ANNUAL REPORT OF THE ETH BOARD ON THE Annual ReportAnnual 2018 ETH DOMAIN 2018 Prelude Prelude Table of contents ETHTable Domain of contents Total federal contribution1 Expenses CHF millions CHF millions 23 32 2018 F A C T S & F I G U R E S m m & Figures Facts 2,531 3,349 15 2017: CHF 2,531m 2017: CHF 3,307m The ETH Domain consists of the two Federal Institutes of Technology Value-added study 2 ETH Zurich and EPFL as well as the four federal research institutes, PSI the Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI), WSL, Empa and Eawag. Appointed Investments in Value-added 1 job creates 4 jobs by the Federal Council, the ETH Board is the strategic governing and Successfulthe ETH Domain expansionin Switzerland in the ETH Domain in Switzerland supervisory body of the ETH Domain. 8 www.ethboard.ch of research infrastructure Federal Councillor Guy Parmelin with the Presidents The ETH Domain maintains numerous research 1 and the Directors of the institutions of the ETH Domain. infrastructures such as the research and innovation building NEST or the neutron source SINQ, which is at 1 1 4 2 WEF 2019 the disposalCHF of national and international5.4 research- ers. The latter is currently being refurbished and will The Institutions of the ETH Domain Switzerland as then be the source with the best lens in theCHF world. 3 ETH Zurich Page 15 EPFL Page 19 PSI a global playerPage 23 For the third time, ETH Zurich exhibited at the WEF EmpaApprox. CHF 2.5bn Approx. CHF 13.3bn Approx. 21,000 Approx. 80,000 jobs with its own pavilion in Davos. The ETH Board and from the state cross value-added employees in Switzerland the institutions of the ETH Domain invited delegates Actuators instead to events on cutting-edge research in Switzerland. Personnel Students andEawag doctoral students At ETH Zurich, around 500 professors 11,100 students and doctoral students The PaulThe Scherrer networking Institute events(PSI) develops, brought together national of motors educate over 21,000 students and doc- from 116 countries and more than 350 builds and operatesinternational large-scale scientists, and policy-makers and the CTsystems,Employment a spin-off contracts company from Empa, has already toral students from over 120 countries. laboratories conduct leading research complex research facilities which it The wastewater Together they are engaged in research in in areas such as renewable energy, makes busiavailableness forcommunity. use by the national unveiled the first prototype of electromechanical poly- goldmine the fields of natural science, engineer- medical technology, materials science and international› Markus Mallaun research / ETH Board community. mer converters in a stacked configuration: as an actu- ing, architecture,ETH mathematics,Zurich: 2019 system- Fields Medaland information technology. On aver- All of these large-scale research facili- ator, it converts electrical energy into mechanical work Millions of people around the world have no access oriented sciences, as well as in manage- age, EPFL produces more than one spin- ties are unique in Switzerland, and in ment studies and the social sciences. off per month and maintains close some cases the PSI is the only place in with an “integrated” sensor function. Thanks to the to sanitation that offers a “clean” solution. Therefore, The findings andProfile innovations ofof the ETH economic relations. In 2018, EPFL the worldEPFL to have them. The institute's collaboration with the Swiss specialist Dätwyler, the Eawag is researching technical possibilities for treating researchers flow into the most forward- opened the LEARN Centre, dedicated own research focuses on the fields of 22,349 32,531 degree of industrial production reached a new level. wastewater and recovering resources from it. looking sectorsAlessio of Swiss industry, Figalli from to educational sciences. It promotes matter and materials, energy and the Proportion of women: 34% Apprentices: 462 Proportion of women: 31% informatics to micro- and nanotechnol- educational innovation to meet the environment,Disappearing as well as humanity and glaciers ogy, and high-techHe won medical it. The equipment. most prestigiouschallenges prize of digitalin mathematics transformation, health. www.ethz.chin the world, the Fields Medal.just as Andthe Center this hasfor Digital turned Trust does. www.psi.chand ecosystems World-class patents3 Spin-offs from the ETH Domain www.epfl.ch Figalli, a professor in mathematics at ETH Zurich, into A team of researchers from EPFL is planning a major a role model. Twice as many young people enrolled to expedition to around 200 glaciers around the world WSL study mathematics in his native city of Rome in Italy to gain a better understanding of microbial life in Harvard 29 MIT in autumn 2018. those disappearing ecosystems. ETH Domain Mounting extremes University of Oxford In an interview, WSL experts Andreas Rigling and WSL Page 26 Empa Page 29 Eawag Page 32 University of California Manfred Stähli explain what effect dry summers like Stanford University Tsinghua University the one in 2018 will have on nature in Switzerland. CNRS 55 Fraunhofer JST, Japan Chin. Acad. of Sciences University rankings The WSL investigates21 changes to the Empa is the interdisciplinary research Eawag is one of the world’s leading terrestrial environment,EPFL: 2018 and Latsis the Prizeuse institute of the “ETH Domain” for water research institutes. Its strength In comparison with some of the world's THE World THE Europe QS World QS Europe and protection of natural habitats materials science and technology. On and success are based on the combina- most renowned research institutions Ranking Ranking Ranking Ranking and cultural landscapes. It monitors the basis of its research, it develops tion of research, teaching and continu- 26 the conditionWinner and progress of forests, solutions to meet the biggest challenges ing education that it has provided for the ETH Domain has the third-highest share landscape, biodiversity, natural haz- currently facing industry and society, over 80 years, along with consultancy of world-class patents. 11 4 7 3 ards and snowAndrea and ice, and develops Ablasser and therefore plays a significant role and the transfer of knowledge. The sustainable solutions for socially rele- in reinforcing the innovative capacity combination of natural sciences, engi- vant problems.Andrea WSL also Ablasser, includes assistantthe andprofessor competitiveness at EPFL, ofwas Swiss industry neering and social sciences enables 35 9 22 7 WSL Institute awardedfor Snow and the Avalanche 2018 National in Latsisan increasingly Prize for competitive her environ- comprehensive research into water in Research SLF Davos. ment. relatively untouched rivers and lakes, 1 Credits taking into account the budgetary framework www.wsl.ch ground-breaking researchwww.empa.ch on innate immunity. right through to waste water manage- 19 2 BiGGAR Economics, November 2017 ment systems. 3 BAK Economics AG, 2018 ETH Zurich EPFL www.eawag.ch 4 ETH DOMAIN Annual Report 2018 5 Vision Annual Report of the ETH Board VISION on the ETH Domain 2018 The ETH Domain strives to strengthen the competitiveness of Switzerland in the long- term and contributes to the development of society through excellence in research, Foreword 6 teaching and knowledge and technology Review 8 transfer. It endeavours to serve as an exemplary beacon by assuming its share Fascination ETH Domain 11 of responsibility for the management of Governance 35 urgent social challenges, the enhancement Strategic objectives 45 of the quality of life, and the long-term maintenance of our natural resources. Key figures 81 Financing statement 99 PSI Publication data 106 Villigen ETH Zurich/ ETH Board ETH Zurich Zurich Basel Empa/ Eawag Empa Dübendorf St. Gallen WSL EPFL Birmensdorf Neuchâtel ETH Board Bern Eawag Kastanienbaum EPFL Empa EPFL/ WSL Fribourg WSL Thun Lausanne Davos EPFL/ WSL/ Empa WSL Sion Cadenazzo EPFL Geneva ETH Zurich Lugano The ETH Domain and its institutions The ETH Domain consists of the two Swiss Federal Higher education, research and innovation of the Institutes of Technology ETH Zurich and EPFL as well highest standard: the ETH Domain provides these as the four federal research institutes the PSI, WSL, Financial Report: services with more than 22,000 employees, more Empa and Eawag. The strategic leadership and than 32,000 students and doctoral students and supervisory body of the ETH Domain is the ETH Board. www.ethboard.ch/financialreport2018 a pool of around 850 professors. www.ethdomain.ch I www.ethboard.ch 3 Prelude Prelude Table of contents Table of contents 23 32 15 PSI Successful expansion 8 of research infrastructure Federal Councillor Guy Parmelin with the Presidents The ETH Domain maintains numerous research and the Directors of the institutions of the ETH Domain. infrastructures such as the research and innovation building NEST or the neutron source SINQ, which is at WEF 2019 the disposal of national and international research- ers. The latter is currently being refurbished and will Switzerland as then be the source with the best lens in the world. a global player For the third time, ETH Zurich exhibited at the WEF Empa with its own pavilion in Davos. The ETH Board and the institutions of the ETH Domain invited delegates Actuators instead to events on cutting-edge research in Switzerland. Eawag The networking events brought together national of motors and international scientists, policy-makers and the CTsystems, a spin-off company from Empa, has already The wastewater business community. unveiled the first prototype of electromechanical poly- goldmine › Markus Mallaun / ETH Board mer converters in a stacked configuration: as an actu- ETH Zurich: 2019 Fields Medal ator, it converts electrical energy into mechanical work Millions of people around the world have no access with an “integrated” sensor function. Thanks to the to sanitation that offers a “clean” solution. Therefore, Profile of EPFL collaboration with the Swiss specialist Dätwyler, the Eawag is researching technical possibilities for treating degree of industrial production reached a new level.