Legal Implementation

The ETH Act defines the status, structure and mission of the ETH Domain. The open rules it defines contribute greatly to the ability of the ETH Domain’s institutions to keep pace with technical and scientific developments and with international competition.

The ETH Act grants autonomy to the ETH Domain on the one hand and to the two Federal Institutes of Technology and the four research institutes on the other hand. Within the framework of the ETH Act, the ETH Domain regulates its affairs independently. The two Federal Institutes of Technology and the four research institutes assume the responsibilities which are not explicitly assigned to the ETH Board.

Ordinances and directives

The ETH Board enacts ordinances specifically based on precise authorisations within the ETH Act, in the Framework Ordinance regarding the Federal Act on the Personnel of the Swiss Confederation, and in the Ordinance on Real Estate Management and Federal Logistics. Examples include: the Fees Ordinance, the Personnel Ordinance and the Real Estate Ordinance for the ETH Domain.

In addition, the ETH Board also enacts directives and guidelines, e.g. regulations on the management of third-party funding (investment guidelines) and ETH Board directives on risk management at the Federal Institutes of Technology and research institutes.

Applications for legislative amendments

Due to the constantly changing framework conditions in the education system and the rapid technical progress in research, it is continually necessary to amend federal acts and/or ordinances. If such requirements are identified for the ETH Domain, the ETH Board submits corresponding applications to the relevant offices of its own accord.

Statements on legal implementation by the Confederation and the institutions of the ETH Domain

Within the framework of office consultations, the ETH Board is regularly invited to issue statements on legal implementation by the Confederation. These statements enable the ETH Board to systematically incorporate the ETH Domain’s requirements into the legislative procedure and protect the interests of the institutions.

Likewise, the ETH Board is invited to issue statements regarding legal implementation on the part of the ETH Domain’s institutions.