News from the Executive Board 2021 / 1
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 appointed two new members to the Research Commission: Sai Reddy (D-BSSE) and Philip Ursprung (D-ARCH). They succeed Annette Oxenius, who reached her maximum eight years in office at the end of February, and Arno Schlüter, who is stepping down from the commission after taking on new responsibilities in research and teaching. Nicole Wenderoth (D-HEST) will take over as chair of Subcommittee II (Biosciences), a post previously held by the first-ever female chair, Oxenius, for four years. Reddy will join the Research Commission in autumn 2021, while Ursprung is due to take up his role this spring.
Changes to the Strategy Commission
The Executive Board has made new appointments to the Strategy Commission for the period of office 2021-2024. Five new members are joining the commission, which advises the Executive Board on strategic issues: Kristina Shea (D-MAVT), Reto Knutti (D-USYS), Andreas Wenger (D-GESS), Katrien Dee Bock (D-HEST) and Francesca Bay (PeKo). Current members were confirmed for the new term of office: Adrienne Grêt-Regamey (D-BAUG), Sacha Menz (D-ARCH), Georg von Krogh (D-MTEC), Joachim Buhmann (D-INFK), Effy Vayena (D-HEST) and Lukas Novotny (D-ITET), along with Zoe Jonassen (representing scientific staff) and Micha Bigler (representing students). Ulrike Kutay (D-BIOL) was already appointed President of the Strategy Commission last summer.
New member elected to the kihz board of trustees
The Executive Board has appointed Christina Spengler, adjunct professor in D-HEST, as a new trustee on the board of the foundation “Kinderbetreuung im Hochschulraum Zürich” (kihz), which provides childcare services. Spengler, head of the Exercise Physiology Lab, replaces Renate Schubert. She represents the interests of ETH Zurich in the kihz foundation, together with the Vice President for Personnel Development and Leadership, Julia Dannath, Head of Human Resources, Lukas Vonesch, and Volker Hoffmann (D-MTEC).
MAS architecture programme in conjunction with EPFL
The “MAS ETH in Urban Design” programme, put on ice following the retirement of Marc Angélil, is being relaunched in conjunction with EPFL. The new programme, “MAS ETH EPF in Urban and Territorial Design”, will be directed by Milica Topalovic (D-ARCH) and Paola Viganò (EPFL), with one semester based in Lausanne and the other in Zurich. The activities of the Future Cities Laboratory at Singapore-ETH Centre (SEC) will be featured as well. The core elements of the programme, a one-year full-time course, are the design studios, where participants explore the scope for action in the planning of residential areas and the surrounding territories. The new continuing education programme kicks off in the Autumn Semester 2021.
CAS programme in mobility as a modular option
The MAS programme ‘Mobilität der Zukunft’ (Mobility of the future) has been offered since 2015, but now has a more flexible format: not only the three existing CAS modules in Mobility of the future, but also the CAS ‘Verkehrsingenieurwesen’(Transport Engineering) can be accredited as a module for the MAS. This means an existing CAS programme can – for the first time – count towards another MAS qualification.
“These changes allow us to exploit synergies and strengthen collaboration between providers of continuing education programmes. This was one of the main goals when launching the School for Continuing Education.”Paolo Ermanni, Vice Rector for Continuing Education
The programme will now be directed by Christoph Onder (D-MAVT), who takes over from the retired Konstantinos Boulouchos.
New continuing education programme in seismic safety
The School for Continuing Education is launching a new programme designed to advance the skills of Swiss structural engineers in the area of seismic safety standards. The CAS in “Seismic Evaluation and Retrofitting” is a 6-month programme offered every year and is directed by Bozidar Stojadinovic and Eleni Chatzi from D-BAUG.
Graphische Sammlung Board of Trustees
Raffael Dörig, curator of the art gallery Kunsthaus Langenthal, has been elected to the Board of Trustees of ETH Zurich’s collection of prints and drawings, the Graphische Sammlung. As of 1 January, Dörig sits as representative of the Federal Art Commission (EKK), succeeding Giovanni Carmine. Vice President for Infrastructure, Ulrich Weidmann, made the original nomination and the Executive Board has given its approval. The Board of Trustees advises the management of the Graphische Sammlung on scientific matters and is chaired by Philip Ursprung (D-ARCH).
Regular updates from the Executive Board
The Executive Board of ETH Zurich holds regular meetings every two weeks. This section provides information on the most important decisions taken at these meetings. This issue covers the last meeting in 2020 and the first four meetings of 2021 (8 December 2020; 14 & 26 January and 9 & 23 February 2021).