Progress in the creation of a shared roof and a Digital Unit
The FIT for the Future project is now in its second phase – the design phase – following the ETH Board’s decision in principle in December 2024.
The design phase began in January 2025 and mainly involves fleshing out the specifics of the project. At its meeting of 5/6 March, the ETH Board discussed the vision for the FIT for the Future project as well as the mission of the Swiss National Lab (SNL, working title) which will be the shared roof of the research institutes and any new units. This was merely a first reading. The vision and mission are expected to be approved by the middle of the year.
The ETH Board also took note of the project organisation, cultural development concept and design principles for the governance of SNL. During the design phase, the employees of the institutions of the ETH Domain will have the opportunity to participate through planned workshops, townhall meetings and consultations.
Decision in principle: “one roof” and Digital Unit
Following the preliminary consultation by the institutions of the ETH Domain, the ETH Board made a decision in principle at its meeting in December 2024: in addition to ETH Zurich and EPFL, a third strong pillar of the ETH Domain with its own legal personality is to be set up, bringing the research institutes and any new units under one roof. The brands of the research institutions and their locations will remain the same.
The Digital Unit will be created as a new unit under the shared roof, and will have its headquarters in the French-speaking part of Switzerland. Furthermore, the ETH Board has instructed the research institutes to strengthen their collaboration with EPFL and with stakeholders in French-speaking Switzerland, and to boost their visibility in that region. Full details of the decision in principle can be found here: https://ethrat.ch/en/eth-domain/objectives-of-fit-for-the-future-and-decision-in-principle/.
