ETH Zürich takes the graduate route

The ETH Zürich has announced plans to increase its appeal to students, particularly those from overseas, by creating graduate schools. A pillar of the university’s approach to building its international profile is its active networking with local and regional partners from business and scientific communities, and society at large.

The move to set up the graduate schools is intended to increase the number of students that go on to complete doctorates. The ETH Zurich already has a high reputation for education and research, as confirmed by its position in international rankings, and by recent growth in student numbers. At the start of the winter semester 2006/07, 13,412 students matriculated, 707 or 5.6 per cent more than the previous year.

Since the Bologna Reform has now largely been implemented, students can choose from among 23 bachelor degree courses and 26 masters programmes.

In 2006 the number of newly enrolled PhD candidates rose by 13 per cent over the previous year, and overall 2,794 PhD candidates are currently enrolled.

The introduction of the graduate schools will allow the most talented PhD candidates to shorten the time they spend studying, so that they can embark on their academic or professional careers more quickly. ”I am very pleased with this dynamic development,” says Konrad Osterwalder, Rector of the university.

In recent years, the ETH has put down strong local and regional roots. Working with the canton, the University of Zürich, the University Hospital and the city of Zürich, it has played an important role in the process of strengthening Zürich’s reputation as a centre for science.

The involvement of the local population and the scientific and business communities in the planning of the new campus at Hönggerberg has been an important element in this. “Science City as the focal point, and close interaction with small and medium-sized companies are also integral steps in the success of the University District Project,” says Gerhard Schmitt, Vice-President for Planning and Logistics.

The move to be more international outlook includes plans to increase the institute’s impact and appeal outside Switzerland. For example, the university is committed to developing a global standard for sustainability on university campuses. Partners from Cambridge, Harvard, Yale, Berkeley, Tokyo and Singapore are studying the ETH’s strategy. Alongside creating an international benchmark for research and teaching institutions, the ETH Zürich plans to halve CO₂ emissions from Science City within the next ten years.

Versatile and enterprising

In 2006, 16 ETH Zurich spin-offs were set up, as against nine in 2005. So far this year 13 companies have been founded based on university IP. “These figures show the vigorous entrepreneurial approach of this university and reflect years of intensive cooperation with the Swiss economy,” says Dimos Poulikakos, Vice-President for Research.

A further indicator of the achievements of ETH researchers in technology transfer is shown by the registration of 87 inventions and 84 patent applications in 2006.

One particularly promising invention is the new method for identifying the anthrax bacterium, developed by Peter Seeberger.

Since 2004, the ETH has set up eight new competence centres to act as interdisciplinary networks. One such centre is the Bioengineering Cluster (BEC), in which 39 ETH Zürich professors are involved.

The BEC is led by Ralph Müller, a specialist in the use of biomaterials and adult stem cells for artificial bone regeneration. Müller has developed a method by which artificial bone tissue can be produced on a large scale and yet is custom-made.

This process can reduce the need for animal testing in pre-clinical research. The technique can also be applied to drug discovery in diseases such as osteoporosis

Dialogue with the public

A survey carried out at the end of 2006 shows that the ETH has a high degree of recognition among the Swiss public – 83 per cent of those questioned in German-speaking Switzerland saying they know of ETH the university.

Less known is the extent of ETH’s research. For example, very few people are aware of the long tradition of research in Health and Technology. In the coming months the university intends to raise the profile of this specialism with a public awareness campaign, “Finger on the pulse – Health & Technology at ETH Zurich”