This unfortunate episode for the ETH arises from the problem that many Professors at ETH have to "supervise" a large number of students, and this is more critical for disciplines like Chemistry, Physics or Biology, where the number of PhD students per professor increases drammatically (this allowed also by the lower fellowship rate).

On top of this, many professors, in order to extend their research portfolio, take over reaserch projects for which they have absolutly no competence. An organization which would include also more assistant professors and associate professors would help to avoid such situations which reveal incompetence and superficiality.

How many Professors there are at the ETH with a number of students to supervise larger than 20, and the students are forced to publish at least 2 publications per year. Can a ETH Professor with a fast look double check whether the results of a research project are mature enough to be disclosed?

Yan Turner - 26.02.10

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