FIT for the Future: Shared roof for the research institutes
Bern, 24.09.2026 — The four research institutes of the ETH Domain are to collaborate even more closely under a shared roof. They will strengthen the way they coordinate and collaborate on overarching strategic research programmes and will gradually merge their support services. Their own well-established areas of focus and their names will be retained. The ETH Board decided to go ahead with this further development and strengthening of the ETH Domain at its meeting on 23/24 September. In addition, the ETH Board appointed a new member of the Direction of EPFL and the Eawag Directorate.
New challenges and changing conditions require the ETH Domain, with its two Federal Institutes of Technology (ETH Zurich and EPFL) and the four research institutes (PSI, Empa, Eawag and WSL), to pool its resources more effectively and use the available resources even more efficiently. Against this backdrop, the ETH Board and the six ETH Domain institutions defined overarching aims for the organisational development project “FIT for the Future” at the start of 2024. A new organisational structure is intended to strengthen cooperation, exploit synergies and remove administrative obstacles. The four research institutes will contribute their complementary competencies as they work together to develop solutions to key societal challenges. In this way, the ETH Domain will continue to make a major contribution to Switzerland’s innovative capacity.
Under one roof, the research institutes will form a strong third pillar of the ETH Domain alongside ETH Zurich and EPFL. This should raise the profile of the ETH Domain and its achievements in politics, business and society.
Further development of the research institutes into the third strong pillar of the ETH Domain
The ETH Board and the institutions developed two options for the future organisation of the ETH Domain. These differ mainly in the degree to which the four research institutes are integrated. A consultation was held within the ETH Domain on the two options between March and July. Based on the feedback from the consultation, the ETH Board decided in favour of the option with the working title “Swiss National Labs” (SNLs). Most of the institutions supported this option. The ETH Board believes that this will enable a large proportion of the jointly defined objectives to be achieved. As part of the four research institutes’ grouping, “SNLs” should lead to greater coordination and collaboration between the institutions as they participate in overarching strategic research programmes. In addition, the gradual merger of the support services is intended to capitalise on synergies and position these services for the future.
This increased strategic coordination will allow complex, overarching themes such as AI, health, energy and the environment to be tackled even more effectively as a joint effort. Together, the four research institutes can develop and implement measures for climate protection and climate change adaptation, for example. They will also be able to build a shared digital infrastructure. The well-established focus areas and strengths of the research institutes will be retained. They will each keep their legal personality, name and locations, and will preserve their autonomy in terms of how they organise their research.
The full report on the results of the consultation is available on the ETH Board website (in German).
Next steps
The option chosen by the ETH Board necessitates an amendment to the Ordinance of the ETH Board on the research institutes of the ETH Domain. It will not be necessary to amend the ETH Act. The name of the shared roof for the research institutes (working title “Swiss National Labs”) has yet to be decided. The ETH Board will make a decision on this matter at its December meeting. After that, the amended ordinance will be subject to a consultation with federal offices as well as a consultation within the ETH Domain.
ETH Board appoints Professor Nicolas Grandjean as the new member of the Direction of EPFL
Upon application of the President of EPFL, the ETH Board has appointed Professor Nicolas Grandjean as the new member of the Direction of EPFL, where he assumes the role of Vice President for Education. Nicolas Grandjean has been a full professor at EPFL since 2010 and Associate Vice President for Education since 2025. He obtained his doctorate in Physics at the University of Nice Sophia Antipolis and joined EPFL in 2004 as an assistant professor with tenure track. He is an internationally acclaimed scientist in the field of semiconductors and photonics and has been head of a leading research laboratory for many years. His commitment to teaching has been recognised through many awards for excellence. In addition to his scientific activities, Nicolas Grandjean has held numerous senior positions at EPFL, particularly as head of the Physics Department and Director of the Institute of Condensed Matter Physics.
ETH Board appoints Professor Damien Bouffard as the new member of the Eawag Directorate
Upon application of the Director of Eawag, the ETH Board has appointed Professor Damien Bouffard to be a new member of the Eawag Directorate as of 1 January 2027. It also confirmed the current members of the Directorate in their posts. Damien Bouffard replaces Professor Carsten Schubert, who has been a member of the Directorate since 2021. The ETH Board would like to thank Carsten Schubert most sincerely for the years of valuable work he has performed in the Directorate. Damien Bouffard has established himself as a leading scientist in the field of waterbody and lake research. At Eawag he leads research projects at the interface between physics, environmental sciences and climate research. He is Deputy Head of the Department of Surface Waters.