News from the Executive Board 2024/2
The Executive Board of ETH Zurich has issued new rules of procedure for scientific misconduct, completed the rETHink project, renamed the joint initiative with UBS to promote young STEM talent "UP4mint" and approved the implementation of a Swiss Chip Initiative.
New rules of procedure for suspected research misconduct
The Executive Board has approved the totally revised "Ordinance of ETH Zurich governing the procedure to address allegations of scientific misconduct at ETH Zurich (Procedure in the event of scientific misconduct, RSETHZ 415)" to enter into force on 1 June 2024. In so doing, it took note of the comments submitted during the consultation process. An integral part of its decision was also that all other legal documents affected by the changes to the rules of procedure will likewise be amended as of 1 June 2024. What has changed and why an amendment was necessary is set out in this article with an interview in "Internal news".
Chair of the new Integrity Commission has been elected
The attorney and specialist for patent law, Mark Schweizer, takes over as Chair of the new ETH Integrity Commission. Schweizer has been President of the Swiss Federal Patent Court in St Gallen since 1 January 2018. In addition, the lawyer, who is qualified as a university lecturer, acts as a private lecturer at the University of St Gallen external page HSG. He is also already affiliated with the ETH as a lecturer with the Department of Humanities, Social and Political Sciences (D-GESS). However, he will end his teaching activity at ETH before he commences his term of office. Prior to his office with the Federal Patent Court, Schweizer worked more than 10 years as a lawyer for a large commercial law firm specialising in intellectual property law. From 2005 to 2007 he also worked as delegate of the International Committee of the Red Cross in Kabul, Afghanistan, and Kampala, Uganda (see external page https://www.markschweizer.ch/ (in German)).
The Executive Board has confirmed Schweizer’s election by the election committee of the Integrity Commission. He has been elected for a term of office which runs from 1 June 2024 to 31 May 2028. The Integrity Commission plays a key role within the scope of the new rules of procedure to address scientific misconduct (RSETHZ 415). You can find details about the work of the Integrity Commission in the news providing information on the new rules of procedure in Internal news.
rETHink - Publication of the final results
The rETHink organisational development project officially ended on 31 December 2023. The project committees have now been dissolved. In total, around 60 measures and projects have been initiated, implemented or initiated for implementation through rETHink. The Executive Board has now acknowledged and approved the rETHink final report from the project management team and expressed its gratitude for the tremendous commitment and work of the more than 600 project participants in the various project phases. The most important results and the content of the final report are available to all ETH members on Staffnet at this link. You will find out how ETH President Joël Mesot, the initiator of rETHink, and Secretary General Katharina Poiger, the project manager, assess the results in the interview on Internal News of 15 January 2024. Information on the overall project is available at: www.ethz.ch/rethink-en.
"UP4mint"
In August 2022, ETH Zurich launched a strategic partnership with UBS Switzerland AG. Over a period of 10 years, UBS will invest up to CHF 20 million in two joint initiatives to promote entrepreneurship and innovation, and raise interest in STEM subjects (read more in this ETH News). The Executive Board has now approved the name for one of these two partnership initiatives: The initiative to promote young STEM talent is now called "UP4mint".
Change in the Prize Commission
Manu Kapur, Professor for Learning Sciences (D-GESS), stepped down from the ETH Prize Commission on 31 January 2024 in order to concentrate on his new position as Director of the Singapore-ETH Centre. He will be succeeded by Gudela Grote, Professor of Work and Organisational Psychology (D-MTEC).
The Prize Commission advises the Executive Board on science prizes, evaluates nominations for internal ETH science prizes and recommends candidates for nomination for national and international science prizes.
Replacement election to the Risk Management Commission
Cornelia Halin, Professor of Pharmaceutical Immunology at D-CHAB, stepped down from the Risk Management Commission of ETH Zurich at her own request on 31 January 2024. She was succeeded on 1 February 2024 by Gabriela Hug, Professor at D-ITET, for the remaining term of office until 31 January 2026.
The Risk Management Commission advises the President and the Executive Board on matters relating to risk management, risk financing and insurance. It regularly assesses the risk, damage and insurance situation at ETH Zurich and supports the university’s various institutions in coordinating and organising risk management.
ETH Zurich leads Swiss chip initiative
Semiconductor technologies, microelectronics and the design of integrated circuits (ICs) are a key factor for science and industry in Switzerland. In the international environment, however, major economic policy players such as the USA, China, India and the EU are currently showing signs of technological decoupling trends aimed primarily at securing their own digital sovereignty. For example, both the USA in 2022 and the EU in 2023 passed new subsidy laws to boost their semiconductor production (US CHIPS Act, EU Chips Act).
This focus on domestic production can have a detrimental effect on Switzerland's current position in research and innovation in semiconductors, microelectronics and IC design. To make matters worse, the partial exclusion from the European research and innovation programme Horizon and the full exclusion from the new "Digital Europe" programme means that Swiss research and industry currently only have significantly limited access to the European research infrastructure required for innovative chip design.
In order to secure Switzerland's strong position, the State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation (SERI), the Swiss Centre for Electronics and Microelectronics (CSEM), EPFL and ETH Zurich have launched the "SwissChips" initiative. This transitional measure will initially apply for three years (2024-2026). The costs will jointly be borne by SERI (CHF 26 million) and CSEM, EPFL and ETH (CHF 7.8 million).
ETH Zurich is responsible for the implementation of SwissChips. The designated head of the initiative is Christoph Studer, Professor of Integrated Information Processing at the Department of Information Technology and Electrical Engineering (D-ITET). CSEM and EPFL are participating in the management of the initiative. SwissChips aims to promote the strong Swiss network. Its infrastructure and technology are available to all Swiss universities, universities of applied sciences and research institutions.
The ETH Zurich Executive Board has approved the implementation of the SwissChips initiative. The next step is for the ETH President and the Vice-President for Research to sign the final version of the service-level agreement and for Christoph Studer and the project partners to initiate implementation.
Note on the translation
Most parts of this text have been translated for your convenience using a machine translation tool, except for those relating to the new rules of procedure and the Integrity Commission. Although reasonable efforts have been made to provide an accurate translation, it may not be perfect. If in doubt, please refer to the German version.
Should you come upon significant translation mistakes, please send a short message to so that we can correct them. Thank you very much.
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