Mission
ETH Diversity's mission is derived from strategic objectives regarding the guarantee of excellence at ETH Zurich, as well as legal requirements.
Federal Act on Gender Equality
The Federal Act from March 24th, 1995 on Gender Equality (Gender Equality Act, external pageGEAcall_made) aims to promote actual gender equality.
Extracted from the Strategy and Development Plan 2021-2024 at ETH Zurich
We are a socially responsible employer that creates attractive conditions for our employees. We support our staff in all job functions and at every level of responsibility. During the 2021–2024 period, we will place special emphasis on developing our management’s leadership skills, increasing diversity and promoting equal opportunity. (Strategy and Development Plan 2021-2024)
Extracted from the Personnel Ordinance of the Federal Institutes of Technology
external pageArt. 9call_made Protection of Personal Rights
1 The two Federal Institutes of Technology and the Research Institutes provide an atmosphere characterized by personal respect and trust, excluding any kind of discrimination.
2 They prevent, by means of adequate measures, any inadmissible interventions in the personal rights of their individual employees, regardless of who originates them, particularly:
a. the systematic collection of data regarding the individual performance of any employees without their knowledge;
b. the perpetration or tolerance of assaults on or actions against the personal or professional dignity of any employees.
3 The two Federal Institutes of Technology and the Research Institutes determine an office responsible for providing counseling services and support to employees who feel disadvantaged or discriminated. This office does not need to adhere to any regulations in the fulfillment of its mission.
external pageArt. 10call_made Equality of Women and Men
1 The two Federal Institutes of Technology and the Research Institutes take specific measures in order achieve equality of opportunity and equality of women and men.
2 They protect the dignity of women and man in the workplace and take measures for the enforcement of the prohibition of discrimination.
Extracted from the Gender Action Plan of ETH Zurich
ETH is characterized by low propotions of women on all levels of the academic career, like all leading universities in technology and sciences. Around 30 percent of students and doctoral students are women. On the level of post-doctoral researchers and senior scientist, the proportion amounts to around 25 percent; on the level of professors around 9 percent. All these numbers are below ETH Zurich's objectives.
Higher proportions of women are to be achieved on all levels because mixed teams with a higher number of women play an important role regarding innovative results in high-end research (see for example the study "Gendered Innovations" from the European Commission, 2013). With more women in research, a larger extent of interdisciplinary research could be achieved as well as a stronger focus on needs of individual groups in society. ETH Zurich regards itself as a university that makes essential contributions to fundamental research on and solutions to global issues such as nutrition, energy and health, etc. A stronger involvement of women on all academic levels seems advisable in this context. Furthermore, ETH aims to facilitate reconciliation of studies or occuption with private and family matters for all students and employees.