Institutions and Bodies within the ETH Domain
ETH Board
ETH Appeals Commission
The ETH Appeals Commission is an independent judicial authority of seven members, elected by the Federal Council and based in Bern. The ETH Appeals Commission is the first-instance authority for appeals against decisions by the six ETH Domain institutions, primarily concerning human resources law and legislation applicable to the higher education sector. Its decisions may be appealed to the Swiss Federal Administrative Court.
ETH Zurich
ETH Zurich’s core activities span engineering, architecture, mathematics, natural sciences, system-oriented natural sciences as well as management and social sciences.
ETH Zurich considers the knowledge and technology transfer (KTT) to the private sector and society as an important endeavour. The numerous spin-off companies as well as a comprehensive range of non-formal CAS, DAS and MAS programmes in various fields are illustrations of this.
ETH Zurich also maintains the Swiss National Supercomputing Centre in Lugano (CSCS), which is among Europe’s top research facilities in this field.
EPFL
EPFL is comprised of five schools: Basic Sciences (SB), which includes mathematics, physics and chemistry; Engineering (STI); Computer and Communication Sciences (IC); Architecture, Civil and Environmental Engineering (ENAC); and Life Sciences (SV). The academic offering is complemented by the College of Humanities (CDH) and the College of Management of Technology (CDM).
The EPFL is one of the most international higher education institutions in the world. People from well over 100 different countries interact with one another on the main campus in Lausanne as well as at the extended campuses in the cantons Fribourg, Geneva, Neuchatel and Valais. The Lausanne campus also has an innovation park, which brings together hundreds of start-up companies and research centres of well-known companies. In recent years, construction of the Rolex Learning Center, the SwissTech Convention Center and the Artlab have given the EPFL an internationally recognised architectonic flair.
Paul Scherrer Institut PSI
Its main areas of research are: Future Technologies; Energy and Climate; Health Innovation; Fundamentals of Nature. PSI operates large-scale scientific facilities – the SINQ Neutron Source, the Swiss Light Source (SLS), the SμS Muon Source, and the SwissFEL X-ray free-electron laser – that are unique in Switzerland and, in some cases, globally. These facilities are available to the national and international research community as well as to industry. PSI also operates Switzerland’s only proton therapy facility for treating specific types of cancer.
PSI provides key services, including the disposal of radioactive waste under federal authority and the operation of a school for radiation protection. It also actively contributes to teaching at both federal institutes of technology, at cantonal universities and at universities of applied sciences. In particular, it is involved in the supervision of PhD students.
Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research (WSL)
WSL focuses on the use, design and protection of natural and urban habitats as well as on managing natural hazards. In these research fields, it ranks among the world’s leading institutions. Its research aims to provide decision-makers with guidance and solutions for the responsible use of Switzerland’s landscapes and forests. Through implementation-focused and practice-oriented programmes, WSL contributes to a sustainable environmental policy in Switzerland.
WSL staff supervise doctoral theses, teach at higher education institutions, and provide nationally relevant services. These include the Swiss avalanche warning service and a plant protection laboratory, jointly operated with the Federal Office for Agriculture (FOAG) and the Federal Office for the Environment (FOEN), where harmful organisms affecting wood and shrubs are diagnosed and pest control measures safely tested.
Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Testing and Research (Empa)
Like all ETH Domain institutions, Empa is committed to scientific excellence. It develops solutions to industrial and societal challenges in the fields of nanostructured materials and surfaces, environmental, energy and sustainable building technologies, and bio- and medical technologies. Working with private-sector partners and through spin-offs, it transforms research findings into marketable innovations, acting as a bridge between research and practice. Empa also provides a wide range of scientific and technical services, primarily aimed at improving human safety and protecting the environment. It is actively involved in supporting early career researchers.
Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology (Eawag)
The combination of expertise in natural sciences, engineering and social sciences enables Eawag to carry out interdisciplinary and comprehensive research into aquatic ecosystems. Eawag develops concepts and technologies for the sustainable use of waterways and water resources in general. Working with numerous partner institutions from both the public and private sector, Eawag helps to align potentially conflicting environmental, economic and social interests in relation to water. In this respect, it serves as a bridge between fundamental research and practical applications.
Eawag also takes on many different service and advisory mandates for public and private institutions. It carries out extensive teaching activities at higher education institutions, supervises Bachelor’s and Master’s degree essays and PhD theses and offers a broad range of advanced studies programmes (CAS, DAS and MAS). These teaching activities help to ensure initial and ongoing training of specialists.