News from the Executive Board 2023/8
The new IT security strategy, the utilisation of the construction cost database and the relaunch of the Centre for Students & Entrepreneurs: these were topics discussed at the last meeting of the ETH Executive Board.
New IT security strategy 2024 - 2028
Time and again, successful cyberattacks at universities lead to weeks of disruption to teaching and research operations and, in some cases, to the publication of confidential data. Such attacks can also result in major financial damage and loss of reputation for the institutions affected.
To be even better prepared for cyberattacks in the future, ETH Zurich's IT Services have reviewed the existing IT security programme and defined fields of action for the period 2024-2028. The new functional sub-strategy "IT Security Strategy of the IT Services" focuses on strengthening the resilience of ICT services, applications and customer data against cyberattacks. For further information, please contact , IT Security Officer at IT Services.
More cost transparency thanks to new construction cost database
Cost pressure on construction investments has increased significantly in recent years. The Real Estate Management department would therefore like to increase the cost transparency of its construction projects. In order to optimise costs, it now intends to use key figures from construction projects at comparable institutions and compare the construction costs of its administrative, laboratory and teaching buildings with those of other public building owners by means of benchmarking.
The Executive Board has approved the request of the Vice President for Infrastructure for ETH Zurich to join the Building Cost Database Association (BKDB), which was founded in October 2023. The association collects construction cost data throughout Switzerland so that the real estate organisations of the cantons, cities and the federal government can evaluate their construction projects and compare costs. The construction cost database was developed by the Building Construction Office of the Canton of Zurich and the Building Construction Office of the City of Zurich. Its sponsor is the Conference of Swiss Cantonal Master Builders and Cantonal Architects (“Konferenz KB'CH”).
Joining the association allows the Real Estate Management department to systematically record its own construction projects in the construction cost database and to estimate their costs based on other public construction projects. In this way, the use of the database contributes to greater cost transparency and more accurate cost calculations and targets for construction projects. In addition to all new major construction projects, ETH Real Estate will also retrospectively analyse selected major projects as well as individual small projects that have yet to be determined. The costs of membership fees, software development and the required part-time position will be covered by reallocations in the budget of the Real Estate department and by reserves of the Infrastructure division. They will not place an additional burden on ETH Zurich's overall budget.
Relaunch of the Centre for Students & Entrepreneurs
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. Further information in this article on Internal News.
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