Participation at ETH

The Executive Board, the departments and the University Assembly - a body in which the teaching staff, scientific staff, students and administrative and technical staff are equally represented - are involved in the decision-making processes. Participation varies depending on the problem. As a rule, representatives of the groups directly affected are included in a working group that draws up the proposal. The drafts are then sent to the departments, university groups and staff areas for broad consultation and revised again before they come into force. The consultations have thus become a very important instrument and an integral part of ETH Zurich's management system.

The system of participation is challenging for all those involved: the intensity and quality of participation depend on the commitment and expertise of those involved. In addition, the degree of participation of the university groups is anchored differently in the departments, as it is up to the Department Conference of each department to decide how much space it wants to give to the participation of the university groups. The attitude of the incumbent Head of Department and the other departmental management also have a considerable influence on the breadth and depth of participation in the departments.

A legal basis for establishing participation in Swiss Confederation institutions has existed since 1960. At ETH Zurich, however, the demand for participation only took concrete form during the student unrest of the 1968 movement. The students launched a referendum against the ETH Act passed by parliament in 1968 and won the vote at the ballot box the following year. This referendum was of decisive importance for the establishment of today's system of broad participation of all university groups.

In the context of ETH Zurich, however, participation is not to be equated with co-determination: Participation includes the right to information and co-determination (in the sense of consultation), but not the right to co-determination (in the sense of decision-making authority). Co-determination rights, insofar as these are enshrined in law, are primarily granted to the social partners (i.e. the trade unions) within the framework of the social partnership. This important distinction is not always clear to everyone involved in a co-determination process and can give rise to unrealistic expectations.

This report is intended to provide a quick overview of the various forms and opportunities for participation at all levels of ETH Zurich. The report focuses on participation by the university groups. Specific functional or specialised groups, which are represented in certain committees due to their position or expertise, are also taken into account if they have a participatory function.

In 1968, students led by the VSETH mounted a referendum against a new ETH law, which was then rejected by 65.5% of votes in the popular vote on 1 June 1969. The criticism was levelled at the insufficient co-determination.

As a result, a transitional ordinance served as ETH’s most important legal basis until the end of 1991.

During the drafting of the ETH Law in force today, a reform commission was already in place which carried out participation activities. It was replaced in 1992 by the University Assembly, whose main function is to monitor participation.