Ombudspersons and confidants
The ombudspersons and confidants offer advice to members of ETH Zurich who find themselves in difficult situations:
- The ombudspersons are a general contact point for conflicts that cannot be solved by direct communication and for reporting suspected illegal actions.
- The confidants can help you with issues concerning research integrity.
Both are independent and treat all information they receive confidentially. They involve further persons or units only if required by the case and observing confidentiality. While they cannot issue instructions, they may point out solutions and establish contacts.
The ombudspersons and confidants are elected by ETH Zurich's Executive Board based on the Ordinance on Organization.
Jonas Nakonz
Personal page
Ulrike Schlachter
Personal page
Prof. em. Annette Spiro
Personal page
Kathrin Teuscher
Personal page
The ombuds office offers advice on the following topics:
- Workplace conflicts and conflicts involving instructors
- Whistle blowing in case of suspected illegal action by members of ETH Zurich
- Other cases of breaches of ETH Zurich's Download Compliance Guide (except where related to research integrity - see confidants)
The ombudspersons carry out their mandate in accordance with the external page ethical standards of the International Ombudsman Association.
Yearly Reports
Download 2023 Ombudsperson's Yearly Report (PDF, 101 KB) summarises the activities of 2023.
Prof. em. Dr. Renate Schubert
Details
Prof. em. Dr. Karl-Heinz Altmann
Details
The Confidants shall grant assistance to ETH Zurich members with respect to good scientific practice. Their work shall involve listening, providing advice and – where required – mediating and arbitrating feasible and balanced solutions that are acceptable to all parties in cases where the object of the conflict relates to an aspect addressed by the ETH Zurich Guidelines on scientific integrity (Integrity Guidelines).
- Authorship conflicts
- Problems with sharing data or handing them over when leaving ETH Zurich
- Conflicts of interest
Ethical assessment of research projects is not conducted by the confidants but by the Ethics Commission.
Reports of suspected scientific misconduct are to be submitted to the Scientific Integrity Office via the external page IntegrityLine for the attention of the Integrity Commission.