(CONNECT) A group of researchers led by Motohiko Murakami, Professor of Experimental Mineral Physics at ETH Zurich, has solved the mystery of earthquake waves in the so-called D double prime layer between the Earth's lower mantle and its core, ETH Zurich reports in a press release. The researchers have succeeded in proving that the post-perovskite crystals at a depth of around 2700 kilometers near the D double prime layer align in the same way under enormous pressure and extreme temperatures. As a result, the seismic waves traveling through the earth's mantle are accelerated by leaps and bounds in this area.

The crystals are aligned in rows by slowly flowing mantle rock at the lower edge of the earth's mantle. Murakami and his fellow researchers have been able to prove this experimentally. “We have finally found the last piece of the puzzle,” Murakami is quoted as saying in the press release. “Our discovery shows that the Earth is not only active on the surface, but is also in motion deep inside.”

The geoscientist began solving the mystery of the sudden increase in the speed of earthquake waves at the edge of the Earth's lower mantle back in 2004. Murakami was the first to discover that perovskite transforms into so-called post-perovskite in this area. Murakami has been a professor at ETH since 2017. ce/hs

(CONNECT) Tanja Zimmermann is the new head of the strategic steering committee of the Technopark Zurich Foundation, the Foundation Board. According to its press release, she was unanimously elected as its new president on May 6, 2025. Zimmermann succeeds Prof. Dr. Lothar Thiele. He held this office for six years. The Board of Trustees currently consists of 16 members from science, business and the public sector.

Zimmermann has been Director of the Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology (Empa) since 2022. There, she also headed the Functional Materials department, specifically promotes talent and start-ups and is committed to resource efficiency, the circular economy and CO2 neutrality. She is also a professor of materials science at the Swiss Federal Institutes of Technology in Zurich (ETH) and Lausanne(EPFL). According to the press release, she has "significantly developed" the research field of cellulose nanocomposites in Switzerland.

The outgoing Chairman of the Board of Trustees, Thiele, considers her to be "an ideal successor". She brings "experience, vision and a deep understanding of the importance of technology transfer." He is certain that it will provide decisive impetus for the further development of the Technopark.

"I am very much looking forward to this task and the opportunity to help shape the development of the Technopark ecosystem at a strategic level," Zimmermann is quoted as saying. "Technopark Zurich is a place where visionary ideas and scientific progress meet entrepreneurial drive - this dynamic inspires me." ce/mm

(CONNECT) The ReclaimTheFacts association is publishing the new "Handbook of Disinformation". According to a press release, the book takes a preventative approach. The book is a practical reference work that describes 33 common disinformation techniques and shows how you can protect yourself against them.

Teaching the techniques should act like an inoculation, it continues. Studies have shown that people who are familiar with the mechanisms of disinformation are significantly less susceptible to its effects. Those who are familiar with the 33 methods described are better protected against deliberate deception, i.e. they are virtually immunized.

The handbook is published by ReclaimTheFacts, which was founded as an initiative in 2020 and will be registered as an association based in Dietikon from 2023. It explains how the respective manipulation techniques work, documents historical and current examples and offers practical assistance for dealing with disinformation.

The "Voices on the book" by Council of States member Damian Müller (FDP) and National Councillor Balthasar Glättli (Greens) show that the topic is also a cross-party political issue, the report continues. Both emphasize the need for clear tools against disinformation in order to strengthen democracy and public discourse. The book makes an important contribution to a fact-based, informed debate in times of targeted manipulation.

The project was made possible by the support of Mr. Campaigning AG, Axpo Services AG, Academia Group, dok-kommunikation+coaching and Swisscom. It can now be downloaded free of charge. ce/gba

The meeting was opened by André Ingold, Mayor of Dübendorf and President of the association FRZ Flughafenregion Zürich - Wirtschaftsnetzwerk & Standortentwicklung. In his introductory remarks, he emphasized the special importance of Dübendorf as a traditional aviation location and dynamic future-oriented community in the canton of Zurich. With a view to current development projects - from new educational infrastructures to the large-scale innovation park project and mobility solutions - he pointed out the responsibility, but also the opportunities for the entire region. Ingold thanked the city of Dübendorf and the partners Switzerland Innovation Park Zurich, Zürcher Kantonalbank, Tom's Original and VBG for their support.

Greetings from the Zurich Department of Economic Affairs

Fabian Streiff, Head of the Office of Economic Affairs, conveyed the greetings of the Canton of Zurich and presented key findings from the cantonal location analysis. He spoke about demographic changes, increasing regulatory density and new geopolitical challenges. He particularly emphasized the high dependency of the Zurich economy on the EU region, both in terms of exports and the recruitment of skilled workers. Despite global uncertainties, the Zurich economy is proving robust. Streiff cited making working life more flexible, promoting innovation and securing bilateral relations with the EU in the long term as key areas of action. He concluded his pointed greeting with the quote "It is not our job to predict the future, but to be well prepared for it".

Visionary outlook at the Switzerland Innovation Park Zurich

In his keynote speech, Peter E. Bodmer, President of the Switzerland Innovation Park Zurich Foundation Board, gave an inspiring insight into the emerging ecosystem for research, development and innovation on the historic airfield site in Dübendorf. Under the motto "The future is created here", he explained the role of the park as a bridge between science and business. The focus is on technologies such as robotics, space travel, artificial intelligence and sustainable mobility. The Switzerland Innovation Park is set to grow in stages and create up to 10,000 new jobs. Bodmer emphasized the importance of interdisciplinarity, the benefits for SMEs and the central role of start-ups. The establishment of Starlab Space is regarded as a milestone, particularly with regard to applications of space technology in biotechnology.

Review of a successful association year 2024

In the subsequent report, Rahel Kindermann Leuthard looked back on a stable, professionally managed and strong financial year 2024. The association held over 50 events with a total of 5,570 participants, including the 10th Real Estate Summit and the 24th Economic Forum, which closed with record attendance. Member satisfaction was 93 percent and 86 percent would actively recommend the FRZ to others. The number of members rose further to over 850 companies and institutions.

At the same time, the organization was raised to a new operational level. A comprehensive fitness check in collaboration with the Swiss Safety Center led to optimized processes, reduced risks and increased resilience. The relaunch of the corporate design, a new website and the expansion of marketing partnerships underlined the progress made in terms of content and communication. The 2024 annual financial statements show a profit of CHF 4,678 on sales of CHF 2.72 million. With the FRZ Excellence Award, the association honored special social commitment for the first time in 2024. The award winner was Hannes Schmid, founder of the Smiling Gecko Foundation.

Strategies and priorities for 2025

Rahel Kindermann Leuthard announced the annual theme "High Performance" for the current year. This will be reflected in new formats, targeted leadership development and impulses from top-class sport. The newly created Sustainability Advisory Board will support companies and municipalities in the implementation of specific sustainability projects. The digital sustainability navigator will be launched in summer 2025 as a new platform that makes sustainable initiatives in the region visible. Other highlights in 2025 include the 11th Real Estate Summit in June, the 25th Business Forum in November and new formats such as a mentoring offer and a digital marketplace for member services.

Business unanimously approved

The ordinary agenda items of the Annual General Meeting went smoothly. The minutes of last year's meeting, the annual report and the annual financial statements were all approved unanimously. The actions of the Board of Directors were approved and OBT AG was confirmed as auditor. The 2025 budget with a planned profit of CHF 1,160 was acknowledged. The members approved an increase in membership fees from 2026 by a large majority. Personnel changes in the team were also presented at the meeting, including the new deputy manager Halime Memishi. 

Skills shortage and pension provision as a strategic issue

Another item on the program was the presentation by Pascal Jacqmin, Team Leader Occupational Pension Plans at Zürcher Kantonalbank. He showed how companies can score points in the competition for skilled workers with attractive pension solutions. Today, occupational pension provision is much more than a legal obligation - it is a strategic instrument for positioning the company as an employer.

An entertaining conclusion

Finally, comedian Fabian Unteregger brought fresh energy to the hall with his humorous performance and ensured an entertaining finale. President André Ingold closed the Annual General Meeting with heartfelt thanks to everyone involved, in particular the team, the city of Dübendorf, the hosts of the Innovation Park and the event and annual partners. The subsequent stand-up lunch provided an opportunity for informal exchanges and in-depth discussions between members and guests.

(CONNECT) Research institutions from Switzerland and neighboring countries held The 2023 Swiss National Elections conference on April 3, the Zurich University of Applied Sciences (HWZ) reported in a press release. It was the only university of applied sciences to take part in the political science debate on the 2023 elections. In addition to the HWZ, the universities of Zurich, Bern, Geneva and Lausanne, the Center for Democracy Aarau, the Swiss Center for Social Sciences and the University of Amsterdam were also represented at the conference.

The HWZ was commissioned by the Swiss Election Study to collect and process the media data for the 2023 elections. At the conference, the University of Applied Sciences presented its own research project based on the corresponding data collection. Specifically, the HWZ researchers used a "fine-tuning of a large language model (LLM)" to investigate how Swiss media reported on election candidates. According to the results, candidates were systematically portrayed differently in the media depending on their gender, age and party affiliation.

"This conference not only gave us valuable impetus for our own research, but also showed us how we can use LLMs to answer social science research questions," Bruno Wüest, research associate and lecturer in artificial intelligence, statistics and empirical social science at the HWZ, is quoted as saying in the press release. In addition, the HWZ sees its participation in the conference as strengthening its scientific visibility. ce/hs

FRZ Zurich Airport Region held 51 events in the reporting year, which were attended by a total of 5,570 guests. The FRZ was able to attract numerous new members who share the values of the FRZ community and enrich the network. At the end of 2024, the organization had 855 members (previous year: 822). Sales in 2024 rose by CHF 224,658 to a total of CHF 2,724,425, an increase of 9% compared to the previous year. Contributions from municipalities, cities and companies remained almost constant. The member survey in December 2024 showed a high level of satisfaction: 86% of members surveyed said they would actively recommend the FRZ to others. The good contacts in the network, the new business contacts and the high-quality information and networking events were cited as the main reasons. 71 percent of participants see the FRZ as their preferred business network.

The focus was also on ecological, economic and social sustainability. Projects such as sustainable ICT and the circular economy initiative underline FRZ's commitment to forward-looking approaches. In the first half of 2024, FRZ completed the refresh of its corporate design that it had begun in the previous year. With the realization of the new website and the relaunch of the FRZ magazine "mag", it now presents a modern and coherent brand image.

The current issue of the magazine of FRZ Flughafenregion Zürich, Wirtschaftsnetzwerk & Standortentwicklung, is entitled "Innovation" and presents forward-looking developments by its members.

The focus is on digital, sustainable and human-centered innovations, particularly with a view to the Zurich Innovation Park in Dübendorf, which is to be established as a new European hub for space research and commercial space utilization.

Future trends and high-tech valley

The Zurich airport region is increasingly becoming the center of the "new space economy". The establishment of the international space company Starlab Space in the Zurich Innovation Park will make the region a strategic location for space technology. The aim is to generate around 10,000 new jobs and an annual added value of around CHF 1.87 billion by the time the innovation park is fully developed.

Interview with Peter E. Bodmer: Innovation Park Zurich

Peter E. Bodmer, President of the Zurich Innovation Park Foundation, emphasizes the vision of creating a leading international location for research, development and innovation. The focus is on key technologies such as robotics, mobility, aerospace and production technologies. The main challenges are attracting additional companies and converting the Dübendorf military airfield into a civilian research and test airfield.

Outlook - Focus on mobility

The next edition will deal extensively with the topic of mobility and present sustainable and innovative mobility concepts (closing date for entries at the end of May). Media data: www.flughafenregion.ch/werbung

(CONNECT) In collaboration with Ticketcorner AG from Rümlang, the Zurich University of Applied Sciences (HWZ) has examined the economic significance of major international concerts. They are "not only cultural highlights, but also important economic factors", explains the HWZ in a press release on the study. In it, the two partners analysed a concert experience with two events in Zurich in summer 2024 as an example.

According to the results of the study, the concert experience examined generated a total value added of 92.5 million francs. The press release cites expenses for tickets, accommodation, local mobility and catering as particularly high items. The major event had a positive impact on tourism, trade and gastronomy both in Switzerland and abroad.

Of the more than 95,000 concertgoers, 33 percent came from abroad. At CHF 56.7 million, international guests generated well over half of the total added value. Concertgoers from Switzerland contributed CHF 35.8 million to the CHF 92.5 million total.

"Our study is based on a broad-based visitor survey and econometric calculations and is statistically robust," Claude Meier, Head of the Center for Research & Methods at the HWZ, is quoted as saying in the press release. "The results show that major international concerts generate economic impetus far beyond pure ticket sales." ce/hs

(CONNECT) UZH is locating its new Center for the Future of Personal Mobility at the Institute of Business Administration. According to the press release, the focus will be on the effects of transport and climate policy, new drive technologies, innovative mobility concepts, digital networking and the infrastructure for charging and refueling.

To this end, the research center will collaborate with experts from subjects such as geography, psychology and ethics and, in particular, with the various digitalization initiatives at UZH. "UZH has recognized the great need for research in this important and innovative market and has developed an interdisciplinary research agenda for it," says Dean Harald Gall. According to Rector Michael Schaepman, UZH is thus making a contribution to the future of private mobility.

The center for the future of individual mobility can be realized thanks to a donation of 12.7 million Swiss francs from the Zurich-based car dealership and mobility company Emil Frey Holding AG. "We are delighted to be promoting innovative mobility solutions with the research center," says Walter Frey, Chairman of the Board of Directors. "It is important to us to broaden the discussion about individual transportation in a fact-based and well-founded way." ce/mm

(CONNECT) With 234 subjects included in the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2025, Switzerland is the seventh strongest country on the European continent. Of these 234 subjects, 13 percent improved their ranking compared to the previous year, while 44 percent worsened. 34 percent remain stable in their position and 22 are new additions.

As Quacquarelli Symonds (QS), the London-based publisher of this ranking, explains in a press release, Switzerland has the fourth-highest number of subjects in the world's top 10 (29) and the third-most entries in first place, despite having only a fraction of the subject entries of its closest competitors in the UK and the US. According to QS, this refers "to its exceptional university system and the concentration of academic excellence".

The Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich (ETH) is home to the world's best degree programs in geophysics, geology and earth and marine sciences. With the fourth highest number of entries, ETH is one of the world's most highly rated universities. The subject of hospitality is dominated by Swiss institutions in all three of the world's best subjects and eight entries in the top 10, including EHL Hospitality Business School in Lausanne, which QS describes as the global market leader.

In dentistry, the universities of Zurich and Bern are among the ten best in the world. The University of Zurich recorded the greatest improvement in the study subjects with chemistry, climbing from 151-200th place to 122nd place. The Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne (EPFL) ranks 10th in Engineering & Technology and 10th in Natural Sciences. It climbed from 11th to 10th place in civil engineering, while the University of St.Gallen achieved 18th place in the marketing category.

In addition, Swiss university graduates enjoy an excellent reputation among international employers. Their appreciation has risen by a further 29 percent compared to the previous year.

Two Swiss universities lead their subject tables for the H-index, which measures research quality. The University of Bern ranks first in this indicator for dentistry (9th overall) and the Vetsuisse Faculties of Bern and Zurich rank first for veterinary sciences (7th overall).

The ranking provides an independent comparative analysis of the performance of more than 21,000 academic programs at more than 1,700 universities in 100 countries and territories, across 55 subjects and five faculty areas: humanities, engineering and technology, life sciences, natural sciences and social sciences. ce/mm

(CONNECT) In 2025, the canton of Zurich will once again be the largest foundation location in Switzerland with over 2,200 charitable foundations. This is confirmed by the final report of the Directorate of Economic Affairs. The Swiss Foundation Report 2025 shows that the canton once again leads all cantons with 44 new foundations. "With total assets of over 18 billion Swiss francs, foundations not only promote the common good in the canton, but also strengthen Zurich as a business location and financial center," according to a press release.

The government council issued the mandate to strengthen the Canton of Zurich as a foundation location in 2023 after the number of new foundations had fallen significantly. The centerpiece was a reform of tax practice. In addition, an advisory center for the establishment of charitable foundations was created. In addition, the dialogue between state actors and private grant-making foundations was institutionalized and investments were made in the international positioning of the Canton of Zurich as a foundation location.

The Government Council will now be working with partners to establish the Zurich Foundation Association. According to Carmen Walker Späh, Director of Economic Affairs, its aim is to "make our foundation location even more attractive and to promote networking within the sector and with business and administration". Its main activities will include the Zurich Foundation Forum, an annual event for the entire foundation sector. ce/mm

(CONNECT) Christian Schwarzenegger, Vice-Rector at the University of Zurich (UZH), has received a significant accolade. The Japanese ambassador presented the legal scholar with the Imperial Order of the Rising Sun in a ceremony for his "broad commitment to Japanese culture and science", writes UZH in a press release.

Schwarzenegger has been Professor of Criminal Law, Criminal Procedure and Criminology since 1999, he later became Dean of the Faculty of Law and has been Vice-Rector for Professorships and Academic Information since 2014. His first stay in Japan was as an assistant professor in the 1990s.

In his lectures, the profound expert on Japan and "second cousin" of actor Arnold Schwarzenegger highlighted a context of Japanese law that is still relevant today. He also benefited from his connections to Japan when implementing the first UZH internationalization strategy.

The Japan Lecture Series, which he launched in 2022, is considered a "milestone" in the research collaboration between the Institute of Regenerative Medicine at UZH and the Center for iPS Cell Research and Application at Kyoto University.

It was not his first program for scientific cooperation. The double degree program launched in 2014 between the Faculty of Law at UZH and the Graduate School of Law at Doshisha University in Kyoto is also due to his commitment. He also worked hard to establish and strengthen relations between Switzerland and the National Institute of Informatics, the Tokyo Institute of Technology and the University of Tokyo. ce/heg

(CONNECT) UZH supports the establishment of long-term interdisciplinary research structures with start-up funding from its TRANSFORM funding line. Over the next four years, three new projects will be funded with a total of 3.6 million Swiss francs, UZH announced in a press release. A prerequisite for receiving the funds is that the research structures continue to be supported by faculty funds following the start-up funding.

The establishment of an Institute for Archaeology, Classical Philology and Classical Studies (IAKA) at the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences is being supported with CHF 1.8 million. The Institute of Archaeology, the Department of Ancient, Medieval and Modern Greek and Latin Philology and three chairs of Ancient History at the Department of History are involved in the project to research Greco-Roman and other early cultures.

The establishment of a center for reproducibility and research synthesis is being supported with CHF 1 million. The aim here is to develop methods for assessing the quality and validity of scientific findings. Although the center is based at the Faculty of Medicine, other disciplines could also benefit from the findings, writes UZH.

The new Center for Engineered Immunotherapy receives 0.75 million francs. Among other things, UZH intends to pool existing research activities on immunotherapy in the CEI. This should enable the potential of approaches developed for a specific disease to be better recognized and used in other areas. ce/hs

(CONNECT) ETH ranks 12th in the World Reputation Rankings 2025: Top Universities by Prestige. It has thus maintained its rating from the previous year. In fact, its computer science reputation is the fourth best in the world. Overall, only the University of Oxford (2nd place) and the University of Cambridge (4th place) have a better reputation in Europe. It is followed by Imperial College in 14th place and the Technical University of Munich in 27th place.

Harvard University tops this ranking, compiled for the 14th time by the London-based magazine Times Higher Education. The Massachusetts Institute of Technology is in joint second place with Oxford University, while two European countries - Poland and Portugal - make their debut in the world rankings, along with Chile and Malaysia.

For the first time, this ranking list includes a total of 300 universities. According to the publisher, it is based on the "world's largest invitation-only academic opinion survey", with responses from more than 55,000 academics worldwide. Additional indicators were introduced this year to enable a more sound assessment.

The Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne moved up one place compared to the previous year to 32nd place. In computer sciences and physics, it is even ranked 20th. The University of Zurich is ranked 82nd. Their top-rated fields of activity are psychology (37), medicine (60) and life sciences (63).

The University of Geneva follows in the range of places between 101 and 150. The universities of Lausanne, Bern and Basel are ranked between 151st and 200th. ce/mm

(CONNECT) The School of Management and Law (SML) at Zurich University of Applied Sciences (ZHAW) has received a third international accreditation at the highest level, according to a press release. The Association of MBAs (AMBA) in London has accredited the School of Management and Law. Following recognition by the AACSB (Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business) in Tampa, Florida, and the European Quality Improvement System (EQUIS) in Brussels, the SML has thus received its third international accreditation and the exclusive status of the so-called Triple Crown.

"The Triple Crown is an important milestone and we are very proud to be one of the best business schools in the world. The AMBA & BGA accreditation we have now achieved is further independent proof of the quality of our programs," Professor Reto Steiner, Director of the School of Management and Law, is quoted as saying.

SML has received AMBA accreditation as a so-called Joint Accreditation AMBA-BGA. In addition to the MBA (Master of Business Administration), the organization as a whole has also been assessed by the Business Graduates Association (BGA). AMBA evaluates the Master's programs, in particular the MBA programs, and checks the qualifications of the teachers and lecturers.

In addition to the new accreditation, the SML has been accredited by AACSB International since 2015. According to the ZHAW, only around 6 percent of all international business schools are allowed to carry this seal of quality.

In 2023, the SML received EQUIS accreditation from the European Foundation for Management Development (EFMD). According to EQUIS, business schools are accredited with high standards in teaching, research and continuing education. ce/gba

(CONNECT) ETH has formulated its priorities and goals for the coming years. The starting points for this are the recently published Institutional Priorities 2025-2036 and the Development Plan 2025-2028.

For example, the aim is to improve the learning experience for students despite growing student numbers, according to a press release. The examination system and the academic calendar will be simplified and the workload for everyone involved will be "more balanced". In all of this, ETH also relies on the use of "state-of-the-art technical solutions and increased digitalization".

It wants to continue to offer researchers "excellent framework conditions" and express its leading role in basic research and applied sciences through state-of-the-art infrastructure and a sharpened profile of its activities. The fields of Environment & Resources, Health & Wellbeing and Responsible Digital Transformation are specifically promoted. Open science and ethical research practices are strengthened.

ETH also wants to devote more attention to knowledge and technology transfer and actively engage at the interface between science and politics. ETH counts its staff among its success factors. Accordingly, great importance is attached to its recruitment and further development. In this context, the university also lists its academic autonomy, comprehensive participation rights and its strong local, national and international network. Sustainability also remains a key issue in all areas. ce/mm

(CONNECT) Young companies play a major role for the canton and city of Zurich as a center of innovation and technology, explains the Canton of Zurich 's Department of Economic Affairs in a press release. Together with the City of Zurich 's Urban Development Department, your Office of Economic Affairs has had the role of private equity in the development of start-ups investigated. According to the corresponding study prepared by BAK Economics, private equity and venture capital companies, multi-family offices, single family offices and foundations promote the innovative strength of the location by investing in start-ups.

"The figures clearly show that private equity investors are important drivers of start-up financing and regional innovation dynamics," commented Carmen Walker Späh, Director of Economic Affairs, in the press release. "They complement the Zurich financial center and make it more sustainable." The study identifies over 900 start-ups founded in the Zurich region between 2014 and 2024. They have acquired a total of CHF 9.6 billion in capital in various financing rounds.

Different investors act in different phases of the company. Foundations, accelerators and incubators invest primarily in early-stage start-ups. Private equity and venture capital, on the other hand, flows primarily into expansion financing. In the growth phase, however, there is "sometimes a financing gap, which poses a risk of start-ups migrating abroad", Michael Grass from BAK Economics is quoted as saying in the press release. ce/hs

The Swiss Space Museum in Regensdorf opened its doors for the first time on December 1. Over the summer and fall, his team transformed two rooms at Trockenloostrasse 101 "into a small but extraordinary museum", writes museum president Guido Schwarz in a press release. Objects from the history of space travel and space exploration are presented on 150 square meters. The exhibits also include contributions from Swiss research and technology to international space travel.

This month, the museum will still be open on December 27 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and on December 28 from 1 to 5 pm. The opening hours for the coming months can be found on the museum's website. The Swiss Space Museum will also be exhibiting at Fantasy Basel in May 2025.

"The Swiss Space Museum is an initiative to disseminate information and activities on the topics of space travel, space exploration and the associated pop culture," reads the museum's self-description. It is intended to "promote a positive perception" of the topics and motivate young people to "engage with science and technology". Behind the Swiss Space Museum is a group of volunteers led by Guido Schwarz, who realized the project with the help of sponsors but without public funding. ce/hs

According to a press release, the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich(ETH) has been ranked eleventh in the Times Higher Education Ranking(THE) for the third time in a row. It remains the best-ranked university in Switzerland and the best-ranked university outside the Anglo-American region. The Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne (EPFL) improved by one place compared to the previous year and achieved 32nd place.

In the ranking published by THE, only universities from the Anglo-American region are listed in the top ten places. Oxford University is in first place, followed by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and Harvard University.

The other Swiss universities in the ranking in places 100 to 1000 are the University of Bern (116th), the University of Basel (123rd), the University of Lausanne (143rd) and the University of Geneva (183rd). The Università della Svizzera italiana (USI) in Lugano is listed in places 251 to 300. The University of St.Gallen, the University of Fribourg, the University of Neuchâtel and the Zurich University of Applied Sciences (ZHAW) are then listed in the ranking up to place 1000.

According to the ETH statement, the rankings are based on quantitative data surveys and surveys on the reputation of the universities. Points are awarded for five different aspects, including teaching and quality of research. The individual scores are weighted and combined to give an overall score, it continues. ETH achieved 93 out of a possible 100 points in the latest ranking. The winner of the ranking, Oxford University, achieved 98.5 points. According to the press release, THE particularly emphasized the research conditions and quality. Transfer to the economy, on the other hand, must be further improved. ce/gba

Today, the canton of Zurich is an important location for foundations: around 2,200 charitable foundations manage assets of over CHF 18 billion here. To ensure that the canton remains attractive for new start-ups in the future, the Zurich cantonal government is creating optimal framework conditions. In February 2024, for example, the practice of tax exemption for charitable foundations was relaxed.

"We have pulled off a coup with the change in tax practice," said Government Councillor Carmen Walker Späh at the opening of the 2nd Foundation Talk on October 1 at the Kraftwerk/Impact Hub in the city of Zurich. Other cantons would already like to follow suit. Initial measures have been successfully implemented with the relaxation of the tax exemption practice, the new "foundations.zuerich" online portal and a series of events. "But it is clear to me that we are only at the beginning," continued Walker Späh.

No progress without risk

Foundations play a central role in the development of new technologies. Emphasizing this was an important concern for Councillor Martin Neukom. "We need people who take risks with their ideas that politicians cannot afford," he said, citing foundations as important drivers in the targeted further development of innovative projects. As soon as a project proves to be effective, it also needs the public sector as a supporter to scale it up - and this is where the canton comes into play.

Britta Friedrich, Head of the Migros Pioneer Fund, also emphasized the interplay between ideas and risks: "If we want to change something as a society, we need ideas that challenge the status quo." Foundations often form the launch pad for such high-risk ideas. Speed and agility are essential for innovations, but substance and stamina are also needed for the great journey across the sea. It is important to create the best synergies with the different roles: "Depending on the situation, one or the other is the right captain."

Pulling in the same direction

According to Andrew Holland, Managing Director of the Mercator Foundation Switzerland, an important success factor for cooperation between the canton and foundations is the timing: "The foundation and canton must communicate as early as possible in order to establish a common understanding of a project." He believes that both the foundations and the canton have a duty in this regard. If you want to get someone on board, it has to be clear that you are pursuing the same interests. This is precisely the challenge: creating an efficient interface between foundations and the canton. "This brings everyone involved together at the right time," Holland is convinced. His experience shows that foundations should approach the canton more openly and directly than is usual today.

Further intensifying cooperation

Proactive communication was at the heart of all presentations and discussions. There was also agreement on the topic of interfaces: There is currently no standard solution. However, the government council's measures are heading in the right direction and there is a strong will on the part of all those involved to intensify cooperation. This was also expressed in the closing words of the Director of Economic Affairs, Walker Späh: "I hope that we will have achieved even more next year at the third foundation meeting. Anything else would be a missed opportunity."

At the ZHAW, Director of Construction Martin Neukom, Director of Education Silvia Steiner and ZHAW Rector Jean-Marc Piveteau gave the go-ahead for the construction work to expand and modernize the School of Engineering on 13 September. The ZHAW is one of the leading universities in Switzerland with over 14,000 students, according to a press release. However, some of the existing buildings on the site of the former technical center in Winterthur no longer met today's requirements. In addition, the number of students continues to increase. Campus T will therefore be modernized and expanded in several stages over the next few years.

In the first construction phase, two new five-storey laboratory buildings will be built behind the historic technical center. They provide urgently needed space for teaching, research and development. Various test rooms as well as a canteen and cafeteria open to the public are being built there. The new buildings will be connected to the district heating network of the city of Winterthur and equipped with photovoltaic systems.

As part of the first construction phase, the Eulach will also be ecologically upgraded with a public, near-natural park and flood protection will be expanded, according to the press release. Two new bridges will connect the old town and Campus T with the Büelrain cantonal school and the surrounding residential area.

The existing TB building will be dismantled by November, it continues. At the same time, the excavation pit for the smaller TT laboratory building is being dug. Work will then begin on the shell of the first new building, which is scheduled for completion in 2027. The second new building should be ready for occupancy in 2029. ce/gba

The Eulachhallen have achieved Swisstainable Level II - engaged. The largest event hall in Winterthur is now officially part of the Swisstainable sustainability program. The initiative for sustainable travel of Switzerland Tourism does not award a new certificate, but recognizes businesses that already have recognized sustainability certificates.

The Swisstainable strategy is about the sustainable development of Switzerland as a tourist destination. The program creates orientation and transparency for guests looking for sustainable offers. The Eulachhallen are now one of the 2,500 tourism businesses that are already part of this program.

The program comprises three levels: Level I - committed, Level II - engaged and Level III - leading. "With Level II, we are committed to continuously taking measures to act in a resource-conserving and environmentally conscious manner," reads a statement from Eulachhallen.

Specifically, the operators are focusing on measures in nine fields of action, including energy efficiency, water use, waste reduction and awareness-raising. They are being supported by the Winterthur-based climate protection movement Myblueplanet. "The association is our sparring partner", the press release states, "and helps us to focus on the right activities". ce/mm

On September 16, around 4,530 new students will begin a practice-oriented degree program at one of the ZHAW 's three campuses in Winterthur, Wädenswil ZH or Zurich, the ZHAW announced in a press release. This means that a total of around 14,500 students will be enrolled at the ZHAW in the 2024 winter semester. This corresponds to a slight increase of around 0.3 percent.

In the press release, the university particularly emphasizes the growth in the Department of Applied Psychology. "Our practical approach is highly valued and by increasing the numerus clausus in the Bachelor's degree program, we can offer more students the opportunity to study psychology," Barbara Schmugge, Head of the Teaching Center at the Department of Applied Psychology, is quoted as saying. The ZHAW offers a total of 34 Bachelor's and 20 Master's degree programs.

A number of courses have been adapted to the needs of the job market for the coming winter semester. The ZHAW cites the growing importance of digitalization and artificial intelligence as the background to this. Specifically, the university has further developed the Bachelor's degree in Communication and Media in the Department of Applied Linguistics and the Bachelor's degree in Environmental Engineering in the Department of Life Sciences and Facility Management. The Master's in Public Management at the School of Management and Law and the Master's in Engineering at the School of Engineering have also been updated. ce/hs

We are very pleased with the result and the economic importance of the canton of Zurich.
The study was conducted by BAK economic intelligence on behalf of the Film Commission Zurich.

There is good news for young talent, among other things: five graduates from the leading Swiss design universities are showcasing the future of design in the "Newcomer" format - sustainability and inclusion are also important topics. The "Selbstbestimmt" project by Luis Praxmarer & Lars Ziegler (ZHdK) improves the democratic participation of blind people. Jana Besimo (HSLU) has designed an exciting concept for the reuse of sorted-out yard goods with "Ressourcenmeter".

"No spare wheels (a dinner invitation)" by Thomas d'Enfert (FHNW) comprises objects that focus on the thumb as the most important human tool. With "L'Eufleurie", Iris Gerbex (ECAL) has designed paper flowers that blossom, change color and smell when they come into contact with water. And Adam Chatir (HEAD) is bringing the video game prototype "H4CK3D" to the Zurich Design Weeks.
The game shows that a hack can also be a good thing.

In 2024, the newcomer exhibition can be seen for the first time at the Design Zentrale in the Museum für Gestaltung Zürich.
The vernissage will take place on the day of the opening (September 12).
You can view all the participants at designweeks.ch.

Renewed collaboration with Kyiv Design Week

Kyiv Design Week (KDW) took place for the first time in 2023 - partly in exile in Zurich. This year it will take place in Kyiv from August 28 to September 4, 2024. Zurich Design Weeks is proud of this partnership and the close exchange that will continue this year. In 2024, part of the Poster Safari will be on display in Kyiv.

In the Zurich Design Weeks program, visitors can expect two program items designed by Ukrainians: The landmark "Soul" by Mykola Kabluka and his team from Expolight transforms the ticket hall at Enge station into a magical world. With "Good Vibes", Katerina Bulgakova Zurich presents collector's items, handicrafts, decorative objects and unique creations from the Ukrainian brands FURN OBJECT and MÜ STORE.

Good night, good morning

Several projects in the program show: Good sleep is essential for a healthy life. The designers reflect on sleep quality, mattress recycling and the perfect bedroom. IKEA Switzerland presents the immersive exhibition "It's time for a good night's sleep" and takes visitors on a sensory journey through the world of dreams, relaxation and sleep. It's not just about how to create a better sleeping environment; visitors can also learn which factors influence sleep.

Together, ecomade and lavie are organizing a pyjama party. With "Design your Sleep", they are inviting visitors to their respective locations and drawing attention to sustainable solutions for the bedroom. The traditional company BETTGESCHICHTEN is exploring Italian sleep ("Italianità by night"). In collaboration with the head designers at BOLZAN, bed scenarios of a special kind are created.

ETH leads the current ranking of the best universities in Europe by Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) with 100 out of a possible 100 points. "QS is delighted to celebrate ETH Zurich as Europe's top university for its advanced ESG strategies, student exchange and impactful research," reads the introduction to the 2025 edition of the QS World University Rankings: Europe.

A total of twelve categories were evaluated. ETH received full marks for its academic reputation and for its high proportion of international faculty staff. With 99 points, it also scored top marks for sustainability.

Imperial College London improved from 4th to 2nd place, while the University of Oxford fell from the top spot to 3rd place, followed by exclusively British universities until the University of Paris Sciences & Lettres (PSL) appeared in 9th place. The Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne is the second Swiss university in 10th place with 93 points.

The University of Zurich ranked 36th with 79.9 points, the University of Geneva 53rd, the University of Basel 80th, the University of Bern 84th and the University of Lausanne 101st. The University of Fribourg, the Università della Svizzera Italiana and the Zurich University of Applied Sciences ranked 237th, 245th and 338th respectively.

A total of 685 institutions in 42 countries were evaluated. The UK is the most represented country with 103 universities, followed by Turkey with 72 and Germany with 53. ce/mm

1997 wurde das bekannte und beliebte Poster der digitalen Evolution (Meilensteine der Computer-, Elektronik- und Telekommunikation-Geschichte) ständig erweitert und angepasst. So entstanden die Versionen 2002, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2016 und 2019. Diese Poster wurden schon weit über 100’000-mal produziert und haben einen Besitzer gefunden.

Das neue Poster 2024, welches momentan in der Bearbeitung steht, enthält einmal die Aktualisierung der Jahre 2018 und 2019, weiter die Jahresergänzungen 2020 bis 2024. Um den aktuellen Themen KI und Sicherheit gerecht zu werden, wird das Poster 2024 um die zwei neuen Rubriken «Sicherheit» und «künstliche Intelligenz» mit der ganzen Vorgeschichte erweitert.

Diese Erweiterungen führen zwangsläufig zu einem grösseren Poster. Die Dimension wird auf ca. 270 x 114 cm ansteigen. Produziert wird im Digitaldruck bei der Firma JCM in Schlieren. Somit besteht auch die Möglichkeit zur Individualisierung.

Der Preis für ein Poster wird inkl. Versand bei 98 Franken liegen und die Lancierung ist auf den Oktober 2024 geplant.

Mit einem Crowdfunding, welches diese Woche gestartet wurde, nöchten wir die Produktion vorfinanzieren.

Der Link zum Crowdfunding lautet:

https://wemakeit.com/projects/das-neue-computerposter-2024

Second allocation procedure

The Canton of Zurich is releasing reserved domains for use in the second allocation procedure starting today. The procedure runs until July 16, 2024.

The following are available for this allocation:

• digital.zuerich
• feuerwehr.zuerich (firedepartment.zuerich)

Reserved domains include domain names in which there is an increased public or special interest. The canton therefore protects them from direct registration and releases them as required via a special allocation procedure.

Application submission by July 16, 2024

Interested parties must explain in an application how the use of the domain will safeguard the increased public or special interest in this domain name. Applications can be submitted until July 16, 2024. Applications are submitted online.

In its recently published Global Startup Ecosystem Index 2024, StartupBlink ranks Switzerland 10th among the most attractive countries for startups. This means that the country has moved up one place compared to the previous year, leaving Australia behind. The USA, the UK and Israel ranked first to third. It is followed by Canada, Singapore, Sweden, Germany, France and the Netherlands. Switzerland is in 6th place in Europe.

In its Switzerland country report, the index paints a picture of a country in which both the public sector, for example through Innosuisse, Swissnex, the cantons and the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs, and the private sector, through organizations such as digitalswitzerland, promote a favorable environment for start-ups. Switzerland is ranked 6th in the world for the valuation of companies. Switzerland is even ranked 2nd in the world for the number of branches of research and development departments of global technology groups such as IBM, Intel and Microsoft. The country is ranked 4th for the impact of exits over 1 billion dollars.

Switzerland has 17 cities in the global top 1000, one less than last year. However, the three most important ecosystems of Zurich, Lausanne and Zug are showing positive momentum, according to the report. However, unlike the other top 10 countries, Switzerland has no city that ranks among the top 50.

Zurich is ranked 60th in the world and 13th in Western Europe. Its top industry, robotics, is ranked 15th globally. The report particularly highlights the collaborative spirit of the city's start-up ecosystem with its numerous funding organizations.

Lausanne 's top industry, 3D printing, is ranked 21st in the world and 108th globally, while Zug has moved up to third place nationally and 112th worldwide. Its blockchain industry is ranked 15th worldwide by StartupBlink. Geneva slips seven places to 122nd, Basel three places to 129th. Schaffhausen debuts in 6th place nationally and 327th worldwide. According to the report, this is also particularly remarkable because it is the highest new entry of the year. ce/mm

ETH Zurich has inaugurated its latest new building. The university's health sciences and biomedical engineering departments have moved into the Gloria Cube, the ETH announced in a press release. Specifically, the new laboratory and research building houses 16 research groups from the fields of exercise science and sport, rehabilitation and biomedical technology as well as application-oriented, translational research.

The new building on Gloriarank connects the ETH campus with the adjacent residential buildings in the Fluntern district via continuous paths and a green area. The eight-storey building is also close to the University of Zurich and the University Hospital Zurich, making it "a natural address for interdisciplinary collaboration and translational research", writes ETH. The transfer of research results into medical applications is supported by a technology platform for medical human research set up in the Gloria Cube.

The press release cites the development of new micro-active substances and new training methods to improve athletic performance and health as examples of the research that will be carried out at the Gloria Cube in the future. Another project is investigating the connection between pupil size and stress or mental well-being in general. The Gloria Cube has six seminar rooms and a learning center for training purposes. At the Skills Lab @ETH, medical students can teach each other basic medical skills. ce/hs

The Greater Zurich Area mentioned in the Global Startup Ecosystem Report 2024 Zurich has once again improved significantly. A year ago, the region made the biggest leap worldwide, climbing ten places to 36th place, and it is currently one of the two European start-up ecosystems that has made the biggest leap forward, climbing a further five places to 31st place. This makes the Greater Zurich Area the sixth most attractive environment for start-ups in Europe.

As the author, the global consultancy Startup Genome, writes in its report, Zurich recorded five major exits in the 30 months to the end of 2023. This means 8th place among European ecosystems. The fact that Zurich is a global financial center is also reflected in some of its most recent exits, including that of Crypto Finance, which was acquired by Deutsche Börse Group for 280 million dollars in 2021. SecurionPay, a start-up for mobile payments, was acquired in 2022 for 125 million dollars.

However, the report goes on to say that Zurich also has an up-and-coming life sciences ecosystem. This was demonstrated by the two Series A financings from 2023 for Schlieren-based LimmaTech Biologics AG(40 million dollars) and the artificial intelligence start-up Laza Medical(36 million dollars).

The value of the Zurich ecosystem for the period from 2021 to 2023 is estimated at 45.94 billion dollars. The report awarded it four out of ten possible points for this. In the start-up success category, Zurich receives six points and is only surpassed by significantly better-placed regions worldwide, and in Europe only by London (rank 2) and Stockholm (rank 23).

Silicon Valley remains in first place, ahead of London and New York City, which together occupy second place. Tel Aviv and Los Angeles share 4th place. The report is based on data from 4.5 million start-ups in 300 global ecosystems. ce/mm

For the tenth time in a row, ETH has been ranked among the ten best universities in the world in the Quacquarelli Symonds(QS) Ranking. In the recently published edition for 2025, ETH is in 7th place, as in the previous year. It only performed better in 2020 and 2021 with 6th place. A total of 1500 universities from 105 university systems were assessed, more than ever before.

Such rankings should generally be treated with caution, ETH President Joël Mesot is quoted as saying in a press release issued by his university. Nevertheless, he expressed his thanks to their families: "This result should fill us all with pride, as it is another strong indication that we are doing a good job. My thanks go not only to all the scientists, but also to the technical and administrative staff."

ETH has gained ground this year, particularly in terms of sustainability. Of the ten criteria assessed, only the supervision ratio fell significantly.

For the 13th time in a row, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) came out on top, ahead of Imperial College London and the universities of Oxford, Harvard, Cambridge and Stanford. The first continental European universities to follow ETH were the Parisian university PSL in 24th place and the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne(EPFL) in 26th place, the latter moving up ten places compared to the previous year.

The University of Zurich is ranked 109th. The universities of Basel, Geneva, Bern and Lausanne are ranked between 131st and 224th. The University of Fribourg follows in 405th place, while the Zurich University of Applied Sciences(ZHAW) is ranked between 781st and 790th. ce/mm

The economic development of the Canton of Zurich is remarkable: the gross domestic product (GDP) has more than doubled in the last 40 years after adjusting for inflation. - from CHF 74 billion to CHF 159 billion. On a per capita basis, economic output rose from CHF 65,000 to CHF 101,000 - and the majority of this increase in value added was paid out to the people of Zurich in the form of higher wages. However, they not only achieved higher incomes, but also more free time: the number of hours worked per capita has fallen by almost half an afternoon per week since 1991. As a result, the prosperity of the people of Zurich has steadily increased. The driving force behind this development was and is technological progress and innovation.

Rising quality of life - but not everywhere

However, economic growth entails more than just rising monetary income and more leisure time. Tax revenues have also risen in the canton of Zurich - as has the quality of life in many areas. The factors that influence the quality of life can be perceived very differently from person to person. With the "Regional Well-Being Indicators" and the "Better Life Index", the OECD has established a system for measuring quality of life. Various indicators are shown on the basis of eleven categories, providing a comprehensive picture of quality of life and its components.

Improvements in the canton of Zurich can be seen in particular in the areas of education (increase in the level of education and the rate of further education), employment (fall in unemployment and increase in the employment rate), work-life balance (increase in the part-time rate and reduction in hours worked per capita), health (increase in life expectancy and expansion of healthcare) and technology (internet access). The results are mixed in the area of safety (decrease in the number of violent crimes per capita, but slight increase in traffic accidents per capita) and in the area of housing (decrease in the average housing cost burden, but stagnating satisfaction with the housing situation). Finally, the subjective life satisfaction of the people of Zurich has remained largely the same but at a very high level.

Environmental pollution decreasing

It is undisputed that economic growth in the past was often associated with an increasing demand for resources and that a high level of prosperity in almost all countries goes hand in hand with a significantly larger ecological footprint. However, this is not a law of nature, as a look at the statistics shows: Over the last thirty years, economic growth, resource consumption and environmental pollution have been decoupled, especially in richer countries. This also applies to the canton of Zurich: while real GDP has risen by 69% since 1990, the quality of the environment has improved in most cases. This applies, for example, to material consumption, the recycling rate, air and water quality and the overall environmental footprint. No absolute, but at least a relative decoupling has so far been observed in the quantities of waste, soil sealing and certain biodiversity indicators.

The decoupling is also clearly visible in the currently most important indicator, greenhouse gas emissions. While the economic growth achieved on Zurich soil has risen steadily, the GHG emissions generated here have fallen by around 17% since 1990. However, this consideration only includes the so-called "white" emissions - i.e. those that are emitted in the country itself. If emissions caused by the production and transportation of goods imported from abroad are also included, greenhouse gas emissions have fallen less sharply over the last 30 years, but they have also decreased. Either way, achieving the Paris climate target remains a major challenge despite decoupling.

The canton of Zurich with zero growth?

But what would be the impact on prosperity, society and the environment if the Zurich economy were to stop growing? To this end, the INFRAS research office has modeled a thought experiment in economic monitoring up to the year 2050 - not in the sense of a forecast, but as an illustrative scenario. This shows that zero growth would lead to significantly lower incomes and an increased risk of poverty. At the same time, the financial challenges would become greater: there would be much less tax revenue and money available for social security than in a growing economy, which would lead to distribution conflicts. Environmental quality would improve in some areas, but at a high price. In addition, fewer financial resources would be available for environmental protection.

Startup & Innovation Space AG is expanding the offering of its start-up center Home of Innovation. Plans include "more office space and co-working places, more training for founders and new access to investor funds", Home of Innovation explains in a press release. The center, which currently operates at three locations, is currently used by around 100 start-ups, innovative SMEs and co-workers as well as five Winterthur business associations. Home of Innovation has developed a strategy with five strategic themes for the expansion of Winterthur's innovation ecosystem.

Further office space of at least 2,000 square meters is then to be acquired in Winterthur. In addition to attracting existing companies, a second focus is placed on new start-ups. They are to be supported by the establishment of a project manager position to promote start-ups. In addition, Home of Innovation intends to strengthen its already successful Launch Control training and support program. Last but not least, investors and start-ups are to be brought together as part of the Winti-Ventures initiative.

In preparation for the next phase of growth, Home of Innovation is also making changes to its management. Thomas Giger has been appointed Chairman of the Board of Directors, while Thomas Breitenmoser will manage operations as Head of Operations. Founder and initiator of the Home of Innovation, Raphael Tobler, is stepping down as Chairman of the Board of Directors, but will remain with the start-up center as Vice Chairman with a focus on Launch Control. ce/hs

The University of Applied Sciences in Business Administration Zurich presents its Annual Report 2023. Last year, 3347 students took part in training and further education courses at the HWZ in a total of 304 study programs, the HWZ announced in a press release accompanying its annual report. The successful institutional reaccreditation of the HWZ by the Swiss Accreditation Council, the optimization of teaching and support services and the digitalization of financial processes are cited as milestones in the reporting year. Last year, the HWZ also introduced new major courses for Bachelor students and streaming courses.

"We are not satisfied with the status quo, but are constantly on the lookout for creative and sustainable solutions to improve our teaching," Urs Jäckli, Head of Training at HWZ, is quoted as saying in the press release. "This is an essential part of the HWZ spirit that drives us all: the vision of shaping and revolutionizing the teaching of tomorrow."

In the press release, the HWZ highlights the visit of the American partner university Darden Business School and the 20th anniversary of the Bachelor's degree program in Business Communications as particular highlights in 2023. In addition, the Certificate of Advanced Studies (CAS) Women Leading Digital HWZ was launched as a further education program by women for women. In the area of research, the HWZ implemented the Green Transformational Leadership project funded by the Swiss National Science Foundation last year. ce/hs

The board of the House of Winterthur association has elected Jakob Bächtold as the new managing director of location marketing for the Winterthur region. According to a press release, the 48-year-old from Winterthur will take up his post at the beginning of September. Bächtold currently works as a communications consultant for SBB and runs his own company, b-Kommunikation.

Bächtold was previously deputy editor-in-chief of the "Landbote", among other things. He then worked as a team leader in the communications department of the Zurich University of Applied Sciences(ZHAW) and as a lecturer. Bächtold also taught at the ZHAW as a lecturer for several years.

Bächtold was selected in a multi-stage process. "We were impressed by his many years of management experience in the private sector as deputy editor-in-chief of 'Landbote', his activities in complex organizations such as ZHAW and SBB as well as his excellent network in Winterthur," association president Beat Schwab is quoted as saying in the press release.

Bächtold succeeds Samuel Roth, who has led the House of Winterthur since 2019 and will leave in mid-June. Markus Gilgen, Head of Tourism, will assume operational responsibility until the new Managing Director arrives.

Sven Corus, previously Head of Economics, will leave the House of Winterthur at the end of September. ce/stk

Artificial intelligence (AI) is a key technology that is penetrating ever deeper into our lives and transforming most industries. This opens up great opportunities and possibilities for Zurich as a business location. "To fully exploit the potential of AI, we need to create a smart framework. We need to create acceptance among the population and continue to build up our AI ecosystem. Then AI has the potential to increase productivity and thus reduce our shortage of skilled workers," says Carmen Walker Späh, Director of Economic Affairs.

AI sandbox as a learning environment

With the "Innovation Sandbox for Artificial Intelligence" program, the Canton of Zurich and the Zurich Metropolitan Area Association have gained important experience over the past two years. The sandbox serves as a learning environment - almost like a laboratory - in which companies, organizations and administrations implement AI projects and develop expertise in the field of AI use. The first phase has now been completed. Five out of 21 AI projects were selected and implemented. This has resulted in guidelines on legal aspects and recommendations for the technical implementation of AI applications - for example in areas such as the protection of personal data or copyright law when protected works are used to train AI models. In addition, recommendations for future legislation in the field of AI were developed in order to prevent risks and promote responsible innovation. "The results serve to build up expertise and transfer know-how within administration, business and research," says project manager Raphael von Thiessen. The successful project, which has also been registered internationally, will be continued. A second project call is currently taking place, in which interested AI organizations can apply with project proposals.

AI dialog for social acceptance

Ethical aspects and social acceptance are essential for a successful AI location. After all, structural change also brings risks and challenges and raises fears. Addressing these systematically is crucial in order to involve the population. This is why the Office of Economic Affairs has been holding the "AI Dialogue" on a regular basis for over two years. Artificial intelligence is brought to life and made tangible and discussed at events for the general public. Understanding and acceptance of new technologies must be present in society at large. The surveys at the beginning and end of each event show that the AI dialog helps to dispel fears and prejudices about AI. The series of events is to be continued and expanded.

AI hub for even more dynamism

The Canton of Zurich already plays a leading role in the development and promotion of AI technologies both in Switzerland and internationally. It has a unique AI ecosystem with short distances and close cooperation between business, research and administration. From small start-ups to large technology groups, most well-known companies in the field of AI are represented in the canton of Zurich, and an increasingly strong local hub has also formed in Oerlikon. ETH, the university and the ZHAW with their programs are also excellent location factors for attracting the brightest minds in the field of AI to Zurich. "We want to continue attracting top companies and industry-leading organizations to Zurich in the future and thus bring more expertise to Zurich. The entire economy can benefit from this concentrated know-how," explains Fabian Streiff, Head of the Office of Economic Affairs.

ETH AI Center as a competence center

A key player in the field of AI research is the ETH AI Center, an interdisciplinary competence center at ETH that bundles research into the fundamentals, applications and social impact of the key technology of our time. As part of a strategic partnership, the Canton of Zurich and the ETH AI Center work closely together, particularly in the areas of technology transfer and innovation, raising public awareness and creating a close-knit network of expertise in the greater Zurich area. "Cooperation with the canton is an important success factor for us as a university competence center," emphasizes Daniel Naeff, Head of Innovation & Entrepreneurship at the ETH AI Center. "We are convinced that robust, reliable and trustworthy AI systems are best developed where all relevant stakeholders work together." The AI revolution is in full swing. The canton of Zurich is well positioned to benefit from this. The leading role in the development and promotion of AI technologies must be expanded with good framework conditions so that top institutes and industry leaders continue to perceive the Canton of Zurich as an attractive location with a flourishing AI ecosystem in the future.

Eugen Demler and his colleagues at ETH have discovered a new method with which they can investigate how individual mobile electrons can cause certain materials to become magnetic. To enable the researchers to take a closer look at the complex quantum system of many interacting particles, researchers from the American universities of Havard and Cambridge have used quantum simulators to generate images of colorful dots and thus make the method visible. It is referred to as quantum pointillism in reference to the painting technique of pointillism.

"For the first time, we have solved a physical puzzle with experiments both on the 'real' solid and in the quantum simulator," Eugen Demler is quoted as saying in a press release. "Our theoretical work is the glue that holds everything together." Demler is confident that his method will also be helpful for other tricky problems in the future. For example, the mechanism could also play an important role in high-temperature superconductors, according to the press release. The superconductivity of non-metallic materials such as ceramics has not yet been explained.

It all began around two years ago at ETH, when a working group led by Ataç Imamoğlu investigated special materials with a triangular crystal lattice (moiré materials made from transition metal dichalcogenides) in experiments. While analyzing Imamoğlu's data, Demler and his postdoctoral researcher Ivan Morera came across peculiarities that pointed to a type of magnetism that had previously only been predicted theoretically. "With this kinetic magnetism, a few electrons moving in the crystal lattice can magnetize the material," Morera is quoted as saying. "The investigations represent a paradigm shift in our understanding of such magnetic quantum phenomena," continues Demler. "We haven't been able to study these in detail yet." ce/js

For the first time, products from Knonauer Amt with the regio.garantie seal of quality will be on sale at the spring market on the Weisbroda site in Hausen am Albis on Saturday, April 13. The new regional brand is intended to give Säuliämtl products the higher appreciation and recognition they deserve - initially within the region, but later beyond.

The first 90 or so certified products are from farm stores, i.e. from direct agricultural marketing: the range extends from jams and syrups and preserves to soups and fruit snacks, Mostbröckli and lamb to cider, beer and schnapps - as well as non-food products such as sheep's wool comforters. But this is just the beginning. Further producers and products are to be included.

Also an instrument for regional marketing

To be awarded the regio.garantie seal of quality, a product must be 100 percent regional or - if it is a composite product - the main ingredient must be completely regional and at least 80 percent of all ingredients must be regional. This is checked by an external auditor.

Genuine regional products have the advantage that they have short distances, the added value remains in the region and you know where they come from. And they are simply unique due to their regional originality.

This is why the commitment of the location promotion agency is more than just support for direct marketing agriculture. Because: "Regional products make the region perceptible in a sensual and enjoyable way. This contributes to the identity of the region as a whole. Regional products are actually also an instrument for regional marketing," says location promoter Johannes Bartels, explaining the step towards the regio.garantie award.

Growing interest in regional products

With the launch of the regional brand, Knonauer Amt is jumping on a promising trend. The latest "Regional Products 2024" study by the Zurich School of Business shows that regional products are now "the most attractive value-added products" and that 71% of consumers already buy regional products every week. "Interest in regional products with the regio.garantie label is growing in all channels, from direct marketing to restaurants and fast food outlets to wholesalers," says Manfred Bötsch, President of the Swiss Regional Products Association and guest speaker at last year's Knonauer Amt location promotion spring meeting.

The latest edition of the QS World University Rankings by Subjects published by the international university analyst Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) once again confirms that Switzerland stands out internationally in terms of academic education. The data collected for 2024 on the performance of 220 subjects at 27 Swiss universities shows that almost half of Swiss subjects (107) are represented in the world's top 100. Of these, 31 subjects are in the top 10, surpassed only by the USA and the UK.

Switzerland also has 30 entries in the five broad disciplines of Arts & Humanities, Engineering & Technology, Life Sciences, Natural Sciences and Social Sciences & Management. For comparison: Germany has 138 entries here, Austria 21. "Switzerland's success in this ranking is the result of international cooperation and an emphasis on the relationship between education, industry and entrepreneurship," Ben Sowter, Senior Vice President of QS, is quoted in a press release.

The Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich is the strongest institution in Switzerland with 29 subjects: 27 of these are ranked in the top 100 and 17 in the top 10 worldwide. As in previous years, the subjects of earth and marine sciences, geology and geophysics are ranked first worldwide.

The Universities of Bern and Zurich stand out in particular in dentistry with 6th and 8th places. The Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne is represented in the top 10 with the subjects Engineering - Electrical Engineering and Electronics (7), Chemistry (9), Engineering - Chemistry (10) and Materials Science (10).

Switzerland remains the undisputed leader in hotel and leisure management training: with the Lausanne EHL Hospitality Business School in 1st place, the SHMS - Swiss Hotel Management School (2), the Cesar Ritz Universities (3), Les Roches Global Hospitality Management Education (5), the Montreux Hotel Institute (6), the Swiss Culinary Academy (7) and the Glion Institute for Higher Education (8).

For this 14th edition of the QS World University Rankings by Subjects, a total of 16,400 higher education programs were evaluated, completed by students at more than 1,500 universities in 96 locations worldwide in 55 academic disciplines and five broad faculty areas. ce/mm

Zurich's Economy Remains on Course

Following an economic slowdown at the end of 2023, companies in Zurich are assessing the business situation and business expectations as slightly better again. The Zurich economy is therefore likely to record low but positive GDP growth in the current year. Momentum on the labor market has slowed in recent months: unemployment is rising, but remains low at 2.1%.

The University of Zurich (UZH) has created a new Chair of Gender Medicine. According to a press release, the aim of this branch of medicine is to improve the recovery of patients through more individualized diagnoses and therapies using tailored medicine. This is because common diseases such as heart disease, stroke, migraine, depression and cancer manifest themselves differently in women and men. By setting up its own Chair of Gender Medicine, UZH aims to promote this important component of research as precision medicine.

"In many areas of medicine, men were the prototype, which is why diseases in women were only recognized late or not at all in the past, because the diagnosis was primarily based on male symptoms," Beatrice Beck Schimmer, UZH Professor and Director of University Medicine Zurich (UMZH), is quoted as saying in the press release. Clinical studies were generally conducted with men. The reason given was female hormone fluctuations, which could lead to inhomogeneous results.

Not only at the level of diagnostics, but also in the field of research and treatment, the gender distribution was one-sided, with the medical profession and medical science reserved for men. "If only one gender does research, it narrows the view," says medical historian Sarah Scheidmantel. The introduction of the new chair and the change in culture in the large hospitals and clinics should bring about a lasting change, according to the press release. The first chair holder in Zurich is Carolin Lerchenmüller, Professor of Cardiology. ce/eb

UZH is expanding research and teaching in the field of data science. To this end, the university has set up an Institute for Mathematical Modeling and Machine Learning (IM3L). "The new institute combines mathematical research with subject-specific applications of data science," Roland Sigel, Dean of the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, is quoted as saying in a UZH press release.

The new institute will be headed by Reihard Furrer for the time being. "It was the mathematical discipline that enabled the development of new tools in data science, such as machine learning or deep learning," explains the Director IM3L ad interim. From fall 2025, the institute plans to offer the Applied Mathematics and Machine Learning course. Students should acquire the necessary skills to help shape the digital development of society. In addition to basic concepts of mathematics and programming skills, the course also covers the transformation of practical problems into mathematical models and their analysis using statistical methods.

Four professorships for network science, risk analysis, statistics and deep learning have been located at the IM3L since January 2024. UZH provides an overview of the current work of these professorships in the press release. There are plans to extend this to other professorships in the future. ce/hs

The first development stage of the Zurich Innovation Park on the airfield site in Dübendorf is taking shape, the operator announced in a press release. Construction work on a total of seven new buildings on the apron of the site is due to begin this year. The projects were selected from a total of 28 proposals submitted last year in a global architectural competition.

The selected projects were developed by the architecture firms E2A, Roger Boltshauser, Mulder Zonderland and TEN from Zurich as well as Muoto from Paris and 3XN from Copenhagen. According to current plans, around 24 percent of the total floor space will be divided between offices, 8 percent between laboratories and 12 percent between production areas, for example for the manufacture of prototypes. A further 36 percent is planned as flexible space for various uses. In addition, areas for supply, services and research-related living are to be created. Gastronomy, leisure and shopping facilities are also planned.

With its own development, the Innovation Park Zurich aims to set an example of innovative urban development and sustainability. "Accordingly, special building typologies are being developed that can be used sustainably over long periods of time thanks to their flexibility and modularity and have a significantly reduced ecological footprint thanks to the use of new technologies," the press release states. Plans include the installation of an anergy grid and large solar installations on roofs and facades. ce/hs

The University of Zurich (UZH) has decided to withdraw from the Times Higher Education World University Ranking (THE Ranking). According to a press release issued by the educational institution, the ranking of the British Times Higher Education magazine does not adequately reflect the quality of research and education offered by colleges and universities. The ranking only refers to quantitative statements, such as the number of publications, instead of focusing on qualitative content. However, this leads to false incentives and shifts the emphasis of an assessment, the press release states. For this reason, UZH has decided to no longer provide data to THE Ranking.

As the press release goes on to say, UZH has been committed to an open academic culture both nationally and internationally for many years. The University is convinced that scientific quality should be the decisive factor in all research policy decisions. ce/ww

As announced, Balz Halter has resigned as Chairman of the Board of Directors of Limmatstadt AG. Erika Fries, Peter Rauch and Franziska Schopp also stepped down at the Annual General Meeting on March 12 at JED Schlieren. "We want to make room for new forces," says Halter. The shareholders of the regional location promoter unanimously elected Lara Albanesi (Administrative Director of the Baden Kurtheater), the Mayor of Weiningen and Weytec co-owner Mario Okle and Jasmina Ritz to the Board of Directors. They will join Josef Bütler and Jörg Krummenacher. Jasmina Ritz announced her resignation as Managing Director of Limmatstadt at the end of 2024.

The new Board of Directors will primarily have to deal with financing. According to Balz Halter, expenditure amounts to around 600,000 francs, a third of which is for staff. The municipalities and the two cantons pay 200,000 francs, the economy 150,000 francs. Halter AG is responsible for the remainder, most recently CHF 250,000. His company will do this one last time in 2024, said the initiator of Limmatstadt AG.

Both politics and the economy are called upon to provide future funding. "We need regional location promotion," said Sandra Rottensteiner, Mayor of Urdorf. "We have to divide the financing in such a way that we can maintain the structures of Limmatstadt AG." Urdorf is prepared to double its contribution.

The Limmattal SME and Trade Association, the Spreitenbach Industry, Services and Trade Association (IDH), the Schlieren Chamber of Commerce and the Dietikon Industry and Trade Association support the further development of the regional location promoter. A joint vision, a performance mandate and a financial commitment from the new sponsors are needed, they write in a parallel statement. The organization should promote the economy and location, network the region internally and represent it externally.

Patrick Stäuble, IDH President and Managing Director of Shoppi Tivoli, emphasized the importance of a cross-cantonal offering. "We need an institution that looks beyond borders. Then the economy will be prepared to give money," he said on the podium.

The members of the Board of Directors are confident. "I don't have a recipe yet, but I have confidence that things will continue," said the newly elected Mario Okle. Josef Bütler, one of the two incumbents and former mayor of Spreitenbach: "I am convinced that we will still be around in 2025." ce/stk

As part of the GebStart study, researchers from the ZHAW Institute of Midwifery and Reproductive Health investigated which factors can be used to determine the optimal time for hospital admission. A standardized questionnaire was developed with 15 evidence-based questions that not only focus on the physical condition, but also on a wide range of aspects such as the emotional state and the supportive environment.

Midwives should use the questionnaire as a decision-making aid when they have to give an assessment of the birth phase over the phone. For women giving birth, the questions should serve as an individual recommendation as to when it makes sense to go to hospital.

"The optimal time for hospital admission has a positive effect on both the birth experience and healthcare costs, because intervention rates are reduced and inpatient stays are shortened," says Susanne Grylka, head of the GebStart study, in a ZHAW press release on the study.

The questionnaire was tested at six maternity clinics in Zurich, Winterthur, Lucerne, Basel and Baden AG with over 600 first-time mothers. The study was funded by the Swiss National Science Foundation. A final conference on the study will be held in Winterthur on March 22. ce/js

The LUKS Group and ETH have agreed to cooperate more closely in medical research and teaching. According to a press release, a letter of intent signed by both sides forms the framework for a large number of future cooperation projects at the interface of medicine, technology and basic research.

For the LUKS Group, the collaboration with ETH reportedly means privileged access to technologies and scientific methods that contribute to combining patient-centered research and data-driven medicine. For ETH, cooperation with the LUKS Group and other hospitals is the key to progress in biomedical research. "We want to combine healthcare and research in such a way that optimal results are achieved for patients," Professor Christian Wolfrum, ETH Vice President for Research, is quoted as saying.

The memorandum of understanding also includes research collaborations in the fields of precision oncology, digitalized medicine and innovative data science techniques, from pathology to medical imaging. And it will contribute to the creation of joint professorships at both institutions.

"We are making a decisive contribution to bringing together a new generation of doctors and researchers," says Professor Katrin Hoffmann, Chief Medical Officer of the LUKS Group. The aim is to facilitate transfer to the clinic and new solutions for healthcare medicine. ce/mm

Big Kaiser, a global manufacturer of precision tools, has presented the new Lathe type B hydraulic chuck, according to a press release. It extends the existing type F and R clamping devices and was specially developed for the requirements of NC lathes (numerical control machines). Bis Kaiser is thus strengthening its commitment to quality and innovation in the metalworking industry.

The new product is optimized for the Star Micronics machine type. The precision chuck guarantees an exceptional repeat accuracy of less than one micrometer. Thanks to its rectangular design, it can accommodate several rows of tools. This minimizes interference and increases machining options where space is at a premium, making them ideal clamping devices for this compact machine type.

Type B hydraulic chucks from Big Kaiser are said to run on well-known NC machine manufacturers such as Citizen, Star, Tsugami and Tornos. "They enable tools to be changed safely and quickly with a simple hexagon key, which significantly improves efficiency and safety during operation," they say.

"Each of our chucks is subject to two intensive manual quality checks in order to guarantee our high quality standards," Giampaolo Roccatello, Chief Sales & Marketing Officer for Europe, is quoted as saying. ce/heg

With the opening of its own data centers at three locations in the greater Zurich area in November 2022, the need for local specialists at Amazon Web Services (AWS) increased. According to a study, the establishment and operation of the AWS Europe region (Zurich) supports study per year at external companies. In this context, AWS plans to invest CHF 5.9 billion by 2036. As part of the global Grow Our Own Talent Initiative and to support the training of needed professionals, AWS is initiating an apprenticeship program at its data centers. The start is planned with two job profiles: From summer 2024, the training courses to become an ICT specialist EFZ and an automation technician EFZ will begin in AWS data centers. The ICT specialists will become part of the Data Center Operations (DCO) team, and the automation specialists will be integrated into the Data Center Engineering Operations (DCEO) team.

The basic training courses are carried out in cooperation with our training partner Siemens, which has an exemplary apprentice training center in Switzerland. AWS and Siemens are linked by a global training partnership in which AWS provides cloud training and Siemens provides its training expertise.

"We are delighted that Amazon Web Services has announced that it will be offering young school leavers apprenticeships at its data centers in the Greater Zurich Area to help them enter the ICT industry. In view of the ongoing shortage of skilled workers, especially IT specialists, the promotion and training of young talent is important for an attractive business location and is very much welcomed by the Canton of Zurich."
Fabian Streiff, Head of the Office for Economy of the Canton of Zurich

Which Tasks Are There in a Data Centre?

Teams in AWS data centers specialize in different task areas and are responsible for the maintenance and expansion of the critical infrastructure. They ensure that the comprehensive cloud infrastructure is continuously operated efficiently and securely, which is extremely important for customers of all sizes. The teams at three locations concentrate on the following main tasks:

• Server Maintenance and Device Availability: You ensure that servers and devices are operational at all times.
• Monitoring and Troubleshooting: Continuous monitoring of the hardware and fast and efficient troubleshooting.
• Capacity Expansion: Installation and commissioning of new server racks to increase capacity.
• Continuous Operation (24×7): The teams ensure trouble-free operation of the data centers around the clock at all three locations.
• Incident Management: This is the first response to critical incidents in the data center.
• Local IT Support: Technical support for the internal data center teams.

A high level of security and adherence to strict compliance standards are key to guaranteeing protection and reliability for customers. Continuous improvement and maintenance of the data centers secures the cloud infrastructure and protects against risks, making these teams an indispensable component in the provision of cloud services.

An overview of what it means to work in an AWS data center can be found here.

How Do I Apply for an Apprenticeship for Summer 2024?

Apprenticeship vacancies are published on the websites of the Canton of Zurich (see below) and on the AWS job page (see below). Good secondary school leavers with levels A and B can apply for the 3-year apprenticeship as an ICT specialist. The 4-year apprenticeship as an automation technician is open to secondary school leavers at level A and cantonal school pupils who wish to embark on a vocational training course. In addition to an interest in innovation, IT and technology, applicants must have a good command of English.

Links to the application:

Automatiker*in EFZ: Application page from AWS | Berufsberatung.ch

ICT specialist EFZ: Application page from AWS | Berufsberatung.ch

AWS's Engagement in Swiss ICT Vocational Training

As part of the revision of Curriculum 21, AWS was involved in the design of new cloud modules in the area of ICT vocational training. A small working group developed three new modules that give students an introduction to cloud technologies and have been anchored in the curriculum since 2022 (here is an example of how these modules can be implemented with AWS). Since 2022, AWS has also supported the Swiss Professional Championships for ICT Specialists, which was also held in the field of cloud computing for the first time. In preparation, AWS offered free training for the participants and ensured the operation of the competition platform during the professional championships.

"AWS Switzerland is making an important contribution to Swiss ICT training by providing modern cloud services and continuously engaging in the creation of teaching content. By creating its own apprenticeships from summer 2024, AWS is making a direct contribution to the training of local specialists that the Swiss economy urgently needs for the digital transformation. We greatly appreciate this important contribution and look forward to continuing our collaboration with AWS."
Matthias Bauhofer, Head of Vocational Education and Training at ICT-Berufsbildung Schweiz.

"As a technical teacher at the Technical Vocational School in Zurich, I really appreciate the uncomplicated and collegial collaboration with AWS. The comprehensive cooperation of AWS extends not only to the technical level, but also includes the further training of technical teachers and IT learners. This dedicated support enables us to integrate innovative teaching methods and practical, up-to-date training content into our lessons. Our learners thus receive a hands-on, varied and cutting-edge education. The collaboration with AWS in the IT education sector is therefore very important to me."
Marcello Calisto, Vocational Teacher (IT), TBZ Technical Vocational School Zurich

The Schlieren-based company Exalos, which specializes in light-emitting diodes and semiconductor light sources, has developed a new generation of high-performance and ultra-wideband LEDs with central wavelengths of 1550 nanometers and 1600 nanometers, according to a press release. The power-bandwidth performance allows for a wide range of applications, including fiber sensing and testing of fiber components covering the established fiber optic communication bands, according to the press release.

Superluminescent diodes (SLEDs) are a hybrid form of LEDs and laser diodes. The light source systems developed by Exalos on this basis are used in medicine, industrial imaging, navigation systems, meteorology and other scientific applications.

Exalos AG was acquired by the Californian company Indie Semiconductor in September 2023. The American specialist for automotive semiconductors and software platforms paid Exalos shareholders 45 million dollars in the form of Class A indie ordinary shares, according to a press release. If certain revenue-based performance targets are exceeded over the next 24 months, a further 20 million dollars will be paid in cash or additional shares.

According to the press release, Exalos has "developed and launched several highly innovative, advanced products for the world's most demanding applications". In particular, the field-proven SLEDs for fiber optic gyroscopes and the optical semiconductor amplifiers from Exalos, which are protected by 59 patents worldwide, complemented Indie's laser and silicon photonics products. ce/gba

In January 2024, the cantonal Office for Economy (AWI) published the study «Attractiveness of the Canton of Zurich for Business and Talent – A Comparison 2024». In it, the business center of Zurich competes with its five "rivals" Munich, Stockholm, Amsterdam, Dublin and London. It was now time to discuss the study findings with as many key players from industry, research, administration and politics as possible - on the first «Location Day». Fabian Streiff, Head of the Office for Economy, began by explaining how well the Canton of Zurich performs in international comparison. However, his aim is "not only to become better than the competition every day, but also to become better than we were the day before." According to Streiff, Zurich has developed into an attractive business location for innovative and technology-driven companies in recent decades. At the same time, he admitted: "We are lagging behind other locations in terms of costs."

Utilizing Domestic Potential

The Office for Economy was not only interested in comparing Zurich with five foreign cities, but also in listening to their views. Christoph Haider, for example, was a guest from Munich - a city that has more difficulty recruiting skilled workers than Zurich. "Due to the ageing population, we are dependent on immigration throughout Germany," said the Head of Location Marketing Munich.

Promoting dialog, developing visions

The first "Location Day" took place in Zurich on January 31, 2024. It was organized by the Office for Economy (AWI) of the Department for Economic Affairs. Major Zurich players from industry, the healthcare sector, research and politics discussed development issues together with the Zurich cantonal government. The aim of the event was to promote dialog, develop visions and actions for Zurich as a business location and provide impetus for the benefit of all. AWI Director Fabian Streiff stated: "The shortage of skilled workers is just as real here." Because other European countries are also deliberately recruiting abroad, domestic potential must be used as effectively as possible. The shortage of skilled workers was discussed intensively: It was one of the main topics in the subsequent panel discussion on how Zurich should remain an attractive location for business and innovation. Economic Director Carmen Walker Späh summed it up succinctly: "If you want to work, you have to let people work!"

Should the State Support Start-ups?

Panelist Marc von Waldkirch, CEO of sensor manufacturer Sensirion, placed particular responsibility on politicians to stem the staff shortage: "If an application for a work permit takes three months, that's too long." Foreign specialists would not wait, but would hire in other countries. But can it go any faster? Zurich's Finance Director Ernst Stocker had some doubts: "I think everything takes even longer elsewhere." Another widely discussed topic was support for start-ups. The non-profit organization SICTIC was founded specifically for this purpose. Its president, Thomas Dübendorfer, would like to see more government support: "As soon as start-ups could really take off, there is a lack of money - or it comes from abroad." Sensirion CEO von Waldkirch, on the other hand, warned against too much support from the state: "This also involves regulation."

Healthcare System Must Become More Digital

The second panel discussion focused on Zurich as a healthcare location. The role of the public sector was once again discussed: "The canton of Zurich generally offers the best framework conditions for good basic care," said Felix Huber, President of the MediX doctors' association. "But more and more regulations are coming from the federal government. And many of them are impossible to implement." Mazda Farshad also agreed with this. The medical hospital director of Balgrist University Hospital was of the opinion that the regulations are even fueling the staff shortage to a certain extent. His credo: "More innovation and less regulation." Anything else would tend to deter foreign specialists from working in Switzerland - as would a lack of digital processes, emphasized Monika Jänicke, CEO of the University Hospital Zurich: "These could significantly reduce the workload for employees."

What Opportunities Does Artificial Intelligence Offer?

Director of the Department of Health Natalie Rickli also wants to drive forward the digitalization of the healthcare system. The canton of Zurich still has a lot of work to do in this regard: "The electronic patient file with digital interfaces must become the standard for data protection-compliant filing and the efficient exchange of patient information." All too often, doctors waste a lot of time calling around between several practices for a single patient, adds Huber. "If you counteract this, it also improves the personnel situation." Following the panel discussion, the participants of the event divided into four workshops and discussed the topics of "Technology location", "Location for skilled workers", "Business location" and "Mobility and sustainability" in depth. To what extent does artificial intelligence make Zurich a more attractive location and, above all, what impact does it have on the world of work, including from an ethical perspective? Or: How can the canton of Zurich compete with more tax-efficient locations? These and other questions sparked lively discussions.

"Let's Use Our Potential"

It was clear that despite its good starting position, the canton of Zurich is facing major challenges - particularly in terms of sustainability and digitalization. The most interesting solutions from the workshops are now being followed up and explored in greater depth by specialist groups. Before the networking aperitif was opened, Carmen Walker Späh, member of the cantonal government, addressed the guests. Thanks to the location attractiveness study, we now know where Zurich stands as a business location, she said. Now it is important to learn the right lessons. The Director for Economic Affairs would definitely welcome a second "Location Day": "To see what progress we have made. Let's use the potential we have."

Researchers at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich (ETH) are responsible for the new SwissChips initiative in the field of semiconductor technology. According to a press release, the initiative was launched to provide a national response to EU and US funding programs. SwissChips is intended to boost national research and production. The main aim is to promote research and innovation in the field of semiconductors, microelectronics and IC design.

The initiative was launched by the ETH, the State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation (SERI), the Swiss Center for Electronics and Microelectronics (CSEM) and the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne (EPFL). It is initially dated for a period from 2024 to 2026. The costs are borne by SERI (CHF 26 million) and CSEM, EPFL and ETH together (CHF 7.8 million). Christoph Studer, Head of the Research Group for Integrated Information Processing at the Department of Information Technology and Electrical Engineering at ETH Zurich, is the designated head of SwissChips.

The infrastructure and technology of the SwissChips initiative are available to all Swiss universities, universities of applied sciences and research institutions. ce/ww

The Finnish technology, data and business design company Solita is expanding its presence to Zurich. The new office will operate there under its Danish brand Intellishore. Intellishore has been part of the Solita Group since 2021.

According to a press release, the Zurich office will focus in particular on advising large multinational and pharmaceutical companies. Mikkel Moller Andersen was appointed Managing Director of Intellishore AG, which was founded on February 5, 2024.

"Our growth strategy aims to best serve our clientele and cultivate a corporate culture that promotes the well-being and development of our employees," stated Solita CEO Ossi Lindroos. "We are excited to continue our journey together with the Intellishore team in Zurich. The Solita team, with its over 2000 professionals, will provide a strong backbone for this endeavor." The employees are now based in nine European countries.

Intellishore will be recruiting IT, data and pharmaceutical specialists in Zurich with immediate effect. According to the press release, the Solita Group is known for its human, Nordic work culture. Among other things, it received the award for the third best workplace for women worldwide at the Women in Tech Global Awards at the end of 2023. ce/mm

Switzerland is once again represented this year with several cities and cantons featured in various Top 10 rankings of the European Cities and Regions of the Future 2024. These rankings are assessed by fDi Intelligence, a British investment portal owned by the Financial Times, which evaluates the most attractive locations in Europe for direct investments. The data was gathered for a total of 330 cities and 141 regions across five subcategories: economic potential, human capital and lifestyle, cost-effectiveness, connectivity and business friendliness. In the micro-city category, Zug narrowly clinches the top spot in the overall ranking, just as it did last year, closely followed by the Irish cities of Limerick, Galway, and Waterford, as well as the Swiss city of Lugano. In the subcategory of Human Capital and Lifestyle, Lugano holds the 5th position, while Lugano's economic potential positions the city at 7th place. As a small city, Lausanne claimed the 8th position for its economic potential and the 9th position in the subcategory of Human Capital and Lifestyle. According to the report, Geneva retains its importance as one of the world's most important diplomatic and financial hubs among small cities and is therefore ranked third. Basel is now ranked fifth after first place last year. In the category of mid-sized european cities, Zurich now secures the 2nd position in the overall ranking, following its first-place position from the previous year. It is now behind the Polish city of Wrocław and ahead of Vilnius in Lithuania. The report particularly highlights Zurich's well-educated workforce and the concentration of medtech companies. Within its group, Zurich boasts the greatest economic potential, recording an average of 33 new investment projects over the past five years. As a small European region, the canton of Vaud ranked 4th in the sub-category of human capital and lifestyle and 7th in the sub-category of economic potential. Among the mid-sized European regions, the Canton of Zurich came in 7th place, while the Canton of Geneva and the Canton of Zug ranked 8th and 9th respectively among the smaller regions. The Greater Zurich Area (GZA) and the Basel Area were also successful, ranking 3rd and 10th respectively. They were recognized for their fDi strategy, which they use to attract internationally expanding companies to the Swiss region. ce/mm

Under the new name «Founderful», venture capitalists, led by founders Pascal Mathis, Lukas Weder, and Alex Stöckl, aim to invest in Swiss startups. Their target goal is to reach a volume of $120 million.

So far, 85 million dollars have already been raised and the rest is to be raised by July 2024, according to a post on LinkedIn. The venture capitalists want to invest the funds in particular in companies that are active in the fields of artificial intelligence (AI), robotics and technology, as the news agencyBloombergwrites.

Proximity to Swiss Universities

According to Stöckl, Switzerland, with its universities and research institutions, is a hub for start-ups. Around two thirds of Founderful's portfolio companies are led by researchers and founders from Swiss universities and institutions. The fund's backers include institutions, family offices and founders of companies such as Duolingo, Delivery Hero and Scandit.

Two Exits So Far

As «Techcrunch» writes, there have been two exits from the company's first fund, which was launched in 2020 with around 90 million Swiss francs. Insightness, a vision chip startup acquired by Sony, and Bring! and Labs, a mobile commerce start-up that was acquired by Swiss Post. There are two further exits in the pipeline, both in the B2B software sector, which are expected to amount to a double-digit million euro sum. The fund made eight investments last year, including in several robotics start-ups. The total number of companies in the portfolio is 48. "Switzerland is one of the fastest growing venture capital markets in the world," said Stöckl in a video interview.

The attractiveness of the economic location of the canton of Zurich is based on the interaction of various elements: a diverse entrepreneurship landscape with an innovative start-up scene, an excellent research and educational environment, outstanding infrastructure, and a favorable regulatory environment. The government has set itself the goal of further strengthening the attractiveness of the Zurich location.

Panels and In-Depth Workshops

The event kicked off with a panel discussion on the Canton of Zurich as a business location. Economic Director Carmen Walker Späh and Finance Director Ernst Stocker discussed with Marc von Waldkirch, CEO of Sensiron, and Thomas Dübendorfer, President of SICTIC, how Zurich can further improve its appeal as a location for business and innovation. The second panel, featuring Health Director Natalie Rickli, Prof. Dr. med. Mazda Farshad, Medical Hospital Director of University Hospital Balgrist, Monika Jänicke, CEO of University Hospital Zurich, and Felix Huber, Chief Physician at mediX Practice Zollikerberg, focused on the medical landscape in Zurich and explored how the healthcare services, from primary care to advanced medicine, can be further improved. Subsequently, workshops were held on the following topics: "Technology Hub" with a focus on artificial intelligence; "Skilled Workforce Hub" aimed at expanding the talent pool; "Business Hub" addressing opportunities to enhance the attractiveness of the location; and "Mobility and Sustainability" with the goal of exploring opportunities for mobility arising from digitization. The discussions in these workshops result in proposals for various action areas. These are now being followed up in order to put the ideas into practice.

Study on International Location Attractiveness as a Basis for Discussion.

Preceding the «Location Day» was a study on the attractiveness of the Canton of Zurich conducted by the Department of Economic Affairs. The analysis examined various factors that significantly impact the economic location of Zurich and highlighted where the canton stands well compared to European competitors (education, economic strength, quality of life) – and where there is potential for improvement (job market, innovation, taxes, infrastructure). The «Location Day» used this assessment in the discussions and specified the need for action in the dialogue between business, science, and administration. Due to the great interest, the «Location Day» will be held again next year.

A film about research conducted by the Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research(WSL) has won the award for Best Short Film at the Environmental Film and Screenplay Festival in Los Angeles, as detailed in a press release.

The film was shot during research work in the Lötschental valley in the canton of Valais by former WSL civilian service worker Raul Pfammatter. The film producer with his own company, Almafilm, visited the researchers and the Lötschental for a few days during filming to "gather impressions of the landscape and project staff."

The WSL Dendrosciences group, headed by Patrick Fonti, has found ideal conditions there for studying tree growth at different altitudes. The region offers valuable tree ring material for various types of dendrochronological studies as well as a perfect place to train young researchers. "The short film gives a great insight into our work and at the same time shows the splendor of the Lötschental. "To promote it, we entered it into an international competition - and lo and behold, we won first prize in our category," Fonti is quoted as saying.

The aim of the film documentation was to make the research work visible to the public. WSL, supported by local authorities and municipalities, has been studying the conifers in the Lötschental since 2007. Currently, measurement data on tree growth along an elevation gradient are being collected on permanent monitoring plots. ce/heg

At the beginning of 2023, the cantonal government decided to enhance the attractiveness of the Canton of Zurich for foundations. Based on a study, the municipal government of Zurich has initiated various measures to achieve this goal. One key concern involved improving the taxation framework. The cantonal tax office has adapted its practices to promote a contemporary and effective foundation system.

Promotion of Charitable Foundations

Fair compensation for board members of charitable foundations may now accompany the existing tax exemption. Additionally, charitable activities abroad will be assessed using the same criteria as domestic activities. This will enable the Canton of Zurich to further attract internationally operating foundations to the region.

The tax office has also published its practice on corporate funding schemes. According to the practice of the tax office, funding activities are not only limited to non-repayable contributions and loans, but also includes the possibility of impact investments on the funding side. The prerequisite is that foundations operate where there is no existing market - thus not competing with non-tax-exempt investors. In addition, the funds flowing back to the foundation must be used again for charitable purposes.

This change in practice is due in particular to the amended legal basis for foundations, which came into force on January 1, 2023. According to Article 84b of the Swiss Civil Code (ZGB), foundations must disclose the remuneration of the foundation board and, if applicable, of the executive board to the supervisory authority. Furthermore, the supervisory authority has, according to Art. 84 para. 2 of the Swiss Civil Code (ZGB), to ensure that the foundation’s assets are used for their declared purpose. Findings from the exchange between the tax office and the federal and cantonal foundation supervisory authorities, along with a legal opinion by Prof. Dr. Andrea Opel regarding the tax framework for an effective foundation sector in the Canton of Zurich, support this practice adjustment.

Further Measures to Bolster Zurich's Status as a Foundation Hub

The initiative launched by the Canton in collaboration with the Swiss Foundations Association «SwissFoundations» goes beyond merely improving the tax framework. Three further measures were implemented in 2023.

1. The Department of Economic Affairs has established a coordination and contact point offering guidance on the establishment and relocation of charitable foundations.
2. The canton of Zurich has launched the information platform www.stiftungen.zuerich. It increases the transparency of the foundation sector and offers an online information desk.
3. Together with SwissFoundations, the Canton of Zurich has launched the event series «Foundation Talks Canton of Zurich». It promotes dialog between politics and the foundation sector and is a vehicle for closer collaboration. The aim is to strengthen the international positioning of Zurich as a foundation hub.

Starting from the upcoming winter semester, ETH Zurich will offer a master's program in Space Sciences. The university, which has been active in space research for many years, is thus responding to the wishes of students, but also to the needs of industry, ETH explained in a press release. The new program will provide knowledge on space systems such as launch vehicles, satellites, telescopes, and spacecraft. Additionally, fundamental principles in Earth and planetary sciences as well as astrophysics will be taught.

"The master's program is unique in Europe as it focuses heavily on commercial space research, is consistently interdisciplinary, and at the same time provides the in-depth knowledge in engineering disciplines and natural sciences for which ETH is known," Thomas Zurbuchen is quoted as saying in the announcement. The ETH professor and former NASA research director initiated the Master's program. "The space industry urgently needs individuals who can oversee complex systems and understand the dependencies of subsystems—from propulsion to the navigation of launch vehicles to scientific experiments."

Simon Stähler is responsible for the implementation of the Master. The ETH scientist is himself actively involved in researching Marsquakes. "Access to space is becoming easier, even for commercial players," says Stähler. It is already possible to acquire space on a satellite. So in the future, there will be a need for many more professionals who truly understand space systems." ce/hs

With the participation of the Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology (Empa), researchers from Switzerland and Germany have developed a way to provide the ICON climate and weather model with an open source license. According to a press release, all interested parties and scientists will be able to access the model. This should not only make research and the work of the institutes behind ICON more transparent, but also promote scientific development, according to the press release.

ICON (ICOsahedral Non-hydrostatic modeling framework) is a numerical weather model that uses three-dimensional computer simulation to calculate changes in the atmosphere over the coming hours and days. The model is primarily used by national weather services such as the Federal Office of Meteorology and Climatology (MeteoSwiss) or the German Weather Service (DWD).

Behind the development of the ICON model is the Swiss Center for Climate Systems Modeling (C2SM) with the participation of Empa, MeteoSwiss, the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich (ETH) and the Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research (WSL) in Birmensdorf ZH as well as the German Climate Computing Center (DKRZ), the DWD, the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) and the Max Planck Institute for Meteorology (MPI-M).

"The open-source licensing will simplify the exchange with our partners in science and could support the establishment of new innovative startups in the environmental sector," Dominik Brunner, Head of the Atmospheric Modeling and Remote Sensing Group in the Empa Department of Air Pollutants/Environmental Technology, is quoted in the announcement. ce/ww

The Gottlieb Duttweiler Institute (GDI) aims to bring research and practice closer together. To achieve this, as mentioned in a press release, the renowned think tank with a 60-year corporate history is expanding its portfolio. In addition to its traditional trend research, it is now also focusing on the fields of innovation consulting and leadership development. These two areas are headed by women who have joined the GDI management team.

Since December 1, 2023, Susan Shaw has been responsible for innovation consulting as the Head of Strategic Services. The social scientist has a background in market research and was most recently Managing Director of GIM Suisse. She is quoted as saying, "with Strategic Services, we explore what the insights from the think tank mean for individual industries, companies, and their target audiences".

Tanja Ineichen heads the new Leadership & Transformation division. She reportedly has extensive retail experience. At the Migros Group, she has built up and managed leadership development initiatives for over 15 years. "Future shapers in top management are the driving forces of innovation in the company," says Ineichen. They are accompanied in their personal development and assisted in shaping their teams and organizations.

"Especially in times of increasing dynamics of change, like today, both the exploration of a possible future and the implementation of concrete innovations are all the more crucial for society and for companies," says CEO Johannes Bauer. "We research the future and shape it together with companies." ce/mm

The Knonauer Amt location promotion agency and the Location Promotion of the Canton of Zurich hosted a lecture evening on the topic of artificial intelligence on January 25. Around 250 guests accepted the invitation to the casino hall in Affoltern, writes the Knonauer Amt location promotion agency in a press release. More information on the lecture evening entitled The robot - our new friend and helper? are made available there via a link to a report in the "Affolter Anzeiger".

"AI is already very important for some companies here in Knonauer Amt," Johannes Bartels is quoted as saying in the report. According to the Managing Director of Knonauer Amt, the Säuliamt is a "perfect location" between the economic centers of Zurich and Zug. The topic of AI therefore also plays a major role in the region. Here, location promotion aims to "offer a good ecosystem".

The event organizers had invited Stephan Sigrist, founder and director of the think tank W.I.R.E., among others, to speak. He explained the history and background of skepticism towards artificial intelligence and advised people not to let an AI dictate important decisions, "for example when choosing a partner or going to a restaurant". Nathalie Klauser addressed ethical issues surrounding the use of AI. The founder of the Intersections association was sceptical that artificial intelligence will succeed in overcoming stereotypes about skin color, sexuality or gender. ce/hs

Digital Offer for Corporate Customers

Foreign nationals who fall under the provisions for third-country nationals require a work permit in Switzerland. The same applies to employees of companies based in the EU/EFTA who are posted to Switzerland for more than 90 days per calendar year. In the canton of Zurich, companies have been able to submit these applications via the new specialist application workpermit.services.zh.ch since this week. It is the first digital offering on the cantonal transaction platform ZHservices that is aimed at corporate customers. The new customer portal guides those responsible in the companies through the entire application process. It includes the electronic exchange of data with the authority responsible at the Office for Economy as well as the digital delivery of the order and invoice to the customer.

Successful Pilot Phase

The previous "e-Work Permit" (eWP) system had been in use at the Department for Economic Affairs for more than 20 years. The work permit division in the Office of Economy therefore processed an average of around 15,000 to 18,000 applications per year over many years. Due to high operating costs and outdated technologies, the eWP specialist application urgently needed to be replaced. The new concept was launched in July 2021. Following a successful pilot phase, to which selected companies contributed, the new portal has now gone live.

Digital Administration Strategy

The new solution meets today's technical standards, is stable, adaptable, expandable and supports the current day-to-day work of the work permit department. The new application implements the Canton of Zurich's Digital Administration strategy by offering a modern and user-friendly user experience for companies in the Canton of Zurich, as well as for internal users on the central ZHservices platform. An additional connection to easyGov, the federal government's online counter for companies, is still in preparation. The canton of Zurich is involved in this project as a pilot canton.

Teaching at UZH comes in a wide variety of guises. It could be described as a living organism in a constant state of flux. Scope for development is broad, horizons are wide, and potential is great.

As part of the Future of Teaching at UZH initiative, over the coming weeks a six-part series of UZH News articles will uncover what’s going on in the world of teaching and find out who the movers and shakers are. We’ll take a look behind the scenes, shedding light on an aspect of university teaching that is rarely noticed: collaboration between teaching staff and its importance for innovation in teaching.

The series will examine why instructors find it helpful to work together on finding new teaching approaches. We’ll also highlight the questions, problems and challenges facing groups of university teachers at the start of an innovation process. We will also reveal how staff work together to bring good ideas to fruition and to implement them in the classroom– thus driving development throughout the university.

Visible and invisible aspects of teaching

In the image of teaching that people on the outside have, cooperative aspects play less of a role than say the personality and charisma of the individual instructor. The way instructors challenge and encourage their students certainly leaves a lasting impression, and students’ direct experiences with individual members of staff can have a significant impact on their learning success and future careers.

Nevertheless, the quality of university teaching doesn’t depend solely on the personalities of the individual instructors, but on a complex set of factors, including subject expertise, planning, methodology, facilities and technical infrastructure, which go largely unnoticed from the outside. Many hands spin the web by which a reliable technical, organizational and digital infrastructure is provided. Activities such as preparing teaching content, creating materials, acquiring didactic know-how, evaluating and improving the quality of courses and designing new modules and study programs are also done by teams of staff.

Teaching communities create dynamism

University instructors cannot afford to be lone rangers. They operate within a network of colleagues with whom they can compare experiences and share knowledge and skills, boosting the efficacy and overall quality of teaching.

«Teaching communities are effective idea generators and drivers of teaching development at UZH.»
– Gabriele Siegert, Deputy President and Vice President Education and Student Affairs

“The importance of networks in university teaching is not to be underestimated,” says Vice President Gabriele Siegert. Networks of colleagues provide individual instructors with professional and personal support. For teaching in general, networks increase dynamism and creativity. “Teaching communities are effective idea generators and drivers of teaching development at UZH,” she adds.

UZH therefore particularly encourages cooperation and collaboration in teaching. This is especially important at a time when university teaching around the world is facing a multitude of interesting challenges. Big questions need smart answers. For example, how can the increasing demand for more flexible, transdisciplinary and international teaching formats be met? What opportunities and risks does the digital transformation hold for teaching? And what does responsible use of generative artificial intelligence in teaching look like?

Bringing innovative teaching ideas to life

UZH is dependent on the expertise, creativity and commitment of its teaching staff to further develop its teaching. With the Future of Teaching initiative, UZH has created a strategic framework with which to orient the further development of teaching, with a firm focus on encouraging cooperation between instructors.

There are now numerous events, workshops and online networks at UZH used by teaching staff from all faculties to discuss current trends, new approaches and practical solutions in teaching – such as the Teaching Inspiration Week, the Tag der Lehre and the Open Channel Education. In another forward-looking step, a network of study program coordinators was established in spring 2023.

The UZH Teaching Fund, meanwhile, offers incentives for teaching teams to develop, test and implement specific ideas for innovative teaching formats. The range of formats already introduced or currently in development through this scheme runs the gamut from practical tools through to entire modules or even programs of study. Many projects have the potential to be rolled out across the whole of UZH, and to serve as stimuli for further developments.

Six characteristics of good teaching

The six innovative teaching projects to be featured in the series of articles on UZH News are representative of many other promising ideas that are currently being tested and implemented at UZH. They were selected based on the UZH Curriculum, the set of guidelines listing six criteria for the development of teaching at UZH. Namely, good teaching is research-based, goal-oriented, engaging, individually tailored, transdisciplinary and international. Each of the six featured projects represents one of the six characteristics. In this way, we hope this small series will demonstrate the huge variety, in terms of both topics and methodologies, of innovative teaching projects in existence at UZH.

Knowhow for teaching staff

The series kicks off with a project that supports individual learning by enabling students to independently deepen their understanding of course contents. After learning their way around the platforms, instructors can adapt such learning environments for their own purposes and use them to effectively support their students’ learning. In order to roll out such individualized learning opportunities across the university, it’s important that instructors who are advanced users share their knowledge with others. An effective solution for this knowledge-sharing was developed at the ECON Teaching Center: an online training course which supports instructors from all faculties in creating customized learning environments for their students.

Read more in the first part of the series.

Author: David Werner, UZH / English translation by Caitlin Stephens

Education is Switzerland’s most important natural resource and the bedrock of its current and future success. In 2023, ETH Zurich students once again put their knowledge into practice by building an electric racing car that broke the previous world record for acceleration. ETH’s mythen vehicle accelerated from 0 to 100 km/h in just 0.956 seconds. Another team of students travelled more than 3,000 kilometres in their self-​built solar car. The students drove for six days through the sweltering heat of the Australian outback to complete the World Solar Challenge.

But cars aren’t the only thing that ETH’s students and researchers work with: they used drones to collect traces of DNA from living organisms in the rainforest, thereby identifying numerous species of plants and animals. Their technology was impressive enough to land them in the finals of the XPRIZE Rainforest competition.

Parathlete Flurina Rigling is also aiming to take part in a prestigious competition: the 2024 Paralympics in Paris. ETH student Luca Hasler built Rigling a new custom set of bike handlebars. Rigling is expecting them to bring her enhanced safety and comfort, but above all faster times.

Knowledge transfer ensures innovation and prosperity

In transferring knowledge and technology, ETH Zurich is a key driver of Switzerland’s innovation capacity and prosperity. This year, the university was again involved in the launch of numerous start-​ups, including aiEndoscopic. This ETH spin-​off built a device that uses robotics and artificial intelligence to make intubations for artificial respiration simpler and safer.

In 2023, ETH researchers also developed a range of technologies that benefit society and industry. These include a new self-​repairing and reusable corrosion-​protection material for buildings and vehicles; smart running leggings that use a textile sensor to detect the wearer’s exhaustion level during physical exertion; a new seismic risk model that shows where and how earthquakes will affect people and buildings; and a fire simulator for testing timber components under realistic conditions.

What’s more, a consortium of partners from science and industry led by ETH Zurich showed that it’s possible to capture CO₂ from the atmosphere and store it either in recycled concrete or in geological reservoirs. ETH Zurich also teamed up with the EPFL to launch two initiatives: a green energy coalition to push solutions for storing and transporting renewable energy carriers; and the Swiss AI Initiative. The goal of the latter is to position Switzerland as a leading hub for transparent and reliable artificial intelligence.

Collaboration as the key to success

Collaboration across research disciplines and with national and international partners leads to a more fruitful search for solutions to the problems of today and tomorrow. In this vein, in 2023 ETH Zurich and the UN confirmed the launch of a new partnership. In the future, ETH researchers will make their expertise more available to the UN, including in the areas of conflict research, development cooperation and food security. And thanks to a sizeable donation from the Dieter Schwarz Foundation, ETH is planning to establish a new teaching and research centre in Heilbronn. Over the next 30 years, 20 new professorships will be created.

In the field of medical research, scientists from ETH and the University Hospital Zurich developed a fully automated test method for multiple myeloma, a type of blood cancer. They are using this method to discover which treatment options provide the best outcome. Meanwhile, ETH material scientists were working with colleagues from Nanyang Technological University Singapore. In the future, they want to use chicken feathers to produce a membrane for fuel cells and thus generate electricity.

ETH Zurich is going to expand its space research activities and its collaboration with the space industry and launch a new interdisciplinary Master’s programme for space science and technology. NASA’s former Science Director Thomas Zurbuchen has been recruited to lead «ETH Zurich Space». Together with partners from the space industry, ETH researchers are already working on broadband internet communication using lasers and satellites.

Fundamentals for the innovations of tomorrow

ETH Zurich is also accomplished at conducting fundamental research. In 2023, several studies generated a buzz, expanded the store of knowledge and laid the foundation for future discoveries.

For example, ETH researchers proved that Mars’s crust is twice as thick as Earth’s. Another team of researchers think it is possible that urea may have played a key role in the emergence of life on Earth. Two other research teams discovered indications that climate change is exacerbating itself: on a warmer and drier planet Earth, microorganisms in the soil will produce considerably more CO₂ and release it into the atmosphere than they do today. At the same time, plants in tropical rainforests will absorb far less CO_2.

Then there was another Schrödinger’s cat: in quantum physics, superpositions can be alive and dead at the same time. This year, ETH researchers created the heaviest Schrödinger’s cat to date.

Bacteria are all about survival: biomedical scientists clarified why different strains of Salmonella can colonise the human gut. The bacteria exchange genetic information that makes them resistant to antibiotics. And finally, ETH bioengineers developed designer cells that could one day supply insulin to diabetics. What triggers these cells to release insulin? Rock music.

Author: Editorial, ETH Zurich

The city of Dietikon granted Phänomena 2025 a building permit on October 30 and then opened the project for public inspection. According to a press release , Phänomena did not receive any objections in the weeks that followed. This means that the construction project can be implemented from 2024. The scientific adventure world in Dietikon was originally planned for 2024, but was postponed by a year. The "World of Amazement" will now take place from April 11 to October 19, 2025, as planned at Niderfeld in Dietikon.

"We can finally start with the final construction preparations and then with the construction installation in the spring," Urs Müller, general manager of Phänomena, is quoted as saying. The entrances to the area and the bus parking lot have already been laid out.

The Mayor of Dietikon, Roger Bachmann, is pleased that there have been no objections. "The Phänomena is important for modern Dietikon and the support of the population shows that people are behind Switzerland's largest adventure world," Bachmann is quoted as saying.

The first Phänomena took place in 1984 on the Zürichhorn and was visited by over 1 million people. The organizers are expecting a similar number of visitors for the second edition. In addition to the municipality of Dietikon, the exhibition is supported by the cantons of Aargau and Zurich and numerous partners. The latest supporters include the Federal Office for the Environment's Wood Action Plan and the Swiss NationalScience Foundation (SNSF). The new patrons of Phänomena 2025 are National Councillor Regine Sauter, National Councillor Andri Silberschmidt and Professor Matthias Egger, President of the National Research Council of the SNSF. ce/gba  

Climate change, geopolitical instability, energy crises, supply chain disruptions, cyberattacks, the rapidly changing world of work: our society faces numerous global challenges. “One of the keys to solving them lies in digital transformation. Society needs to muster all its strength – especially science and universities, which have a special responsibility to play their part,” says ETH President Joël Mesot, explaining the university’s motivation behind establishing the new teaching and research centre.

Some 20 new professorships over the next 30 years

To help shape the digital transformation in a responsible manner, the not-​for-profit Dieter Schwarz Foundation and ETH Zurich have today signed a far-​reaching letter of intent. Over the next 30 years, around 20 professorships are to be gradually established with grants from the foundation.

President Mesot is delighted: “This partnership with the Dieter Schwarz Foundation allows ETH Zurich to further develop its research and teaching, particularly in the field of artificial intelligence, to an extent that would not be possible with regular ETH funding and structures.” At the same time, this is the start of a collaboration with Europe-​wide significance. The additional professorships will enable ETH Zurich to expand strongly in the strategic field of digital transformation and data science.

Gradual expansion in Zurich and Heilbronn

As a concrete first step, two new professorships in the field of computer science and data science will be established in Zurich, and the Zurich Information Security and Privacy Center (ZISC) will be further developed. In addition, an endowment fund will be created at the ETH Foundation, which will serve to establish the partnership over the long term and make infrastructure investments in Zurich.

More than half of the other professorships are to be located on the teaching campus, an educational facility that the Dieter Schwarz Foundation has established in Heilbronn, Germany. ETH Zurich plans to open a new teaching and research centre there, its second branch abroad.

Benefits for Germany, Switzerland and Zurich

“This donation is a win-​win situation for both Germany and Switzerland, and it strengthens the traditionally close research cooperation between the two countries,” Mesot says. In Heilbronn, ETH Zurich will be helping to establish an international research and teaching hub in the field of digitalisation and artificial intelligence. Not only will the site be home to research, it will also develop new courses – from continuing education programmes to degree courses. In return, a large proportion of the funding will flow directly into research, teaching and infrastructure in Zurich. The ETH researchers based in Germany will teach in Heilbronn as well as in Zurich. Close collaboration between the two locations is also planned at the research level. “Joint research and jointly generated knowledge will benefit Switzerland, Germany, Europe and ultimately the whole world,” Mesot says.

Networking with top international universities

The focus is on topics such as artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, bioinformatics and the circular economy. “International collaboration is needed more than ever in these areas,” Mesot says. It is precisely this kind of networking that the teaching campus in Heilbronn aims to foster. ETH Zurich can benefit from its positive experience in Singapore, where it has been operating a research centre close to the world’s leading universities since 2010.

“We’re delighted that, following the renowned Technical University of Munich, ETH Zurich will now be strengthening the ecosystem in Heilbronn as another top international university. We need an alliance of the best scientific forces,” says Reinhold Geilsdörfer, Managing Director of the Dieter Schwarz Foundation.

The Dieter Schwarz Foundation is working on attracting further professors from other premier universities to collaborate on the campus in Heilbronn. Both the Technical University of Munich (TUM) and the Fraunhofer-​Gesellschaft are present with their own branches. The Dieter Schwarz Foundation also maintains strategic partnerships with the University of Oxford, Stanford University, HEC Paris, the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and Nanyang Technological University Singapore.

Planning the ETH centre in Germany

In the months ahead, ETH will determine in-​house how its centre in Heilbronn will be organised in concrete terms, what research and teaching priorities ETH Zurich will set there and what form collaboration between Zurich and Heilbronn will take. If everything goes according to plan, the Dieter Schwarz Foundation and ETH Zurich will sign another contract next year, which will allow the appointment of the first five professorships for the teaching campus in Heilbronn.

Schlieren's location promotion looks back on a successful year. On November 30, 1319 legal entities were domiciled in the city, a new record. According to a statement from the location promotion agency, the majority of new companies are still attracted to the existing clusters. These include, above all, the Bio-Technopark with its national and international appeal, but also the Healthtechpark and the start-up cluster.

In future, the city also wants to increase its attractiveness in the SME and commercial environment. The Schlieren North-East site committee was founded for this purpose in September. It is made up of 25 property owners from the area along Rütistrasse. More than 80 companies with around 900 jobs are already active there today. In future, Schlieren North-East is to be developed into a brand for SMEs and businesses.

This is already having an effect. "I already noticed new companies at the numerous business and trade events at Schlierefäscht that were directly involved in networking in Schlieren," location promoter Albert Schweizer is quoted as saying in the press release. As a member of the Schlierefäscht organizing committee, Schweizer was responsible for sponsorship. ce/stk

"We are delighted and proud of this great position in the FT ranking. This is the result of our commitment and the high quality of our teaching, executive education, and research. I would like to thank everyone who has made this possible."
– Reto Steiner, Dean of the School of Management and Law

Link to the Ranking

Over the next quarter of a century, Irchel Campus will be fundamentally modernized and expanded, and its building density increased. The planned “PORTAL UZH” will be a linchpin in these developments. The new building will make it possible for the campus’ technical and logistical infrastructure to be modernized, as well as providing additional space needed for teaching and research.

Around a year ago, the Building Department of the Canton of Zurich – on behalf of the University of Zurich and the cantonal Department of Education – announced an architectural competition for the “PORTAL UZH”. Now the winning project has been selected: the winning team consists of the architecture practice EM2N Architects and Jaeger Baumanagement from Zurich. They were chosen from a total of 14 teams.

Successful integration

The winning project was selected for how it fits in with the overall vibe of Irchel Campus, developing the site for the future but not forgetting its heritage. “The project by EM2N and Jäger Baumanagement stood out with its excellent inner qualities and the way it successfully integrates into the existing campus buildings. The team showed they had understood the university’s needs and went a step further in really taking them on board,” says François Chapuis, Vice President Real Estate and Facility Management.

Six-story hybrid building

The planned wood and concrete hybrid construction consists of a six-story building and a long laboratory wing with five floors. An inviting entrance area with a planted roof terrace connects the two sections. In the front building a main thoroughfare houses lecture halls, classrooms and workstations/study spaces for students, researchers and employees. The lab wing directly adjoins this building and includes offices and recreation areas as well as labs. Photovoltaic panels will be installed on the roofs. Technical and logistical infrastructure for the whole campus will be installed in the basement of the new building, replacing the old infrastructure and ensuring the future supply of heating, cooling, lighting, air and water as well as logistics services for Irchel Campus.

Now that the winning project has been confirmed, the team will further develop their concept with the aim of presenting a building project ready for approval to the Government Council and the Cantonal Council in 2025. Provided the project is approved and there are no appeals, building works could begin by 2029 or 2030.

Author: Directorate for Real Estate and Facility Management, UZH

The League of European Research Universities (LERU) is committed to promoting basic research at European universities. Its aim is to raise awareness among political decision-​makers and opinion leaders of the important role that research universities play. It regularly comments on the EU’s research, innovation and education policies.

LERU currently has 23 members, including the universities of Zurich and Geneva in Switzerland and the British universities of Oxford and Cambridge. On 1 January 2024, ETH Zurich will join LERU by invitation as its 24th member.

Welcoming the news, Linda Doyle, LERU Chair and Provost of Trinity College Dublin said: “I am delighted that the leading research university ETH Zurich is joining the LERU network. LERU plays a really important role in standing up for research, innovation and education across Europe and beyond. With ETH Zurich, we will be even stronger in realising our collective ambitions.”

“Together with like-​minded universities, ETH Zurich seeks to serve society and strengthen the European academic landscape. LERU stands for values that we share. It is an important voice for research and education in Europe,” says ETH President Joël Mesot.

ETH Zurich is joining at a time when the university remains excluded from the Horizon Europe research programme. This means it is more important than ever for ETH to join forces with partner universities in Europe.

Author: Editorial Team, ETH Zürich

(CONNECT) A panel of 19 people has selected the finalists for this year's Swiss FinTech Award from ten applicants. According to a press release, the prizes will again be awarded in the two categories Early Stage for young start-ups and Growth Stage for established companies. The winners will be announced together with a Fintech Influencer of the Year on June 11 at the Gottlieb Duttweiler Institute in Rüschlikon. The event is organized by the Finanz und Wirtschaft Forum.

Tiun, based in Technopark Zurich, and Yainvest have qualified in the Early Stage category. Tiun offers digital payment systems for online services such as newspapers, videos and podcasts. Companies can use it to improve their subscriber acquisition.

Yainvest offers software for financial investments as a service provider (SaaS). This is optimized with the help of data analysis and artificial intelligence and makes financial decisions easier.

Rivero and Taurus came out on top in the Growth Stage category. Rivero offers SaaS services in payment transactions and in particular the products Amiko and Kajo for fraud prevention and dispute resolution. Taurus developed an infrastructure for digital assets. According to the press release, more than half of Swiss banks work with the company's platform in the area of digital assets.

In the final on June 11, one winner will be chosen in each of the two categories. The winner of the Early Stage will also receive five-figure prize money. ce/ww

(CONNECT) The Georg Friedrich Götz Foundation, which is based at the University of Zurich (UZH), has awarded this year's prize. According to a statement from the university, the Georg Friedrich Götz Prizes 2025 were awarded in equal parts to oncologist Jana Ellegast and neuropathologist Jiang-An Yin. The prize is endowed with a total of 30,000 Swiss francs.

Jana Ellegast, Assistant Professor of Translational Oncology at UZH and Senior Physician in the Department of Medical Oncology and Hematology at the University Hospital Zurich (USZ), received the prize for her research into acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Using genome screening, her team identified a protein as an immune modulator, the loss of which leads to excessive inflammatory reactions in leukemia cells.

Jiang-An Yin was honored for his research on new methods of DNA cataloging. Using a tool developed by his team to create libraries of human protein-coding genes with repetitive DNA sequences (CRISPR), a large number of DNA polymorphisms can be identified. In particular, the new CRISPR tool opens up new perspectives for research into neurodegenerative diseases. Dr. Yin has found numerous newly identified genes that are potentially druggable and regulate the pathology of Parkinson's and prion diseases, according to the press release. ce/ww

(CONNECT) Students at the University of Zurich (UZH) will be able to take and complete modules from other European universities online from the coming fall semester. According to a press release, this initially involves the computer science modules Data Science for Lawyers, Massive Data Processing and AI in Society. In a first phase, students can take advantage of these offers from the University of Bologna, Universidad Complutense de Madrid and the University of Helsinki.

This extension of studies is made possible by the European university network Una Europa, based in Brussels, in which eleven universities - nine of which are in the EU - are associated.

“The module exchange gives students the opportunity to take courses that are not available in this form at UZH,” says Annika Silberstein, who is responsible for coordinating the module exchange at the Vice-Rectorate for Academic Affairs, in the press release. “The exchange offers an opportunity to gain experience outside of UZH during your regular studies.”

It is important for students that the qualifications obtained in the foreign modules are recognized for their studies at UZH. Furthermore, two Bachelor's degree programs in European Studies and Sustainable are offered jointly by UZH and several participating universities. In the future, studying at UZH should open up a wide range of study opportunities throughout Europe, says Silberstein. ce/ww

(CONNECT) Jörn Piel, Professor of Bacterial Natural Products at the ETH Institute of Microbiology, has been awarded the Jung Prize for Medicine. This prestigious honor is awarded by the Hamburg Jung Foundation for Science and Research for outstanding scientific achievements that have the potential to change diagnostics and therapy in the long term.

With prize money of 300,000 euros, the Jung Prize is one of the most prestigious and highly endowed awards in Europe, the ETH said in a statement. Piel shares it with the Director of the Max Planck Institute in Munich, Elena Conti. "I would never have dreamed that I would receive this award," said Piel, who has been researching at ETH Zurich since 2013. He was previously a professor of chemistry at the University of Bonn.

Piel and his team are searching for non-cultivated bacteria that produce novel and medically applicable active substances. This is because "bacteria contain many undiscovered natural substances that have an antibiotic effect and can therefore help us to overcome the antibiotic crisis," explains the researcher. He is particularly interested in exotic species that have never been studied before: "The key moment was when we actually found the first bacterium," says Piel in an ETH video. "And then we looked into the genome: it was full of biosynthesis genes. In terms of the genome, it was comparable to industrial producers of drug candidates. That was an incredible experience."

The team is currently working on a substance "previously only known from sea sponges", explains Piel. This is "one of the most active and promising substances" ever studied at the National Cancer Institute, the most important authority for biomedical research in the USA. Because it cannot be obtained sustainably from nature, the team looked for an alternative production source and found it, according to Piel. "We hope," says the researcher, "that we can take this further." He hopes that the prize will provide "impetus to launch new projects for which it is still too early to submit research proposals, i.e. pioneering projects". ce/mm

(CONNECT) NEC plans to locate the global headquarters for its Digital Government and Digital Finance business unit in Zurich. This was announced by CEO Takayuki Morita during a meeting with Ignazio Cassis, according to a press release. The Federal Council paid an official state visit to the NEC headquarters in Tokyo on 22. and April 23rd.

In a white paper, NEC describes the Digital Government and Digital Finance division as one of its key growth areas. In 2021, NEC completed the acquisition of the Schwyz-based banking software company Avaloq for CHF 2.05 billion. Since then, the company has operated under its original name as an independent NEC unit in Zurich.

Mr. Cassis headed the Swiss delegation on 22 April, the Swiss National Day at Expo 2025 in Osaka. There, he reportedly emphasized Switzerland's leading role in innovation and cutting-edge technology. He was accompanied by numerous representatives of Swiss research and technology institutions, including the President of the ETH Board, Michael Hengartner, and Innosuisse President André Kudelski.

On April 23, the head of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs met with Japanese Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya. The focus was on current geopolitical challenges. At subsequent meetings with representatives of the Ministries of Economic Affairs and Education, Science and Technology, the interest in closer cooperation was confirmed. ce/mm

The first courses will start in fall and winter 2025 with 12 participants for

• "AI in Global Finance" CAS
• "AI for Boardmembers" and the
• "Certified Boardmember" Certification.

The best students will receive access to the Swiss Future Award ceremony at the Swiss Future Institute's two-day Future Symposium.

Applications from students, companies and institutions at ai@futureinstitute.ch

Swiss Future Institute and HWZ would like to thank all the partners in our ecosystem who are making a difference and working with them to promote responsible AI with a focus on practical application.

(CONNECT) A new e-learning course from the Zurich-based think tank FE+MALE helps investors to free themselves from unconscious bias when making decisions. According to a press release, it is now open to all interested parties at favorable starting conditions. The course was developed by FE+MALE and partners as part of the Beat Funding Bias Initiative (BFBI). The alliance behind it is committed to closing the funding gap for women-led businesses and aims to promote economic growth in a sustainable and inclusive way.

"With the BFBI online course, financial decision-makers can learn how to break down prejudices in order to boost business," FE+MALE main initiator Patricia M. Montesinos is quoted as saying. The monetary advantage has been proven by studies and case studies: In a gender comparison, women-led companies generated twice as much turnover per dollar on average. Nevertheless, they received far less funding. The course is therefore aimed at private clients and is aimed at investors, decision-makers in state institutions, foundations, family offices and the start-up ecosystem.

The content of the course was developed together with experts from various universities and is based on findings from behavioral research. Using practical examples and interactive games, course participants explore the psychology of their decision-making. According to the description, they understand the reasons for their own bias. Due to the effect of affinity bias, for example, people with similarities are often preferred. The course provides strategies for overcoming this practice, among other things. Participants receive a certificate at the end.

According to the press release, the first 20 people who register by e-mail by May 16 will receive an introductory discount of 80 percent. Details of the course will be discussed at a BFBI workshop on May 6. ce/yvh

(CONNECT) The ZKB Pioneer Award Technopark has been recognizing deep tech projects that are about to enter the market for over 20 years. It is awarded by the Zürcher Kantonalbank (ZKB) and the Technopark Zurich Foundation. It is endowed with around 100,000 Swiss francs for the winner and around 10,000 Swiss francs each for the runners-up. The award ceremony will take place on May 20, 2025 at Technopark Zurich. The three finalists have now been nominated.

Ex Nunc Intelligence is a LegalTech start-up from Lausanne. Founded in 2023 as a spin-off of the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne (EPFL), the company is developing artificial intelligence (AI)-based software that is set to grow into a transformative, network-based legal ecosystem. According to jury member Lothar Thiele, it "combines different classes of algorithms, methods for data curation and multilingual generative AI in an outstanding way". The start-up is thus setting "new standards in the provision of actionable legal knowledge for both lawyers and the general public".

Irmos Technologies translates vibrations recorded by sensors on bridges and other structures into damage indicators and axle loads. The spin-off from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich (ETH), which is based in Technopark Zurich, thus provides usable insights into the structural condition of infrastructures and the actual traffic load in real time. "I find their intelligent combination of cost-efficient sensors and powerful algorithms that enable precise and predictive maintenance particularly impressive," says jury member Michelle Tschumi.

Nanoflex Robotics from Opfikon ZH uses magnetic fields to guide the tips of endovascular instruments. Using a control console, medical professionals can change the shape of the device tip and move it in any direction. The ETH spin-off's technology also enables a secure remote connection for remote thrombectomies. This means that life-saving measures can be carried out more quickly, for example in smaller or rural hospitals. "I was immediately fascinated by the innovative potential of this project," jury member Emanuela Keller is quoted as saying. ce/mm

(CONNECT) UZH has a new laboratory building on the Irchel campus. The University and Canton of Zurich officially inaugurated the Y80 at the beginning of April, UZH reported in a press release. Laboratory space, operating theaters and rooms for imaging procedures were created on an area of 2450 square meters.

The Institute of Molecular Cancer Research, the Musculoskeletal Research Unit and the Center for Preclinical Development are moving into Y80. They were previously spread across various UZH locations. By merging the institutes, the university hopes to achieve more efficient use of the institutes and enable them to work closely together on an interdisciplinary basis. The university also hopes that the proximity of the research groups will accelerate the transfer of knowledge from basic research to practical application.

"The ceremonial opening of the Y80 shows once again that the University of Zurich and the Canton of Zurich are working together to provide first-class research conditions," writes UZH in the press release. "The building is an important contribution to modern cutting-edge research and the innovative strength of Zurich as a location," said Silvia Steiner, Director of Education of the Canton of Zurich. ce/hs

(CONNECT) The Riedmatt Center Rümlang welcomes two internationally active companies as new tenants. memox, a provider of meeting and event rooms active in Germany and Switzerland, is moving into the separate top floor high above the center, UCW AG, the operator of the Riedmatt Center Rümlang, announced in a press release. The Monkey Town chain, which is represented in the Netherlands, Germany and Switzerland, is setting up an indoor playground in the center on over 1600 square meters.

"With memox and Monkey Town, we are gaining two more tenants that are among the leading providers in their segment," Dieter Bosshard, CEO of Riedmatt Center Rümlang, is quoted as saying in the press release. "We are thus expanding our offer for companies in the area of events and team building as well as for the little ones." According to the press release, the center has already successfully established itself in the region. The number of visitors during the last Christmas and sports vacations increased by 7 percent compared to the previous year.

For memox, the approximately 1000 square meter new location at Zurich Airport West is the company's largest location. With the Riedmatt Center Rümlang, Monkey Town has found "the ideal second location in Switzerland after Horgen", explains Eleni Gossen, Country Director Austria & Switzerland at Monkey Town, in the press release. "The center is already well-known and popular with families in the region." ce/hs

(CONNECT) The Zurich lowland location is presenting its Innovation Award for the fifth time. Companies with innovative products, services, processes, business models or organizational forms are being sought for the Innovation Award Zurich lowland 2025, the location promotion agency explains on its website. SMEs can apply until June 30. To take part in the competition, you must be based or have a branch in the Zurich lowland.

The Zurich lowland location provides interested companies with an online registration form. Information about the company and a description of the innovation are requested here. The assessment criteria are degree of innovation, impact on the regional economy, impact on social life, impact on the environment, image impact and appeal for the region as well as transferability to other SMEs.

The Business Council of the Zurich lowland location, which acts as a jury, will select three winning companies from the applications. The winning company will receive prize money of 5000 francs. There is prize money of 2500 Swiss francs for second and third place. The award ceremony will take place as part of the innovation event organized by the location promotion agency. It will take place on August 26 at the winner of the Innovation Award 2024, Localfish AG, in Rafz. ce/hs

(CONNECT) In terms of location marketing, 2024 surpasses previous years in terms of quality, size and excellence. This is the GZA 's summary of its activities over the past year. As the location promoter explains in a press release, the GZA supported a total of 91 international companies in their expansion projects in this "year of top quality" together with the public location and economic development agencies of the joint economic area.

The GZA describes it as "particularly pleasing" that four out of five of these settlements come from the actively marketed key technologies of cleantech and artificial intelligence, the strategic focus for 2024. "In 2025, sustainability and innovation will become even more of a strategic focus for GZA," says Managing Director Lukas Huber. "Since the beginning of 2024, we have been evaluating projects not only in terms of economic aspects, but also from an environmental and social perspective."

According to GZA, the most important new additions include companies such as Revolut, Anthropic, OpenAI, the Robotics and AI Institute, BYD and Estun Automation. The strong international focus of these settlements confirms the attractiveness of the Zurich economic area for companies from the fintech, robotics, electromobility and artificial intelligence sectors.

The Starlab Space project also deserves special mention. The Greater Zurich Area is thus also positioning itself as a central innovation location in the future sector of the New Space Economy. "The location factors that make up the success of the Greater Zurich Area - from quality of life and security to tax attractiveness, entrepreneurial administrations, infrastructure and talent pool - must continue to be actively cultivated," summarizes GZA Chairman of the Board of Directors Dr. Balz Hösly. ce/mm

(CONNECT) Energie 360° has converted its headquarters in Zurich into a green power plant, the energy supplier, which is active throughout Switzerland, and the city of Zurich announced in a joint press release. During the now completed conversion and renovation work, a large-scale photovoltaic façade was installed. Its 1600 modules are expected to generate around 325 megawatt hours of electricity per year.

"In future, Energie 360° will produce around half of its building's annual energy requirements itself," Michael Baumer, Head of Industrial Operations of the City of Zurich and Chairman of the Board of Directors of Energie 360°, is quoted as saying in the press release. The solar power generated will also be used to power the company's own fleet of electric cars. In order for the system to be approved, Energie 360 had to prove that a fire in the modules could not spread over more than two storeys.

Energie 360° aims to switch its direct sales exclusively to renewables by 2040. The company is well on track to achieve the interim target of 30 percent set for the end of 2025, Energie 360° reported in a further press release. In the financial year ended September 30, 2024, a share of 27% was achieved. Specifically, 1238 of a total of 4590 gigawatt hours of energy sold came from renewable sources. "We feel the broad support and recognition for our transformation - among employees, partner companies and customers," Energie 360° CEO Jörg Wild is quoted as saying in the press release. ce/hs

(CONNECT) Balgrist University Hospital wants to strengthen training and further education in the cantonal healthcare system with additional training courses. According to a press release, orthopaedic residents can now benefit from an expanded training and further education program.

In its research and teaching center called Operating Room X(OR-X), 25 additional specialized training courses were created. They are accredited by the Swiss Society for Orthopaedics and Traumatology. With the support of the Canton of Zurich's Department of Health, specialist training is now also open to prospective specialists from the Canton of Zurich and Switzerland.

In the courses, participants prepare for everyday life in the operating theater in the Drylab and Wetlab. They will find "optimal conditions" to prepare for the specific treatments and requirements in various specialist areas of orthopaedics using "state-of-the-art precision instruments" and under the guidance of experienced surgeons from Balgrist University Hospital.

Balgrist University Hospital has been operating the OR-X since 2023. Since then, monthly courses have been held on anatomical models and human body donations in order to deepen surgical skills and optimally prepare for the specialist examination. ce/heg

(CONNECT) Joël Mesot has decided not to run for a third term as President of the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich. The President, who has been in office since January 2019, addressed the ETH Board at its meeting on 5. and 6 March that he intends to pass on the baton at the end of his second term of office at the end of 2026, writes the ETH Domain Council in a statement. "But until then, there is still a lot to tackle and complete," Mesot is quoted as saying. The outgoing President of the university has been a member of the ETH Board since 2010. Mesot was at the helm of the Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI) from 2010 to 2018.

At Mesot's request, the ETH Board appointed Annette Oxenius as a new member of the Executive Board of the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich at its meeting. She will replace Christan Wolfrum as Vice President for Research at the beginning of August. Wolfrum joins Nanyang Technological University NTU Singapore as Deputy President & Provost. Her successor Oxenius has been a full professor of immunology at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich since 2012.

At its meeting, the ETH Board also allocated the federal funds for 2026 and a supplement for 2025. On the one hand, the supplementary allocation serves to partially compensate for a one-off budget cut in 2025. Further funds will also flow into the Swiss Artificial Intelligence (AI) initiative. Most of the federal funding for 2026 will go to the two Federal Institutes of Technology in Zurich and Lausanne and the four research institutes PSI, the Swiss  Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research (WSL), the Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology (Empa) and the Water Institute Eawag. ce/hs

(CONNECT) The Financial Times (FT) has presented the second edition of Europe's Leading Start-up Hubs. It includes 150 start-up promoters across Europe and was compiled together with Statista and Sifted, according to an article. Switzerland is represented in the list of the best with seven organizations. These are Venture Kick in Schlieren ZH, described by the FT as a technology promoter in 6th place, followed by Fongit in Geneva in 24th place, which is named as a medical promoter in the FT list.

The Runway Incubator in Winterthur is ranked 50th on the list. "We support business ideas from all sectors," it says on its website. The Female Founders Initiative in Zurich, which specializes in promoting female founders, achieved 65th place and the Inovation Office at the University of Basel 85th place. 100th place went to the Startup Campus Winterthur and 109th place to the innovation agency of the Canton of Ticino, the Fondazione Agire based in Manno.

The list for 2025 again includes 150 hubs, which were evaluated by alumni and external experts such as investors, entrepreneurs and scientists, according to the FT article. The German UnternehmerTUM in Munich leads the ranking for the second year in a row. The non-profit organization offers programs that support start-ups with the basics of building a company.

The country with the most hubs in the ranking is the United Kingdom with 29, most of which are based in London. There are 19 centers in Germany and 24 in Spain and Portugal combined, two of which are among the top 20 in the overall ranking.

The full special report Europe's Leading Start-up Hubs 2025 is due to be published in March. ce/gba

In August 2024, representatives of the 14 member cities and municipalities of the FRZ Zurich Airport Region met for an initial workshop to work out together what makes the Zurich Airport Region what it is.

The results of this first workshop have been summarized in a factsheet that can now be used, for example, to strengthen the region's location marketing. A follow-up workshop is already planned for September 2025, which will build on the topics of ICT, MICE, mobility and headquarters from last year. The aim is now to develop these topics in more detail and launch the first projects.

The newly founded Sustainability Advisory Board of the FRZ is intended to strengthen the airport region as a leading competence center for sustainable innovations and to support companies and municipalities in the development and implementation of sustainable business models.

The Advisory Board promotes best practices from the Zurich Airport region, networks stakeholders from business, science and politics and provides impetus for sustainable innovations.

The Advisory Board also decides on the FRZ Excellence Award, which is presented annually to FRZ member companies that stand out for their outstanding performance in areas such as sustainability and innovation.

Many thanks to the new Advisory Board members who are contributing their expertise in the various areas of sustainability to FRZ's sustainability strategy!

(CONNECT) Total investment in Swiss start-ups fell by 8.5% to CHF 2.4 billion last year compared to 2023. The number of financing rounds fell from just under 400 to 357 in the same period. Very large investments in the three-digit million range were missing.

On the other hand, the proportion of financing rounds in which founders were able to raise more than CHF 3 million rose by 40.7 percent. This is shown in the 13th Swiss Venture Capital Report. It is compiled annually by the news portal startupticker.ch and the Swiss Private Equity & Corporate Finance Association (SECA) in collaboration with startup.ch.

According to the report, investments in ICT and fintech companies have once again fallen sharply compared to the record year of 2022. At CHF 739.2 million, the biotech sector attracted 50 percent more than in the previous year. The IT sector in the healthcare sector was also able to more than compensate for the previous year's decline and recorded strong growth. The micro and nanotech sector held its own.

The number of exits remained stable in 2024: around 30 start-ups were sold abroad, while eleven of them found domestic buyers. The acquisition of the Swiss-Greek company BETA CAE Systems International, based in Lucerne, which was completed in June 2024, was worth more than 1.2 billion dollars to the Californian software group Cadence.

Despite considerable losses, Zurich is at the top of the cantonal rankings, followed by Vaud, Geneva and Basel-Landschaft. The Canton of Bern had a record year with 24 financing rounds totaling CHF 117.85 million. ce/mm

(CONNECT) According to the Schlieren-based software company, the collaboration between Zühlke and Global Research Platforms has "revolutionised Alzheimer's research: it is now faster, safer and more collaborative than ever before". This is to be ensured by a new platform for researchers that enables global cooperation while at the same time protecting sensitive health data. According to the information provided, it also facilitates access: lower entry barriers should democratise access to research data for researchers and students.

The starting point for these efforts was the question of how researchers can gain secure and easy access to the data from the Anti-Amyloid Treatment in Asymptomatic Alzheimer's (A4) study without jeopardising sensitive patient data. The study had generated a huge data set on pre-symptomatic Alzheimer's disease.

That is why Zühlke is working with Global Research Platforms to develop a platform that enables researchers worldwide to access the same data while maintaining the highest standards of data protection and data security. This is now being optimised based on feedback from the scientific community.

As a second application example, the platform also supports the catalog of the European Network of Neurodegenerative Diseases. This catalog promotes research on neurodegenerative diseases through a comprehensive collection of global studies. By integrating various data sources, this catalog sets new standards in data usage and collaboration. ce/mm

(CONNECT) On Swiss Engineers' Day 2025, the ZHAW is exploring the question of whether the engineering profession is still attractive enough today to attract enough young talent to meet the challenges of tomorrow. According to her invitation, the focus will also be on what is being done to inspire more and especially female specialists to enter the engineering profession and what male colleagues can do to promote a balanced gender ratio in technology.

National Engineers Day on March 4 is part of the UNESCO World Day of Engineering for Sustainable Development. It was proclaimed in 2019 at the suggestion of the World Federation of Engineering Organizations to draw attention to the key role of engineering in implementing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

The ZHAW event will take place on 4th March from 6 to 7 p.m. under the motto "Strengthening Technology - Promoting Women". Dr. Verena Witzig, specialist for Diversity, Equality & Inclusion at the University of St.Gallen, will give an input presentation. The subsequent panel discussion will be attended by Céline Brun from the Alias Board Section T of the ZHAW, the Chairwoman of the Swiss Association of Women Engineers, Elizabeth Huerta Borraz, and Prof. Dr. Silvio Lorenzetti. He is head of the Applied Mathematics, Physics, Systems and Operations department at the ZHAW School of Engineering.

Sandra Reich, Head of People Development at Angst+Pfister, Beat Schmid, Branch Manager St.Gallen at Siemens, and Dr. Joanna Weng, lecturer and Diversity Officer at the ZHAW School of Engineering, will also be on the podium. Afterwards, guests will have the opportunity to talk to the panelists over an aperitif. Registration is requested. ce/mm

(CONNECT) According to its annual report, Venture Kick supported a total of 97 new start-up projects with CHF 6.7 million in 2024. In the same period, the start-up promoter reviewed 880 applications. Their number has risen by 13 percent compared to the previous year. The applications came from the ICT, biotech, medtech, cleantech, electronics, materials and nanotechnology sectors.

According to a press release, a record number of 66 alumni made it into the TOP 100 Swiss start-ups last year. And "despite a difficult fundraising environment", Venture Kick start-ups have attracted over 1 billion in investment. All of this underlines "the continued success of the Kick Foundation initiative in strengthening Switzerland's position as a global innovation leader".

"We have become a trusted resource that connects entrepreneurs with the right investors and gives them the visibility they need to succeed," said Pascale Vonmont, Delegate of the Strategy Board. "Going forward, we want to amplify this impact and ensure that the next generation of Swiss innovators have the tools and support they need to secure the capital they need to succeed even faster."

To this end, Venture Kick 2025 aims to increase its support by 30 percent compared to the previous year and support a total of 3,000 science-based start-ups and create 100,000 jobs by 2033. In order to achieve these goals, the foundation is reportedly continuously expanding its partner consortium, while Venture Kick is actively looking for new donors. ce/mm

(CONNECT) Researchers at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich(ETH) and the Zurich University of Applied Sciences(ZHAW) in Winterthur have carried out a simulation to investigate the dependence of the national electricity grid on foreign imports. According to a press release, the teams tested various shock scenarios for a climate-neutral Switzerland in 2050. The aim is to show how to react in the event of drastic restrictions on gas and electricity imports from abroad.

As a basic assumption, the researchers set a demand of 76 terawatt hours for the year 2050, 45 percent of which will be produced from imports and hydropower and the rest from domestic solar and wind power plants.

The simulations showed that a drastic reduction in electricity of up to 70 percent can be achieved from domestic sources. Major gas outages could be replaced by liquid fuels. According to the study, nuclear energy would only have to be used in the unlikely event of a total loss of all imports every two years. "Only in this unrealistic scenario would the very high investment costs of new nuclear power plants be offset by their relatively low operating costs," says ZHAW energy researcher Ali Darudi.

"The less frequently there are drastic restrictions on electricity trading with other countries of 70 percent or more, the more efficiently these can be managed with technologies that have high operating costs but low investment costs," Jonas Savelsberg from the ETH Energy Science Center is quoted as saying in the press release. ce/ww

(CONNECT) Researchers from the universities of Zurich, Bern and Geneva, together with international researchers, have discovered new constellations in the WASP-132 planetary system as part of the National Center of Competence in Research PlanetS, according to a press release.

The researchers discovered that a so-called hot Jupiter - a planet with a mass similar to that of Jupiter in our solar system - orbits the system's central star in seven days and three hours. A super-Earth, a rocky planet with six times the mass of Earth, has an orbit of just 24 hours and 17 minutes. The planetary system also has a massive giant planet that takes five years to orbit the gas star. Until now, researchers had assumed that hot Jupiters exist in isolation in their planetary system. "The discovery of a hot Jupiter next to an inner super-Earth and a distant giant challenges our understanding of the formation and evolution of these systems," François Bouchy, from the Département d'Astronomie at the Faculty of Science of the University of Geneva, is quoted as saying in the press release. According to Solène Ulmer-Moll, former postdoc at the University of Bern and co-author of the study, it was "the first time we have observed such a configuration". Since hot Jupiters do not exist exclusively in isolation in planetary systems, their migration process must be different than previously assumed, according to the researchers.

The exploration of WASP-132 was initiated in 2006 as part of the Wide Angle Search for Planets (WASP) program, and in 2014 the CORALIE spectrograph, which is installed on the Swiss Euler telescope and controlled by the University of Geneva, began observing hot Jupiter. In the years that followed, the movements of the super-Earth and the giant planet were tracked and recorded. According to Ravit Helled, Professor of Theoretical Astrophysics at the University of Zurich and co-author of the study, these investigations into the combinations of the three observed planets provide "important clues to theories of planet formation and, in particular, their migration processes." ce/ww

(CONNECT) According to a press release, Schlatter Industries AG has once again successfully passed the annual audit by the Swiss Association for Quality and Management Systems(SQS). SQS describes itself as the "leading Swiss organization for certification and assessment services" and offers audits for certification in accordance with various standards. "This positive result underlines our commitment to the highest quality and management standards," says the Schlieren-based company in its press release.

The success is due to the continuous work and commitment of the Schlatter team and will also guarantee first-class services and reliable processes for Schlatter customers in the future, according to the company press release.

Schlatter Industries has also successfully passed IQNet recertification, according to a further announcement. Founded in 1990, the international certification network is a non-governmental, non-profit association headquartered in Bern. The members of 37 conformity assessment bodies based in 35 countries and at more than 400 locations worldwide work together on the basis of IQNET's common integrity principles, according to a self-description on the network's LinkedIn page.

The IQNET collaboration helps companies to achieve global competitiveness and contributes to building an assessment community that responds to market needs and acts according to values such as ethics, integrity and independence. ce/gba