Federal Act
on the Federal Institutes of Technology
(ETH Act)

ETHZ and EPFL are autonomous public-law institutions established by the Confederation and have their own legal personality.

Each is independent in the regulation and administration of its affairs. Each has equal status and the individual characteristics of each shall remain intact.

They shall enjoy freedom in terms of teaching, learning and research.

…¹⁷

The two federal institutes of technology shall prepare their students to carry out independent work using scientific methods. They shall encourage cross-disciplinary thinking, personal initiative and a willingness to continue in education and training.

The two federal institutes of technology shall teach and conduct research in engineering sciences, natural sciences, architecture, mathematics and related disciplines.

They shall integrate the humanities and social sciences into their activities.

They shall encourage cross-disciplinary teaching and research.

The two federal institutes of technology shall discharge their teaching duties in particular by:

1. ¹⁸educating students in specialist studies at university level leading to academic titles;

2. offering the opportunity for doctorates;

3. providing postgraduate courses and other continuing education;

4. organising special courses;

5. offering courses for those returning to the employment market.

In order to do this, they shall rely in particular on the research work of the teaching staff.¹⁹

The two federal institutes of technology shall discharge their research duties by:

1. conducting scientific studies;

2. participating in national and international research projects.

They shall take account of the needs of teaching.

The two federal institutes of technology may take on teaching and research assignments and render other services provided they are compatible with their primary responsibilities in teaching and research.

If services can be provided equally well by the private sector, the two federal institutes of technology shall not distort competition.

The two federal institutes of technology and the research institutes may sell at market prices energy produced by their own installations or any energy purchased for their own consumption that remains unused.

The Federal Council shall regulate the use of the proceeds of such sales.

The two federal institutes of technology shall review the quality of teaching, research and services at regular intervals and are responsible for sustainably maintaining and improving quality.

They shall create and operate a quality assurance system under Article 27 of the Higher Education Act of 30 September 2011²².

They shall obtain institutional accreditation.

The two federal institutes of technology shall establish social and cultural services for the benefit of their members or participate in existing services. They shall introduce measures to facilitate childcare.²³

They may grant scholarships or loans.

They shall encourage university sport.²⁴

The two federal institutes of technology shall provide instruction in German, French and Italian and, depending on usage in teaching and research, English as well.²⁵

The Executive Board may authorise other languages of instruction.

The two federal institutes of technology shall support Swiss national languages and encourage the understanding of associated cultural values.

The following are members of the federal institutes of technology:

1. ²⁶teaching staff (full professors, associate professors, assistant professors, Privatdozenten, maîtres d’enseignement et de recherche and lecturers);

2. assistants, scientific staff and doctoral students;

3. students and «auditors» admitted to lectures;

4. administrative and technical staff.

The ETH Board may specify other categories of teaching staff.²⁷

Teaching staff shall teach and carry out research independently and on their own authority within the scope of their teaching and research mandate.

At the proposal of either of the two federal institutes of technology, the ETH Board shall appoint full and associate professors and assign their teaching and research fields.

At the proposal of either of the two federal institutes of technology, the ETH Board shall appoint assistant professors for a maximum of four years. It may reappoint them for one further period of four years until they reach the maximum duration of their employment as specified in Article 17b paragraph 2 letter a. A limited-term contract of employment may be terminated subject to due notice.²⁹

The Executive Board shall award the status of venia legendi and appoint maîtres d’enseignement et de recherche and lecturers.

The Executive Board shall employ assistants to perform teaching and research duties for temporary periods. The assistants shall have the opportunity to continue their education through research or attending courses.

…³¹

The following shall be admitted as students in the 1^st semester of the Bachelor’s degree cycle:

1. those with a federal or federally recognised baccalaureate or an equivalent qualification from a Swiss or Liechtenstein baccalaureate school;

2. those with another qualification recognised by the Executive Board;

3. those with a degree from a Swiss university of applied sciences; or

4. those who have passed an entrance examination.

The Executive Board shall establish the admission requirements and procedure for:

1. entry to a higher semester of the Bachelor’s degree cycle;

2. the Master’s degree cycle;

3. doctoral studies;

4. advanced studies programmes;

5. attendance of lectures without awarding of credits.

The ETH Board may, at the request of the Executive Board, limit admission to the Bachelor’s degree cycle or to the Master’s cycle for students holding foreign qualifications if there is insufficient capacity. The limits may apply to specific fields of study or to the total number of study places available at the federal institute of technology.³⁵

The ETH Board may, at the request of the Executive Board, impose limits on admission for all students applying for a preparatory course for a Master’s cycle in medicine.³⁶

Decisions of the ETH Board are published in the Federal Gazette.

If admission is limited, then candidates shall be admitted on the basis of their aptitude.

The Executive Board shall establish the admission requirements and procedure.

The Federal Council shall regulate the terms of employment and occupational pension scheme of the full-time members of the ETH Board, and the director of each of the four research institutes within the ETH Domain in accordance with the Federal Personnel Act of 24 March 2000³⁸ (FPA) and des PUBLICA Act of 20 December 2006³⁹.

The other members of the ETH Board have a public-law contractual relationship with the Federal Government. The Federal Council determines the compensation and the other terms of the contract.

The terms of employment for staff and professors are based on the FPA⁴². The ETH Board is the employer within the meaning of Article 3 paragraph 2 FPA for the ETH Domain.

The ETH Board shall issue General Terms of Employment for Staff and General Terms of Employment for Professors and submit these two documents to the Federal Council for approval.

The General Terms of Employment for Staff may specify alternative salary levels and salary progressions for the following categories of employees in derogation from Article 15 Paragraph 1 FPA:

1. employees hired for a limited duration as part of their training;

2. employees hired for a limited duration to work on third-party funded research projects;

3. employees hired for a limited duration to carry out specific tasks.

For the employment relationships under paragraph 3, it shall define the criteria for determining the salary level for the aforementioned categories in the General Terms of Employment of Staff in line with the specific requirements of the positions concerned.

It may delegate the authority to make employer's decisions and to issue implementing provisions for the General Terms of Employment for Temporary Staff to the management of the the federal institutes of technology and of the research institutes.

Subject to compliance with Article 6 paragraph 5 FPA, it may include private-law provisions in the Terms of Employment for Professors, provided specific requirements of teaching and research so require.

In exceptional and justifiable cases, it may approve the appointment of professors above the age limit specified in Article 21 of the Federal Act of 20 December 1946⁴³ on the Old-Age and Survivors’ Insurance (OASIA). To do so, it may enter into an employment contract under public or private law. It may also issue regulations in the professors' ordinance.

Professors may on request to the ETHZ or EPFL and with the agreement of the ETH Board remain in employment until the age-limit for men specified in Article 21 paragraph 1 letter a OASIA or until the end of the semester in which they reach this age limit.

Staff and professors are insured with the Federal Pension Fund (PUBLICA) in accordance with Articles 32a–32m FPA. Within the ETH Domain, the ETH Board is the employer in terms of Article 32b paragraph 2 FPA. It shall represent the ETH Domain as the contracting party.

External lecturers shall be employed on the basis of an employment contract in accordance with the Swiss Code of Obligations⁴⁵ unless agreed otherwise.

The employment contract may be established for a series of fixed terms, each of limited duration. However, the total period of employment may not exceed five years. If this five-year period is exceeded, the employment contract shall be regarded as one of unlimited duration.

The two federal institutes of technology and the four research institutes within the ETH Domain shall regulate the remuneration payable for teaching assignments.

Employment shall be for an unlimited duration unless a limited period is indicated on the employment contract.

Limited-term employment may be renewed several times for:

1. assistant professors within a maximum period of eight years;

2. assistants, senior assistants and other employees carrying out a similar function within a maximum period of six years; if an assistant is promoted to a senior assistant position, the years spent working as an assistant are not taken into account;

3. employees hired to work on teaching and research projects as well as persons hired to work on third party-funded projects, within a maximum period of nine years;

4. all other employees within a maximum period of five years.

The limits in paragraph 2 letters a and b may on request be extended in the event of lengthy absence due to illness, accident, maternity, adoption or other good cause.⁴⁷

Scientific publications must list all those who have made a scientific contribution.

The two federal institutes of technology shall confer:

• a. Diplome;

• abis. ⁴⁹Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees;

• b. doctorates;

• c. venia legendi.

The ETH Board may create other academic titles.

The two federal institutes of technology may issue references and certificates.

The ETH Board may confer the title of professor on private docents, maîtres d’enseignement et de recherche and lecturers of particular merit.⁵⁰

The two federal institutes of technology may confer the title of honorary doctor on persons who have rendered particular service to science.

The two federal institutes of technology and four research institutes within the ETH Domain shall establish binding rules of scientific integrity and good scientific practice for their members.

They shall determine the procedure for suspected non-compliance with these rules

Penalties for non-compliance with these rules are governed by the provisions of personnel law and provisions on the revocation of academic titles.

Bodies of Swiss or foreign higher education institutions, research institutes and research funding institutions responsible for detecting and sanctioning scientific misconduct may submit a specific written request in individual cases to the ETH Board, the two federal institutes of technology and four research institutes within the ETH Domain for information on the following:

1. if their members have failed to comply with the rules of scientific integrity and good scientific practice or where there is a well-founded suspicion of such a failure to comply;

2. the penalties imposed on the persons concerned.

For their part, the ETH Board, the two federal institutes of technology and four research institutes within the ETH Domain may request information from the competent institutions concerning incidences of non-compliance with these rules or a well-founded suspicion of such non-compliance by their member or members of other institutions with which they maintain or wish to enter into research partnerships.

Information may no longer be provided or obtained five years after the ETH Board, the two federal institutes of technology or institute within the ETH Domain has become aware of a suspected non-compliance with the rules. This limitation period shall be interrupted by any investigation. The absolute limitation period is ten years.

The ETH Board, the two federal institutes of technology or the given institute within the ETH Domain shall give written notice to the person whom the information being provided or obtained concerns, at the latest when the information is provided or obtained, of the following:

1. to whom the information is given or from whom it is obtained;

2. the purpose for which the information is provided or obtained.

The ETH Board, the two federal institutes of technology or the given institute within the ETH Domain may refuse, restrict or postpone the provision of information regarding the person in question if the information could hamper criminal proceedings.

If the reason for the refusal, restriction or postponement ceases to apply, then the person concerned must be notified immediately, unless this is not possible or only possible with undue effort.

The Federal Council shall elect the following members of the ETH Board for a term of four years:

1. the President;

2. the Vice-President;

3. a director of a research institute within ETH Domain;

4. a member nominated by the ETHZ and EPFL Assemblies;

5. five other members.

Re-election is permitted.

The ETHZ President and the EPFL President are ex officio members of the ETH Board.

The Federal Council may dismiss members of the ETH Board for good cause during their term of office.⁵⁵

The ETH Board may form committees.

The members of the ETH Board shall carry out their tasks and duties with all due diligence and act in good faith to safeguard the interests of the ETH Domain.

The ETH Board shall take organisational measures to protect the interests of the ETH Domain and prevent conflicts of interest.

The members of the ETH Board shall disclose their vested interests before their election.

They shall immediately report changes in their vested interests to the EAER and the ETH Board.

If a vested interest is incompatible with membership on the ETH Board and the member retains the vested interest, then the EAER shall submit a request to the Federal Council for dismissal of that member.

The ETH Board shall provide information about the vested interests of its members in its annual report.

The ETH Board shall:

1. ⁵⁹establish the strategy of the ETH Domain within the scope of the strategic objectives of the Federal Council;

2. represent the ETH Domain in dealings with federal authorities;

3. issue rules and regulations on the control process and carry out strategic control tasks;

4. approve the development plans for the ETH Domain and monitor their implementation;

5. ⁶⁰carry out recruitment and elections falling under its responsibility;

6. ⁶¹...

7. ⁶²be responsible for coordination and planning in accordance with the Higher Education Act of 30 September 2011⁶³;

8. issue its own rules of procedure;

9. discharge other tasks assigned to it by virtue of this Act.⁶⁴

The ETH Board shall submit applications and proposals to the WBF on matters relating to the ETH Domain. If the WBF plans to deviate from proposals submitted by the ETH Board or if it presents its own proposals, it shall consult the ETH Board.

The ETH Board shall inform the two federal institutes of technology and the four research institutes within the ETH Domain of issues relating to them.

It shall oversee the ETH Domain. It may after consulting the two federal institutes of technology and the research institutes in particular issue them with recommendations and in justified cases issue them with orders. It may after consulting the institution concerned take suitable measures if it establishes that there has been an infringement of the law.⁶⁵

Members in accordance with Article 24 paragraphs 1 letters c and d and 3 do not have the right to vote on the following matters at meetings of the ETH Board:

1. the allocation of federal funding;

2. proposed candidates for the ETHZ and EPFL presidents and the directors of the research institutes;

3. ⁶⁷…

The members of the ETH Board in accordance with Article 24 paragraph 1 letter c and paragraph 3 shall recuse themselves in relation to the following items of business:

1. oversight matters in accordance with Article 25 paragraph 4;

2. matters relating to financial supervision in accordance with Article 35a^ter.

The President of the ETH Board shall direct the activities of the ETH Board and take decisions assigned to the President under the rules of procedure.

The President shall represent the ETH Domain in its dealings with third parties.

The ETH Board may appoint a scientific advisory council.

The ETH Board shall have its own administrative staff.

ETHZ and EPFL shall each be comprised of an Executive Board, an Assembly, central bodies and teaching and research units.

The ETH Board shall define the principles governing the structure of ETHZ and EPFL.⁷¹

…⁷²

The ETHZ President and the EPFL President shall be appointed by the Federal Council at the proposal of the ETH Board. The term of office is four years. Reappointment is possible.

Appointment and non-reappointment shall take place at the discretion of the appointing authority. The decision not to reappoint must be announced four months in advance. The appointed person may under Article 14 paragraph 2 letter d of the Federal Personnel Act of 24 March 2000⁷⁴ seek to terminate employment at the end of each month as long as the four-month period of notice is adhered to.

The Federal Council shall regulate the requirements for payment of compensation in the case of no-fault termination of employment and in the case of termination by mutual consent.

The other members of the ETHZ Executive Board and the EPFL Executive Board shall be appointed by the ETH Board. The managerial function may be formalised in a separate terminable contract addendum to an existing employment contract. The employment contract may include a provision for ordinary termination in order to ensure the continuation of functional management. Grounds for ordinary termination may also be the discontinuation of constructive cooperation with the ETHZ President and the EPFL President.

The ETH Board issues implementing provisions for paragraph 4. In these, it shall establish the requirements for payment of compensation in the case of no-fault termination of employment and in the case of termination by mutual consent.

The amount of compensation shall correspond to no less than one month’s salary and no more than one year’s salary.

Paragraphs 1–6 apply as appropriate for members of the management boards of research institutes.

The ETHZ President and the EPFL President have overall responsibility for management of their respective federal institute of technology. Each President shall report to the ETH Board.

The ETHZ President and the EPFL President are responsible for any relevant issue not specifically assigned to another body.

The Conference comprises teaching staff representatives. The Conference shall advise the Executive Board on issues relating to teaching staff as a whole.

Members of teaching staff determine the election procedure and rules of procedure of the Conference.

ETHZ and EPFL each have an Assembly in which all groups of members are equally represented.

The ETHZ Assembly and the EPFL Assembly are each entitled to present motions on:

1. legislative instruments issued by the ETH Board or its subordinate bodies regarding the federal institute of technology concerned;

2. budgeting and planning and the creation/abolition of teaching and research units within the federal institute of technology concerned;

3. structural and participation issues.

The ETHZ Assembly and the EPFL Assembly shall submit comments to the ETH Board regarding the Annual Report submitted by the ETHZ President and the EPFL President; they shall furthermore monitor participation and issue their own rules of procedure. The ETH Board may issue orders granting each Assembly additional responsibilities.⁷⁶

Motions from the ETHZ or EPFL Assembly requiring a decision by a higher-level body shall be transmitted to the latter via its corresponding Executive Board. The ETHZ or EPFL Assembly may arrange for its motions to the ETH Board to be argued by a representative.

Each Executive Board and the ETH Board shall take decisions of general interest to the federal institute of technology concerned after consultation with the corresponding Assembly and relevant groups of ETHZ and EPFL members.

Representatives of all groups of ETHZ or EPFL members affected by an issue shall participate in:

1. the opinion-forming and pre-decision process, in particular with regard to issues relating to the teaching, research and planning within the federal institute of technology concerned;

2. decisions on issues concerning their teaching and research units.

Each Executive Board shall provide comprehensive information to the members of the federal institute of technology concerned. The latter together with alumni organisations may submit proposals to any body.

Teaching and research units shall be run by bodies made up of representatives from the relevant groups of ETHZ and EPFL members.

In addition, the ETH Board shall regulate the scope of participation and its format.⁷⁷

The ETH Board, the two federal institutes of technology and the four research institutes within the ETH Domain shall each maintain a personnel information system in which sensitive personal data may also be processed.¹⁰⁶ Article 27 FPA¹⁰⁷ applies to the personnel information systems and by analogy to private law terms of employment.

The ETH Board may delegate the processing of the data on its personnel to the ETHZ, the EPFL or one of the four research institutes within the ETH Domain.

Procedures and processes for the systematic evaluation of data in electronic form may be used in the personnel information systems.

The ETH Board shall issue implementing provisions and submit these to the Federal Council for approval.

Both the ETHZ and EPFL shall each administer an information system on prospective students, undergraduate and graduate students, doctoral students and auditors in which sensitive personal data may be processed.¹⁰⁸

These information systems shall be used for:

1. admission of prospective students to study programmes and enrolment;

2. identifying students and monitoring progress in their studies;

3. certifying the obtaining of credits, the issuance of qualifications and the awarding of academic titles;

4. providing services relating to studies;

5. planning and generating statistics.

The following data in particular shall be processed in the information systems: personal data, enrolment data, field of study, course of studies, examination results, credits, qualifications and academic titles, scholarships/grants and fees paid as well as disciplinary and other administrative procedures.

Data may be administered exclusively in electronic form. In this case, documents in hardcopy form are either returned or destroyed once the data has been entered into the information system.

The data contained in the information systems, if required for performance of the tasks mentioned in paragraph 2 above, may be disclosed through a request procedure. Only the services responsible for study administration at the ETHZ and EPFL shall have online access to sensitive data.¹⁰⁹

The ETHZ and EPFL shall issue implementing provisions on:

1. the data contained in their respective information systems;

2. the processing of data, particularly the capture, storage, communication, archiving and destruction;

3. the use of data;

4. data processing permissions;

5. access permissions within the ETHZ or EPFL;

6. the communication of non-sensitive data from the information systems to organisations and persons outside the ETHZ or EPFL through request procedures.

Within the scope of research projects, the two federal institutes of technology and the four research institutes within the ETH Domain may process personal data, including sensitive personal data, insofar as this is required for the given project.

In doing so, they shall ensure compliance with the provisions of the Data Protection Act of 25 September 2023¹¹².

The two federal institutes of technology and four research institutes within the ETH Domain shall ensure that personal data is made anonymous as soon as the purpose of data processing permits and stored for the periods specified by them.

If anonymisation is not possible due to the purpose of the research project, personal data used in research may be stored for a maximum of 20 years.

After expiry of the maximum storage period, the data must be destroyed; the provisions of the Federal Act of 26 June 1998¹¹³ on Archiving shall remain reserved.

The two federal institutes of technology and four research institutes within the ETH Domain are required to inform the persons affected regarding the collection and processing of personal data in connection with a specific research project.

The obligation to inform shall also apply if the personal data are obtained from third parties. In this case, the two federal institutes of technology and four research institutes within the ETH Domain shall ensure that the third parties fulfil their obligation to inform. If this cannot be guaranteed, the two federal institutes of technology and four research institutes within the ETH Domain shall immediately inform the persons concerned directly.

The two federal institutes of technology and the research institutes may process personal data, including sensitive personal data, in order to develop, use and evaluate teaching methods that use information technologies.

They shall ensure compliance with the provisions of the Federal Act of 19 June 1992¹¹⁵ on Data Protection.

The two federal institutes of technology and the research institutes may each establish security services insofar as this is required to protect their staff, students and visitors and to guarantee security and order on their premises.

They may establish joint security services by contract.

They may engage third parties to provide security services.

The security services shall ensure respect for the house rules by enforcing the access and use regulations in buildings and on the non-public premises of the federal institute of technology or research institute concerned. They may question persons and carry out identity checks. In addition, they may stop, check and remove persons who violate the house rules or the operating regulations.

In order to fulfil their duties, they may process data containing information establishing the identity of a person and on violations by a person of regulations that protect persons and equipment in buildings and on the non-public premises of the two federal institutes of technology and the research institutes.

When delegating security tasks to a third party, the two federal institutes of technology or the research institutes shall contractually agree with the third party that the third party physically and logically separates the required data processing systems from its other data processing systems. They shall require the third party not to use the data of the two federal institutes of technology or the research institutes for any other purpose, and shall ensure that they have their own rights of access and control.

The security services shall pass on any information relating to criminal offences to the competent federal and cantonal police authorities.

The provisions on security guards under the nuclear energy legislation for federal institutes of technology or research institutes that hold a licence under the Nuclear Energy Act of 21 March 2003¹¹⁷ are reserved.

The two federal institutes of technology and the research institutes may install a video surveillance system insofar as this is necessary in order to protect their staff, students and visitors, their infrastructure and operations.

Video signals may be recorded. In the event of any security-relevant incidents, recordings must be viewed and secured by the person responsible no later than the first working day after the incident is discovered. Unsecured recordings shall be deleted after 20 days at the latest.

Recordings may only be shown to prosecuting authorities or authorities with which the federal institutes of technology or the research institutes file a complaint or against which they assert legal claims. Only these authorities are permitted to analyse the recordings.

The two federal institutes of technology and the research institutes shall store secured recordings in a way that protects them from theft and misuse. They shall destroy them after 100 days at the latest, unless they are being used as evidence in ongoing legal proceedings or disciplinary proceedings. The records may be re-used in anonymous form for training or accident prevention purposes.

The provisions on security precautions under the nuclear energy legislation for federal institutes of technology or research institutes that hold a licence under the Nuclear Energy Act of 21 March 2003¹¹⁸ are reserved.

The Federal Council shall exercise ultimate supervision over the two federal institutes of technology and the four research institutes within the ETH Domain.

The Federal Council shall issue the relevant implementation provisions. It may delegate the regulation of details to the ETH Board.

The Federal Council may enter into international treaties within the scope of this Act and approved credits.

The Federal Council shall consult the ETH Board before issuing implementation provisions and signing agreements under international law. Personnel associations shall be consulted before service regulations are issued.

The following are repealed:

1. The Federal Act of 7 February 1854¹³⁴ on the Establishment of a Federal Polytechnic.

2. The Federal Act of 11 December 1964¹³⁵ on the responsibility for determining the payments made by the Confederation to former professors of the federal institutes of technology and their survivors.

3. The Federal Decrees of 24 June 1970¹³⁶, 20 June 1975¹³⁷, 21 March 1980¹³⁸ and 26 June 1985¹³⁹ on the Federal Institutes of Technology (transitional provisions).

The following are amended as follows:

…¹⁴⁰

The ETH Board may terminate the tenure of full and associate professors on a date to be decided by the Board and regulate their transfer to the new terms of employment. These transitional rules shall require the approval of the Federal Council.

Full and associate professors appointed prior to 1 January 1995, including those already in retirement and their survivors, shall be insured with the Federal Pension Fund from the commencement date of this Act.

Current pension payments and pensions paid to survivors shall remain unchanged. Reversionary pensions payable to survivors and adjustments for inflation shall be based on the provisions applicable to the Federal Pension Fund.

The Confederation shall be responsible for the mathematical reserves required to transfer the insured to the Federal Pension Fund.

The Federal Council shall determine the transfer procedure and the required mathematical reserves.

The Federal Council shall issue an ordinance indicating the date on which the ownership of movable property is transferred to the two federal institutes of technology and the four research institutes within the ETH Domain.

The ETH Board shall issue rules of procedure for the ETH Appeals Commission within one year of the commencement date of this Act.

Until these rules of procedure come into force, the ETH Board shall remain responsible for the appeal process specified in Article 37 paragraph 1.

As soon as these rules of procedure come into force, appeals pending before the ETH Board shall be transferred to the jurisdiction of the ETH Appeals Commission.

Article 17a applies to all external teaching assignments issued from 5 October 2007¹⁴³, the date on which the Amendment to this Act comes into force. All external teaching assignments issued before 5 October 2007 must be adjusted by the start of the following semester.

In derogation from Article 34b paragraph 2, the Federal Assembly shall extend the duration of the existing funding limit for 2008–2011 by one year in order to include 2012.

The existing funding limit will be replenished in accordance with the performance mandate.

The performance mandate for 2008–2011 in accordance with Article 33 shall be extended by one year and continues to apply in 2012.

It may be amended and added to.

The agreements on operational objectives for 2008–2011 reached between the ETH Board and the two federal institutes of technology and the four research institutes within the ETH Domain on the basis of Article 33a shall also apply in 2012. The ETH Board may add to the agreements.

In derogation from Article 24 paragraph 1, the Federal Council shall elect the members of the ETH Board on 1 January 2012 for a five-year term of office.

Current terms of office for other members of management boards (Art. 28 para. 4) shall end with issue of a new employment contract, but no later than one year after commencement of the amended Article 28.

This Act is subject to an optional referendum.

The Federal Council shall determine the commencement date.

Commencement date: 1 February 1993¹⁴⁸