Over the next four years, ETH Zurich aims to pursue fundamental education and research at the highest level and provide effective training for the decision-makers of tomorrow in the fields of engineering and natural sciences. In a podcast lasting about six minutes, ETH President Ralph Eichler gives an introduction to the main points of the strategy.

ETH Zurich seeks to position itself as a university that is both rooted in Switzerland and networked with international science.

“The strategy for 2012-2016 is based on the strengths and qualities of ETH Zurich and outlines how it can maintain its position among the world’s best universities”, says David Gugerli, Professor of the History of Technology and President of the Strategy Commission at ETH Zurich.

Sustainable growth

A key element in the ETH strategy is the idea of sustainable growth. The fundamental principle of sustainability applies in equal measure to academic appointments, professorships, degree programmes, research priorities, construction projects and staff development, says Gugerli: “The goal of sustainability is closely linked to the principles of subsidiarity and the individual financial responsibility of the departments and professorships. ETH lives and thrives on the expertise of its performance achievers.”

The plan for ETH’s future is based on a moderate rate of growth. According to this growth scenario, by 2020 ETH will have about 20,000 students, 1000 professors and senior scientists and a budget of CHF 2 billion.

However, to achieve this, factors such as the right level of funding from the federal government must also be in place: the growth in student numbers, in particular, and the successes in research and innovation will require ETH to continue to invest in personnel and infrastructure to avoid any decline in the quality of its education and research.

“The great strength of an education at ETH is that the teaching is research-based, and that the students in all subject areas are familiar with the basics of mathematics and physics,” says ETH President Ralph Eichler. It is therefore also part of ETH’s strategic orientation for Master students to be selected based on their performance and the available capacity, and that, in future, high-cost research technologies will be organised around interdepartmental platforms.

Fundamental research and high-quality education

The ETH strategy for 2012-2016 was prepared in a two-year process by the ETH Strategy Commission in collaboration with the departments, central authorities, university committees and the Executive Board, and has been approved by the ETH Board. “This collaboration between the Executive Board, the Strategy Commission and members of ETH has resulted in a strategy with which everyone can identify,” says ETH President Ralph Eichler.

This conclusion is shared by Roman Kappeler, who represents AVETH, the association of scientific staff, on the Commission. He is pleased that the new strategy also mentions career alternatives to a professorship for researchers, and that the appointment of staff to work on research infrastructure is to be improved.

Jannick Griner, of the students’ association VSETH, believes that the new strategy shows a clear commitment to the quality of the education provided: “This means that, even in ten years’ time, all ETH students will receive excellent training and an internationally renowned degree.”

Strategy podcast by the ETH President and the Strategy Brochure online The Strategy Brochure “ETH Zurich. Strategic orientation” is available in German, English and French and has been published on a dedicated website. In seventeen chapters, each with a supplement of memorable key phrases, the brochure provides information about the self-perception, values, leadership culture and political-organisational framework conditions of ETH Zurich.
It gives a comprehensive explanation of the strategic objectives, on the one hand for education, research, knowledge transfer and national services (business cycle research, seismological service, supercomputing and the protection of national treasures) and on the other hand for the planning of facilities, infrastructure, finances and communication.