Highlights
Support for many talented young researchers, new ideas for the construction industry and more medical research on behalf of children and young people: Over the past year, the support of donors and partners has enabled projects to be launched and people to fulfil their potential at ETH Zurich.
Long-term partnership with the Dieter Schwarz Foundation
A generous donation from the Dieter Schwarz Foundation in Germany will enable the expansion of the field of computer science and data science at ETH. Two new professorships will be established and the Zurich Information Security and Privacy Center (ZISC) will be further developed. The donation marks the first stage of a long-term cooperation between the two partners. Around 20 new professorships in the field of digitalisation and artificial intelligence are planned, together with the establishment of an ETH hub at the Bildungscampus, created by the Dieter Schwarz Foundation in the German city of Heilbronn.
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Effective support for the next generation
Supporting the engineers, architects and computer scientists of the future: More and more private individuals, foundations and businesses are committed to promoting young talent at ETH and to supporting the next generation of highly qualified employees in research and industry and across society as a whole. In 2023, more than 54 outstanding Master’s students received an Excellence Scholarship, around 350 students from financially disadvantaged backgrounds were able to continue their studies with the help of scholarships and 11 ambitious young entrepreneurs were supported with Pioneer Fellowships.
Read moreWera Hotz Kowner and Franz K. von Meyenburg recognised
ETH has appointed Wera Hotz Kowner and Franz K. von Meyenburg as honorary councillors. ETH alumna Wera Hotz Kowner, the former president of Jakob Kowner AG, has been honoured for her exemplary pioneering spirit and her untiring commitment to the advancement of current and future engineers. Franz K. von Meyenburg, president of the Wilhelm Schulthess Foundation and Clinic, has been made an honorary councillor for his visionary promotion of Zurich as an ideal location for universities and clinics and for increasing the interaction between medicine and technology in the service of society. Both of the new honorary councillors have also supported ETH for many years via the ETH Foundation.
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New Professor of Architecture and Care
The architect and researcher Anna Puigjaner is the new Professor of Architecture and Care at ETH. The professorship has been made possible by the generous support of the Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF). The objective of the research is to gain an understanding of how the built environment can improve preventive care, cut costs and reduce the number of care staff required, while at the same time offering new forms of social integration.
Read moreHalter commits to digital planning and construction
The Halter Group, an ecosystem of independent companies offering a variety of construction and property services, is supporting the Centre for Augmented Computational Design in Architecture, Engineering and Construction at ETH Zurich, which is known as Design++. The centre aims to develop digital tools and processes that will increase the productivity of the construction process, improve the quality of buildings and reduce their impact on the environment. By cooperating with strategic partners such as Design++, the Halter Group is promoting its vision of a circular economy with a target of net zero and is establishing a fellowship programme over the next six years for innovation in the field of augmented computational design.
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Strong partners for the Centre for Students and Entrepreneurs
With the Centre for Students and Entrepreneurs, ETH Zurich is creating a place on the Hönggerberg campus where students can realise their creative ideas and come together in entrepreneurial initiatives. The centre has already been supported by numerous donors and partners, including UBS as a primary partner, BKW, the Fondation Alcea, the Ernst Göhner Foundation, the Werner Steiger Stiftung and Franke/Artemis Holding. The successful challenge issued by Fondation Alcea has given the project a further boost: the foundation matched the more than 1,600 donations made by ETH alumni and alumnae amounting to one million Swiss Francs to make a total of two million. The construction project was relaunched in autumn 2023 for cost reasons. The findings from the previous process will be incorporated into the new project and the building is expected to be ready from 2030.
Private funding to strengthen peace mediation
Dorothy and John Nagulendran have established a private scholarship fund to support future peace mediators. The couple from Zug have created the ETH Zurich Scholarship in Peace Mediation Fund to support participants of the Master of Advanced Studies ETH Mediation in Peace Processes at ETH Zurich over the next ten years. Their commitment is helping to professionalise the field of peace mediation and to highlight the opportunities presented by private philanthropy.
Read morePartnership with Ziegelindustrie Schweiz
The Verband der Schweizer Ziegeleien (Association of Swiss Brick and Rooftile Manufacturers) has made it possible to establish a research and teaching group in the field of structural brickwork, led by Marius Weber (picture), at both ETH Zurich and the University of Lucerne. The association’s support will make an important contribution to enabling the education of civil engineers and safeguarding its future. It will also strengthen the position of Switzerland as a centre for research into structural masonry and help to develop sustainable solutions for the construction industry.
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Promoting research for children and young people
Fondation Botnar is donating a further CHF 50 million to ETH Zurich and the University of Basel for the expansion of their joint Basel Research Centre for Child Health (BRCCH). This will enable the creation of six new professorships to conduct research focusing on paediatric digital health. The BRCCH, which is committed to improving the health of young people, was established in 2019. In the centre, the University of Basel and ETH Zurich work closely with the University Children's Hospital Basel (UKBB) and the Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute (Swiss TPH).
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Building bridges between mathematical principles and their application
The mathematician Siddhartha Mishra develops robust, efficient algorithms which can be used to simulate non-linear partial differential equations more quickly and more accurately on supercomputers. These simulations open up new ways of solving real problems in fields of research such as astrophysics, climate dynamics and biology. Siddhartha Mishra was awarded the Rössler Prize, which, at
CHF 200,000, is ETH’s most generous research award, in recognition of his scientific achievements and of his work on building bridges between the principles of mathematics and their application in research and industry. The prize is made possible by a donation from ETH alumnus Dr Max Rössler.
20 years of supporting science together
The ETH Foundation was established in 2003. Over the last 20 years, the support of private individuals, foundations and industry partners has given a major boost to teaching and research at ETH. Almost 700 Excellence Scholarships, 60 new professorships and support for key research projects demonstrate the considerable importance of philanthropy for ETH.
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