News from the Executive Board 2023/6
In its last meeting before the summer break, the Executive Board discussed the current risk situation of ETH Zurich and issued guidelines on the employment of professors beyond ordinary retirement age.
Risks in the near term
The Executive Board has discussed the current risk situation of ETH Zurich and approved the annual report of the Risk Management Commission. The report focuses on the core risks of the overall organisation, with a particular focus on current measures. In general, the internal risk situation at ETH Zurich is perceived as stable. However, due to external influencing factors and uncertainties (e.g. multi-crisis situation), changes do occur. In particular, the stability and growth of funding will pose greater challenges for ETH Zurich in the future.
Further risk minimisation initiatives are being introduced in important risk areas on an ongoing basis, especially in core risks such as the ethical risks of existing and new research, the failure of internal or external infrastructure (e.g. energy shortage, blackout), crisis management and cyber risks, among which the loss of data and data processing systems as a result of cyberattacks is considered particularly significant. Risk management also focuses on issues such as spatial infrastructure risks, the shortage of skills, and teaching quality, which could decline if the number of students grows but resources stagnate.
Guidelines on the employment of professors beyond ordinary retirement age
The revised ETH Act and revised ETH Professorial Ordinance contain new rules concerning the requirements for the continued employment of professors beyond ordinary retirement age. An employment contract under private or public law can be concluded to extend the employment.
The Executive Board has now approved guidelines setting out in detail the conditions for continued employment at ETH Zurich. According to these, the decisive factor for continued employment on the basis of private law is the added value for ETH and Switzerland as a location for science to be expected from the activity of the professor remaining in employment. The centre of the professor’s activity comprises tasks that are strategically significant and institutionally relevant for ETH Zurich, with the prospect of a sustained impact extending beyond the institution. However, the retention of exceptionally merited professors at ETH Zurich or the recognition of outstanding achievements during their term of office are not the only motives for continued employment.
Continuation of employment under public law can be granted in exceptional cases on the basis of particularly outstanding achievements (Nobel Prize, similarly renowned international awards).
The “Guidelines on the employment of ETH Zurich professors beyond ordinary retirement age” enter into force on 1 September 2023.
New members elected to the Research Commission
The ETH Executive Board has re-elected the President of the ETH Zurich Research Commission, Uwe Sauer, Professor for Systems Biology (D-BIOL), for a third term. Due to his experience, expertise and dedicated commitment, Sauer is held in high esteem by the Research Commission, other committees and the Executive Board.
The Executive Board has elected the following professors as new members of the Research Commission:
- Klaus Ensslin, Professor of Solid-State Physics (D-PHYS)
- David Norris, Professor of Materials Engineering (D-MAVT)
- Javier Pérez-Ramírez, Professor of Catalysis Engineering (D-CHAB)
- Emma Slack, Professor for Mucosal Immunology (D-HEST)
- Mark Tibbitt, Professor of Macromolecular Engineering (D-MAVT)
The Executive Board has also re-elected the following professors for a second term to the Research Commission:
- Katrien De Bock, Professor of Exercise and Health (D-HEST)
- Consuelo De Moraes, Professor of Biocommunication and Entomology (D-USYS)
- Siddhartha Mishra, Professor of Applied Mathematics (D-MATH).
In addition, the Executive Board has accepted the resignations of Christophe Copéret, Professor of Surface Chemistry (D-CHAB), Jean-Christophe Leroux, Professor in Drug Formulation and Delivery (D-CHAB), and Timm Schroeder, Professor for Cell Systems Dynamics (D-BSSE), as of 31 August 2023, and of Tilman Esslinger, Professor of Quantum Optics (D-PHYS), and Jan Vermant, Professor of Soft Materials (D-MATL), as of 28 February 2024, and thanked them for their work on behalf of the Research Commission.
The ETH Zurich Research Commission reviews around 300 research applications each year (ETH Grants, ETH Fellows, Career Seed Grants and others) and advises the Executive Board on fundamental research policy issues. The members are professors of ETH Zurich. They are appointed by the Executive Board for a period of four years and can be re-elected once. The commission function of the President is limited to three terms of office.
New “Repair and Maintenance” CAS programme
The theme of sustainability is frequently highlighted in connection with the creation of new objects, such as everyday items or buildings. However, the way we handle existing constructions is at least equally important. Today’s focus frequently still remains primarily on replacement rather than considering an upgrade of an existing property despite the fact that the latter would be more resource-efficient and therefore more sustainable.
In order to take a stand against this, D-ARCH – in collaboration with D-MAVT – has developed the new CAS programme “Repair and Maintenance” (ReMain). The aim of this continuing education and training programme is to promote sustainability in the construction sector, in product design and in process engineering by imparting techniques and understanding for the repair and maintenance of existing properties.
The new CAS programme is based at D-ARCH at the Professorship of Construction Heritage and Preservation. The programme’s director is Silke Langenberg. It is initially planned to take place in the Spring Semester of 2024.
Catering Commission: members elected
The Executive Board has elected the following persons to the Catering Commission for the term of office from 1 July 2023 to 30 June 2027:
- Teaching staff representative: Michael Siegrist, D-HEST (re-elected)
- Scientific staff representatives: Stefan Stanko, D-MATL (new), and Jörg Scheuermann, D-CHAB (re-elected)
- Administrative and technical staff representatives: Daniela Stark, D-BAUG (re-elected), and Roberto Pascolo, D-BAUG (re-elected)
- Student representatives: Anna-Siri Rietmann, D-USYS (new), and Emir Işman, VSETH President (new)
- Nutritional expert: Isabelle Herter-Aeberli, D-HEST (re-elected)
The Catering Commission is now chaired by Stefan Spiegel, Vice President for Finance and Controlling. Günther Dissertori as Rector is taking over as Deputy Chairman. Another new member of the Commission is Hannes Pichler, Director of Real Estate Management since February 2023.
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