Politics

VSETH represents the higher education policy interests of all ETH students.

As a constructive dialogue partner, VSETH brings the views of students to ETH committees and the Executive Board. The students’ opinions are explicitly requested by the ETH bodies and their participation in many departmental and school-wide committees is defined in the ETH regulation. The advantages resulting from this exchange of views – in a time of intensifying and globalising competition between the universities – benefit students and the Executive Board equally.

The student associations represent its students in the departmental committees and thus influence the design of the degree programmes and services of the department. VSETH represents the students wide bodies at ETH level. These include, for example, the Gastro Commission and the Teaching Commission. In the case of particularly important developments, the VSETH Fachvereinsrat – a body in which one representative per student association participates – can take a position on behalf of all students.

In addition to the ETH committees, VSETH also has various representations at Aktiengesellschaften and Genossenschaften (such as ALV Wohnheim, ETH Store and Woko) and foundations (such as Kosta, SSWZ, Enabel and others). A list of all representations can be found here (de).

VSETH is part of the Verband der Schweizer Studierendenschaften (VSS) and the IDEA League Student Council (IDEALiStiC).

Current events and background information on university politics are published in our blog down below.

wiegETHs/howsETHgoing

VSETH organised a survey in FS19 to get a better overview of student satisfaction. The students were asked about their general well-being, mental health and their experiences with discrimination and misconduct.

The results were analysed in HS19 / FS20 and four action papers were submitted to the ETH.
To the dossier.

speakupETH

Here you find more information about VSETH’s newest project, following up wiegETHs.

Past engagement

On 21 November 2018, the Federal Council opened the consultation process on a partial revision of the Bundesgesetz über die Eidgenössischen Technischen Hochschulen. The legislative amendments relate in particular to the topics of corporate governance, personnel law and energy sales, as well as the implementation of recommendations of the Swiss Federal Audit Office (SFAO). The draft of the new law was submitted to parliament by the Federal Council on 27 November 2019. VSETH has submitted a statement. Zum Dossier. (German)

The ETH Board discussed an increase in tuition fees by CHF 500. In July 2018, the decision was taken to increase the tuition fees in stages by CHF 300. VSETH rejected the increase; it is superfluous and does not achieve its ostensibly set objectives. Zum Dossier. (German)

The aim of the VSS scholarship initiative was to harmonize the Swiss scholarship system. The popular initiative was rejected by the voters on 14 June 2015. VSETH welcomes a harmonisation of scholarships, as it makes access to education fairer. Zum Dossier. (German)

The Erasmus+ programme is a support programme of the European Union (“student exchange programme”). Following the adoption of the mass immigration initiative (zum Dossier (German)), Switzerlands participation status was downgraded from member state to partner country. The movetia Foundation is responsible for the implementation of Erasmus+ in Switzerland. VSETH is working towards reassociation with the Erasmus+ programme.