Office for Faculty Affairs
On behalf of the President of ETH Zurich, the Office for Faculty Affairs is responsible for the implementation of the appointment procedure and the associated processes, as well as advising and supporting you in academic-strategic matters related to your professorship.
The Office for Faculty Affairs also coordinates the planning of professorships at ETH Zurich, prepares the corresponding decisions of the Executive Board and supports both the Executive Board and the departments throughout the implementation phase. The Office for Faculty Affairs is therefore also the coordination centre for the financial planning and the budgeting of the departments’ basic funding
Key topics
The planning of professorships forms a key organisation axis within ETH Zurich, ultimately determining the development of the departmental basic funding, the accommodation requirements and the establishments of scientific platforms and infrastructural facilities. The planning of professorships is therefore strongly grounded within the Executive Board’s business management process.
The basic intention underlying the planning of professorships is determined in the four-year strategies of the departments. The planning is firmly established in the annual dialogues between the Executive Board and the departments and is thus further developed and specified. Its implementation is shaped by the so-called Freigabegespräche between the President and the departments, during which the planned professorships on application of the departments are approved for advertisement.
Considering the teaching requirements as well, each professorship profile is attuned to the current and future challenges of the corresponding speciality.
The Office for Faculty Affairs is the coordination centre for the financial planning and the budgeting of the departments’ basic funding. The funds allocated to a professorship by the President are integrated into the budget of the corresponding department and, after the five-year starting phase, come under the departmental guidelines for the allocation of funds (see departmental rules of procedure).
The basic funding of a department is adapted according to changes in the number of professorships of the corresponding department (for example additional professorships, vacancies, waiver of continuation, etc.).
Professorships which are implemented by means of third-party funding (so-called third-party initial financing) are equal to professorships financed through internal funds in terms of their financial rights and obligations.
The recruitment of professors at all levels is a very well established, transparent process, which is internationally recognised as best practice. Since this core process of ETH Zurich is handled by the Office for Faculty Affairs, which reports directly to the President, a very high level of professionalism and efficiency can be ensured.