing” and “natural sciences are a man’s thing”.
Archive Studies by ETH Diversity (former Equal! – Office of Equal Opportunities)
Now and then a public debate is led about whether early external daycare is beneficial or, on the contrary, detrimental to small children. Equal! wrote a report including a summary of the issue’s media coverage, a review of relevant scientific articles (status 2018), as well as information about the situation in the external daycare institutions of ETH.
Report on the effects of external daycare on small children.
Data of the Swiss Federal Statistical Office shows that doctoral graduates of Swiss universities perceive research in their fields and family responsibilities as rather irreconcilable. Are ETH’s professors likewise skeptical?
A surveyof ETH’s professors conducted by Equal! reveal that they also feel a irreconcilability of their research (as well as their professorship) and family responsibilities. Nevertheless or exactly for that reason, they support their team members accomplishing the reconciliation problem.
ETH Zurich already implemented different measures for supporting the reconciliation of work and family and which foster a positive relation of excellence and family-friendliness. In 2016, further measures were implemented.
In 2015, Equal wrote a review of various scientific articles on the topic of gender and teaching at universities. The review focuses on these central aspects: curricula, individual teaching sessions and assessments.
In the review article, a table with relevant scientific papers on the topic of "gender and teaching" as well as fields of action for the better incorporation of gender aspects in university teaching can be found.
Between April and June 2015, the Equal! Office conducted a pilot study together with the “Competence Center for Diversity and Inclusion” of the University of St. Gallen (HSG). The goal was to learn more about the specific problems that female (post-)doctoral researchers that are pregnant or mothers of small children encounter. Measures with potential to improve the reconciliation of (post-)doctoral research and family will be developed for ETH Zurich based on the corresponding results. For the study, 22 extensive, anonymous single interviews were conducted with female doctoral or postdoctoral researchers and their respective supervisors.
The study revealed that more childcare possibilities and clearly defined expectations of (post-)doctoral researchers and their supervisors concerning the future career path of the young women would help. ETH has already reacted. Starting in August 2016, 80 additional daycare places will be provided at the campus Hönggerberg. In addition, the Human Resource Department is developing a guideline for discussions between (post-)doctoral researchers and their supervisors that clearly specify which commitments both sides make for the phase during and after the pregnancy of a (post-)doctoral researcher.
Why do young researchers leave the ETH Zurich? In the period from January 2011 to October 2012, we surveyed scientists who have left ETH Zurich after their doctorate or at a later point of time in their career. We asked them to give a feedback on why they leave ETH Zurich, where they are going and what image of the ETH Zurich they take with them.
Why Do Matura Graduates (Not) Opt for Studies at ETH Zurich? In 2011, Equal! interviewed more than 600 Matura graduates from Swiss upper secondary schools regarding their choice of what and where they would like to study and, in particular, their perception of ETH Zurich. The results provide valuable information on what ETH can do in order to become more attractive for female and male students.