Archive internal news

The new equipment brings the Hönggerberg campus one step closer to efficient and environmentally friendly heating and cooling and helps to further reduce CO₂ emissions and the consumption of fossil fuels.

The concept for the major teaching reform has been drawn up. The consultation period will run until 14 June.

For over 150 years, ETH Zurich has not only been teaching technical and scientific knowledge, but also art: with the Collection of Prints and Drawings, the university has an internationally renowned institution for art on paper. But how did this come about in the first place - and what significance does this art form still have today in the age of digitalization and AI?

Work on the new computing centre on the Hönggerberg (HRZ) is progressing. The foundation stone was laid last Friday, marking the start of construction. ETH Zurich is thus taking a further step towards a modern and energy-efficient IT infrastructure.

Four projects in the “Barrier-Free at ETH Zurich” program were successfully completed at the end of 2023. The quarterly reporting provides a comprehensive overview of all ongoing activities and results achieved in the 14 sub-projects. All projects have the common goal of making ETH Zurich's infrastructure accessible in accordance with the "Design for all" principle.

As part of the Disability Rights Action Days, ETH Zurich is presenting the "Design for all" campaign and organizing various events: learn sign language in the "Café des Signes", change your perspective in the newly designed awareness workshop or explore the ETH buildings with the new accessible navigation app "PolyMaps".

The Informatiktage 2024 will take place from 18 to 23 March 2024. The Department of Computer Science and the IT Services of ETH Zurich invite you to a carefully curated programme. It offers something for everyone - from curious beginners to experienced experts.  

The objective of the call for tenders is to find printers who can continue the ETH's printing services externally from 2025. The call for tenders is expected to start in the coming months. The search for solutions is ongoing for employees of the Print Group who have not yet found a new position internally.

The Institute of Molecular Plant Biology is getting a new laboratory on the Hönggerberg. Construction work began this week and should be completed in June 2025

Not only is inflation having an impact on our heating bills, grocery shopping and the price of eating out – it is also driving up the costs faced by our community catering services. The ETH Executive Board has had no other choice but to agree to price increases across its catering operations.

A new teaching space in the centre offers a flexible environment for project-based education: not only can innovative teaching methods be tried out in the PBLabs RZ, but resources are also available on-site for inspiration, support, and advice.

The Earth Sciences Library will close permanently on 30 April 2024. Once ETH Zurich gives the green light, the Centre for Origin and Prevalence of Life will move into the building (construction period 2024/2025). The library team and its full range of services will remain available to you.

At the start of the year, Gisbert Schneider handed over management of the Singapore-ETH Centre (SEC) to Manu Kapur. The outgoing SEC Director looks back in an interview at his three years in office and explains why he is keeping one foot in Singapore.

A broad survey of students at ETH Zurich shows: Language models are still rarely used in the classroom, but they are used frequently and creatively as learning aids.

Advances in digital technology and the impact of regulatory changes have led to a shift in customer preferences and needs – resulting in a decline in demand for printed media at ETH Zurich.

Discover ETH Zurich from a new perspective on Tuesday evenings. In 2024, the Public Tours will once again include well-known and exotic ETH locations on campus and beyond. The guided tours of the ETH institutes, laboratories, collections and archives look forward to your visit every week.

In the past few months, several employees have been using the parking spaces in the underground garages of ETH Zurich without payment. In many cases, the exit controls were actively and systematically avoided.

Special opening times and operating hours apply at ETH Zurich around the holidays.

As communicated some while ago, parking charges at ETH Zurich will be brought into line with market prices in a third and final step. In future, parking spaces will only be available for rent in buildings belonging to ETH Zurich. Meanwhile, the number of charging stations for electric vehicles at ETH will be increased.

Between March and October 2023, the many initiatives and measures implemented as part of the "smart moves" awareness campaign shone a light on how we can do even more with regard to sustainability here at ETH Zurich.

Now that all members of the department have moved into the new BSS research building, ETH Zurich's 22nd restaurant opened its doors on Monday, November 13.  

ETH Zurich members are invited to participate in the conference “AI For Energy & Sustainable Manufacturing” on 9 November 2023 at ETH Zurich. The full-day event will bring together researchers, innovators, industrial decision-makers and data scientists to meet and discuss.

ETH Zurich had planned to construct a building on the Hönggerberg campus for students and entrepreneurial initiatives, but costs rose so sharply over the past two years that they could no longer be justified. As a result, the Executive Board of ETH Zurich has decided to relaunch the project.

Screen or blackboard? Chalk or digital pen? In the current issue of "life", Meike Akveld and Andreas Steiger from the Department of Mathematics discuss the advantages and disadvantages of the classic blackboard in the classroom. And what is your opinion? Discuss with them.

This year, the Wolfgang Pauli Lectures will highlight the CRISPR technology, its origins and its current applications in research and medicine. The speaker is Jennifer Doudna, the 2020 Nobel Prize Laureate in Chemistry.

Over the last eight years, ETH Week has given over 1,200 students the chance to meet and network with experts from science, industry, and the public sector. In its place, PBLabs will enable project-based education (PBE) across the university.

The ETH Library is offering new services contributing to a barrier-free learning environment. Moreover, the room acoustics in various meeting rooms have been improved. You are invited to a webinar on 24 October to learn more about the “Principles of universal design (design for all)”.

Since March 2023, the campaign «smart moves» shows how we can be even more sustainable on the road at ETH Zurich. On October 12, the second ETH bike exchange of the year will take place on the Hönggerberg in addition to the big e-bike test drive.

The conference "Future Cities: Through Science. By Design. In Place. Over Time" brings together renowned experts from architecture, urban planning, politics, and society, including Momoyo Kaijima, Pierre de Meuron and Peter Sloterdijk. It takes place at ETH Zurich on 12 and 13 October 2023.

The CERN international research centre near Geneva explores the tiniest fragments of the universe. Scientists from ETH Zurich, the University of Zurich and PSI are involved in this. An exhibition, guided tours and a series of lectures at ETH aim to provide a broader public with an understanding of the experiments at the world’s largest particle accelerator.

Margrit Leuthold has been ombudswoman at ETH since 2018 and is stepping down next year. She talks to us about why listening is so important, some beautiful moments she has had in this confidential role, and what qualities an ombudsperson needs.

You can attend workshops in October at which ETH is ‘experienced’ in a wheelchair or with a white stick and simulation glasses – please register and come along! Furthermore, there are new directions to ETH buildings for visually impaired and blind people. And another sub-project has now been completed.

At ETH Week starting on September 10, students from various fields of study will explore the topic of the circular economy. Part of the course is a keynote talk with the founder of Fairphone, Bas van Abel. The talk is open to all ETH members.

The new barrier-free forecourt of the Main Building will be fully available as of early 2024. Completion has been delayed due to an objection and the resulting late start of production in the quarry.

Large language models like ChatGPT can do all sorts of things – including writing correct computer code. But how good are they at mathematics? This is one of the questions that will be explained by mathematician Kevin Buzzard from Imperial College, London at the Paul Bernays Lectures on 28, 29 and 30 August 2023.

This morning, part of the courtyard around the Semper Observatory was closed off and a crane was set up to lift a telescope out of the dome. In late August, the original telescope from the founding year 1864 will be reassembled inside the observatory.

The 2023 Latsis Symposium will take place at ETH Zurich from 6 to 8 September. This year’s theme is how to counter online phenomena such as hate speech and fake news and how public discourse can be strengthened.  

The guests of the restaurants and canteens at ETH Zurich have awarded our catering facilities even higher ratings than in the last guest survey conducted in 2017. More people took part than ever before. Some of them would still like to see improvements in prices and in the range of food on offer.  

Scientifica is looking for helping hands on the weekend of 2 – 3 September. Anyone keen to be part of Switzerland’s largest science festival is very welcome to come along.

The new BSS research building in Basel and the GLC in the centre of Zurich are now ready for occupation. The construction work took longer than planned, but the time has finally come: staff from the BSSE, HEST and ITET departments have begun to move in.

Bedbugs were recently found in two buildings on the ETH Zentrum campus. This case shows that even ETH members can carry these annoying pests in their luggage without realising it. Here’s what you can do when you’re faced with the crawling, itching intruders.

The International Chemistry Olympiad (IChO) is being held for the first time in Switzerland from 16 to 25 July 2023 and will take place on the ETH Hönggerberg campus. Over 300 talented young chemists from around the world will spend ten days putting their specialist knowledge to the test, compete for coveted medals and get to know both Switzerland and ETH better.

“Time to shine”: this was the motto of the ceremony on the 6th of July celebrating the completion of vocational training at ETH Zurich for 42 apprentices. The 2023 graduation ceremony represents a major stepping stone in their ongoing career path.

Insects and plants collected over the course of more than 200 years highlight the importance of wildlife conservation – the first exhibition at extract, the new exhibition space in the ETH main building.

Can you imagine receiving your letters by e-mail so that you can read them wherever you are - at home or on the road, for example?

They come to ETH Zurich almost daily by bike or e-bike. Three ETH transport researchers are investigating how an e-bike-friendly city works. They are also committed to a safe, sustainable, and CO₂-reducing campus mobility at ETH Zurich.

The area around the ETH main building is changing: a new university hospital, the FORUM UZH and a café will be built by the end of the decade. In addition, Rämistrasse and Gloriasstrasse will be completely redesigned, landscaped and traffic will be reorganised. In addition, ETH has initiated the final phase of its new building project GLC.

ETH is continually enhancing its range of children’s activities. Our latest offering is Globi’s Forest Laboratory, a nature trail through the Hönggerberg woodlands.

In the Sustainable Gastronomy Project, the restaurants are working on making the food on campus environmentally friendly, healthy and socially just. Now the interim review shows: the measures taken by the caterers are quantifiably effective.

ETH Zurich is taking part in the Academic Bicycle Challenge for the first time this year. Until 31 May at the latest, bike rides can be tracked via the Naviki app. The collected data will help to better plan future bicycle routes.

From 12 to 24 May 2023, the “Holdings of ETH Zurich Architectural Culture” exhibition will be on display in the main hall of the Main Building. In the free exhibition, visitors will be able to see some of the building components and furniture of ETH Zurich that are particularly worth protecting but that had to be removed from the university buildings due to construction work in the past.

Working together for greater security of electricity supply: To compensate for a possible power shortage in winter, ETH and the University of Zurich have joined a nationwide pool of emergency power generators. This grouping of emergency generation serves as part of the power reserve for the winter and can provide additional power for Switzerland.  

The rETHink project aimed, among other things, to promote the culture of discussion at ETH Zurich. But have the efforts been successful? Read the opinions of two ETH employees in the current special edition of the magazine "life". And what is your opinion? 

ETH Zurich does not yet offer a fully accessible environment. The university is therefore launching a new campaign in mid-April as part of its “Barrier-free at ETH Zurich” programme. The “Design for all” campaign includes clear goals such as “Make architecture accessible to all!” and “Break down the barriers to accessible teaching!”

Fast and round-the-clock: ETH Lost and Found now offers you the option of searching online for lost valuables.

Go and visit Morph Tales – Exploring Artificial Intelligence to experience in a smart and engaging way how AI and humans can accomplish tasks together. The new game will be unveiled on 1 April 2023 as part of the Informatiktage (Computer Science Days). It will then be available for play at the CAB building from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. until 14 April 2023.  

The spring holidays are coming up. Those still looking for holiday care for their children during this time will find it at the kihz Foundation. Registrations are now being accepted.

A van belonging to an external company caught fire at the HIA building this  afternoon. There is property damage to the building - no persons were harmed.

Don’t miss the first ETH Velobörse of the year, this Thursday on the Polyterrace! It’s a great chance to snap up a second-hand bike at a good price.

On the 13th of March 2023 e-manuscripta.ch, the platform for digitised manuscript material from Swiss libraries and archives, will celebrate its 10th anniversary.

The International Chemistry Olympiad (IChO) will take place for the first time in Switzerland and at ETH Zurich from 16 to 25 July 2023. Helpers are being sought for this major event. ETH employees will receive an additional day of holiday to compensate for their voluntary commitment.

Mobility is a crucial aspect of our lives. So, what options are currently in place, and what solutions will be needed in the future? Who’s in charge of the mobility infrastructure, and what responsibilities should we bear, as users? These are the questions the “smart moves” campaign will be addressing over the next months.

One of the aims of the “Barrier-free at ETH Zurich” programme is to make events at ETH more accessible. A panel discussion addressing the topic of “Accessibility and inclusion in higher education” is being held on 20 April. Come along and join the discussion!

While not all subjects taught at ETH Zurich are generally associated with sustainability, much of the expertise acquired in a wide variety of courses is relevant to addressing the climate crisis. This is evident from a current student project that takes a look at the working world of ETH graduates.  

The riches of the Collections and Archives of ETH Zurich in one space: beginning this summer, extract will bring together a diverse range of objects and documents to address current research questions

The costs of energy, transport and paper have risen dramatically. This means that, as of 20 February 2023, we have to adjust our traditionally low prices for in-house printing services. Nonetheless, it will still be cheaper to use Print and Publish than an outside provider.

On Wednesday, a fault in a medium-voltage installation led to a power outage on the Hönggerberg campus. No one was injured. The causes and impact of the power outage are now being examined in order to learn any necessary lessons for the future.

ETH Zurich consumed less fossil energy for heating purposes in December 2022 than in previous years. Alongside the savings measures, this was also due to the temperatures. The switch from natural gas to heating oil has succeeded.

"Plot on demand" allows you to print posters and plans yourself at multiple locations using a QR code that you purchase online.

On Tuesday evenings, the ETH collections, archives, institute and labs are open to everyone. Visitors joining our guided tours will discover things both amazing and bizarre. For 2023, we’ve scheduled some 59 public tours; you can find out all about them in our brand-new newsletter.

In November 2022, ETH Zurich’s gas consumption was significantly lower than in previous years. The university is currently implementing further measures to save energy.

During an 8-week programme, data science talents from ETH Zurich solved data-related problems for non-profit organisations that support social causes.

Do you want goods transported from A to B? Do you need assistance with storage? Would you like to send a bulk mailing by post? Campus Services has the information and solutions you’re looking for. Now even faster and around the clock – thanks to the Logistics Help Centre.

Excellent teaching, research and administration requires effective information and communication technologies. That is why ETH Zurich is building a new data centre on its Hönggerberg campus between 2023 and 2026 to meet the demands of the future.

The ETH Competence Center Rehabilitation Engineering and Science (RESC) is launching a new online lecture series. The first edition will start on 28 November 2022 featuring speaker Roger Gassert, Professor of Rehabilitation Engineering at ETH Zurich.

At the start of 2023, bookseller Orell Füssli Thalia AG is taking over the management of two ETH Stores. The collaboration with Orell Füssli promises customers better conditions, a large distribution network and a better online shop.

Since October, ETH Zurich has been implementing energy-saving measures in order to actively avoid a potential energy shortage. The current outlook for the extent to which the energy shortage will affect Switzerland is better than feared, but the situation remains very tense and saving energy is still important – not least because of higher energy prices.

Visit the new exhibition, featuring a number of astronomical instruments, in the historic Semper Observatory.

The labs in the future HPQ physics building on the Hönggerberg campus will make possible the study of physical phenomena in smaller dimensions and at shorter timescales then ever before. Diggers will spend the next 14 months excavating a trench with a depth of 31 metres.

With the planned reopening of the parking garage beneath the forecourt of the ETH main building, Naegeli’s graffiti art will once again be accessible to the public.

Following the renovation of the garage, parking spaces will be available again in early November. Anyone interested in renting a space can apply now. During the renovation, special consideration was given to bicycle users.  

Emir İşman is the new President of the student association VSETH after taking over from Nils Jensen at the start of the semester. Together with 11 Executive Board members, he will spend the next 12 months representing students’ concerns and implementing the association’s activities.

The cultural scientist and egyptologist Jan Assmann will be a guest at ETH Zurich on 30 November 2022. He will talk about references between the works of Thomas Mann and Hermann Hesse.

ETH Zurich has launched a first round of measures to reduce its gas and energy consumption and avoid an energy shortage. These measures concern the room temperature in the buildings, the hot water and the lighting.

Would you like to contribute to the prevention of an energy shortage in Zurich? Do you have an idea that you want to develop quickly and effectively? Sign up for "Energy Now! - An Impact Accelerator by ETH Zurich"! This ETH initiative aims to enable innovative solutions for more energy security in Zurich before Christmas.

With World Vegetarian Day coming up this Saturday, ETH Zurich will be celebrating Veggie Week until Friday, 30 September, with vegetarian delicacies at our campus restaurants. Trying new things is encouraged!

For the past 50 years, UZH and ETH’s Psychological Counseling Services have been supporting students experiencing mental health problems. In this interview, Cornelia Beck, Head of Psychological Counseling Services, explains whether students’ concerns have changed in that time, why more ETH than UZH students seek her help during their Master’s degrees, and what the universities would do well to rethink.

ETH Zurich’s brand-new app tour goes right to the roots of nutrition. This tour of the Zentrum campus gives a gripping insight into the history of agricultural sciences at ETH and reveals how research is helping to feed the world today.

The switch to working from home and online teaching have caused a huge drop in the demand for food at ETH. ETH CFO Robert Perich and Marcel Zurbuchen, who is responsible for partner catering providers, explain the situation with catering facilities and tell us what we can expect at the start of the semester.

The only one of its kind in Europe, the Waldlabor Zurich is a living lab focused on forests, forest management and society. As a sponsoring institution, ETH Zurich supports projects by members of the ETH community in the forest laboratory. More information will be provided at the upcoming online information session.

Have you recently sent a non-commercial consignment abroad and had it returned? If so, it’s very likely because of the new regulation.

Every day, hundreds of ETH members commute between the Zentrum and Hönggerberg campuses by the electrically powered eLink shuttle bus. On 30 August 2022, ETH Zurich Tours present this shining example of sustainability to the public for the first time.

From 27 August until 10 September, ETH Zurich will be holding its university-wide “Rights of Persons with Disabilities” Action Days to raise awareness about disabled people’s rights and accessibility at ETH. Take advantage of the opportunity to discover more about these topics.

Preliminary work on the new physics building on the Hönggerberg campus commenced at the start of August. The surrounding community will be affected by construction emissions.

ETH mathematician Georg Anegg spent three weeks at Ashesi University in Ghana, which offers a joint master's program in Mechatronics Engineering with ETH Zurich. In an interview published by the D-MATH News, he talks about what it's like to teach in Ashesi and what motivated him to participate in the project.

The GLC research and laboratory building in Gloriarank is not expected to open until the second half of 2023. Completion by the general contractor has been further delayed. The latest available information indicates that the D-HEST and D-ITET departments will be able to move in with their 13 professorships starting early 2023.  

Do you know about the free telephone service for ETH members? Whether you’re temporarily away from your phone or going on holiday for a while: The ETH telephone switchboard will take over for you and reliably ensure that your calls don’t go unanswered.

Are you looking for childcare? Centres operated by the kihz Foundation will have some spaces available as of August. Interested parents can find an overview of the vacancies and all information about registration on the kihz website.

From 1 July to 31 October 2022, all ETH members who do not yet have an annual subscription will be able to benefit from a great-value introductory offer for PubliBike’s convenient bicycles and e-bikes.

Summer is here and with it a new offer for visitors presented by the Campus Services department: the «Kunst zum Zmittag» walk-in tour. Every Friday from June through August, starting at 12:30 pm, you can explore selected works of art in the chilly main building – free of charge and without registration.