Financial and investment planning
The ETH Board’s core tasks concern longer-term financial and investment planning, the allocation of the funds approved by the Federal Parliament to the two Federal Institutes of Technology and the four research institutes, the terms of reference for the budgets, as well as the preparation of the consolidated budget and the consolidated accounts of the ETH Domain.
Financial and investment planning
In the context of strategic planning, the ETH Board establishes the finances required for the implementation of strategic objectives and projects. The ETH Board is involved in drawing up the Federal Council’s strategic objectives for the ETH Domain (“performance mandate“ until 2016), during which process the two Federal Institutes of Technology and the research institutes are consulted. On the basis of the rolling budgeting process and the financial planning of the Confederation, the Federal Council’s strategic objectives for the ETH Domain and the budgetary framework (including the annual tranches) – and with due consideration of the instructions of the Federal Council, the Federal Department of Finance (FDF) and the Federal Department of Economic Affairs, Education and Research (EAER) – the ETH Board annually submits the budget and finance plan figures to the EAER.
Allocation of funding and terms of reference for the budgets
Based on the terms of reference provided by the Federal Council’s strategic objectives and the budgetary framework, the ETH Board concludes four-year target agreements with the two Federal Institutes of Technology and the four research institutes and allocates federal resources. In particular, it bases its decisions on the budget requests submitted by the two Federal Institutes of Technology and the four research institutes. Annual allocation of funding must be in keeping with the payment appropriations approved by the Federal Parliament.
Taking into account the planned expenses and investments for real estate, the ETH Board initiates the annual budget process with budgeting instructions. The instructions provide the two Federal Institutes of Technology and the four research institutes with the material and formal framework within which they have to draw up their budgets, i.e. their profit and loss accounts, as well as investment and cash flow statements.
Budget and accounts
The ETH Board draws up an annual consolidated budget and annual consolidated accounts with a balance sheet and profit and loss account for the ETH Domain in accordance with IPSAS.
The ETH Board submits a request concerning budget and accounts to the EAER for the attention of the Federal Council.
The Federal Finance Administration and the ETH Domain conclude a treasury agreement. The ETH Domain’s payment transactions are effected through accounts with financial institutions under private or public law.
