Archive internal news

The savings measures announced in June are having an effect. ETH Zurich’s 2024 budget deficit will be less than originally predicted. This can be attributed to the efforts of the academic departments and central administrative units, both of whom have done their homework. Given the persistent constraints on government spending and ETH Zurich’s resolve to safeguard its flexibility for new strategic initiatives, financial prudence is still required.

Detlef Günther will be stepping down as Vice President for Research at the end of 2022 and plans to return to his former research group for the next few years. He held his VP post for a period of eight years, during which he decisively shaped research and corporate relations at ETH Zurich.

As of Monday, all ETH employees will be required to work from home again. Most buildings will only be accessible using an ETH card and will now only be open for academic events. In-person teaching and examination sessions for the Autumn Semester can finish as planned.

The ETH Executive Board has provided more details about the requirement for all those attending in-person teaching events to have a valid COVID certificate.

ETH Zurich is introducing a COVID certificate requirement for the entire study process. This will allow the upcoming Autumn Semester to kick off with a full on-site presence. Details of how this new rule is to be put into practice will follow next week.

The Executive Board is recommending employees to return to their in-person workplaces for one or two days per week. The new coronavirus master plan, which enters into force on 6 September, includes new regulations on certificate and mask requirement.

The coronavirus situation continues to improve. The Executive Board has eased more restrictions in response to the Federal Council’s latest measures. The main change: wearing a face mask is no longer compulsory outdoors and only necessary indoors in certain circumstances. Events and sports activities are also possible again on a larger scale.

Three newly designed CAS programmes, one of them taught jointly with EPFL, a new composition for the Strategy Commission and the appointment of two new members to the Research Commission: these were some of the most important decisions taken by the Executive Board in its most recent meetings.

The Executive Board has decided to embed computational thinking and modelling in all study programmes at ETH Zurich. In addition, a new continuing education course will be launched in robotics. Finally, a new platform for clinical studies will be created for ETH researchers in the health sector.

In certain exceptional cases, ETH employees can return to their workplaces from 11 May onwards. They may be able to do so on request, but require their supervisor's approval and must observe the rules on physical distancing and hygiene. Measures to ease restrictions have also been brought forward for doctoral examinations.

The ongoing development of ETH Zurich’s organisational structure as part of the rETHink project is starting to take shape. At its first meeting of 2020, the Executive Board discussed the results of the consultation and used them as a basis to adapt and approve the changes to the ETH Organisation Ordinance.

In its last four meetings, the Executive Board revamped several Master’s programmes, re-elected the President’s delegates and gave the green light for the 2020 employee survey.

ETH Zurich has been given top marks for its structures and processes in the Transition Review. Other topics in this issue of News from the Executive Board: making better use of the lecture halls; incremental increases in parking fees to reach market levels; and an expansion of Psychological Counselling Service.

At a recent retreat, the Executive Board set the course for the further development of ETH Zurich’s organisational structure. The initial strategic direction was established for the Executive Board’s future composition, the university’s core values and the enhancement of ETH’s leadership culture.

ETH Zurich is the proud recipient of a new research funding instrument called “ETH+ Grants” with which ETH aims to fund major interdisciplinary research projects. In addition to this, ETH Zurich hopes to significantly reduce flight emissions. After making these decisions, the Executive Board of ETH Zurich will now take its leave for the holidays.

Eight new professorships through ETH+, an improved introductory programme for professors, a new laboratory building for architecture and a Forest Lab on Hönggerberg: those were the key decisions taken by the Executive Board at its most recent meetings.

ETH Zurich is launching a comprehensive research initiative in a previously overlooked field of medicine, namely the medium and long-term rehabilitation of patients. The last Executive Board meetings also covered the election of two new ombudspersons, the annual gender monitoring report and the new Financial Regulations.

The Executive Board has approved the function description of the departmental delegates for good scientific practice and has also decided to develop online communication channels step by step, to award a prize for young innovators to mark the 200th birthday of Alfred Escher in 2019, and to put childcare on a new footing.

The last meetings of the Executive Board were devoted mainly to numerous construction and infrastructure projects. Decisions were taken, inter alia, on the construction of the new physics building on the Hönggerberg and the future occupancy of the Main Building. The offices of the Vice President for Human Resources and Infrastructure will move into a leased building in Oerlikon.

In its last session, the Executive Board confirmed its deep commitment to the Singapore site, strengthened the position of the Animal Welfare Officer, and approved a new institute for the Department of Computer Science along with the new procurement strategy of the Facility Management department. It also secured financing for the Student Project House for 2019.

Good scientific practice, management of ETH’s finances, setting up the new School for Continuing Education, information security, procurement, catering and the salary system for doctoral students: ETH Zurich’s Executive Board passed resolutions on all these topics during its most recent sessions. Another matter that was discussed was the annual report from the Associate Vice President for Sustainability.