The change will see one physicist taking over from another and the deputy becoming President. The Federal Council\u2019s choice of Dissertori, a 56-year-old from South Tyrol, is a vote for continuity. \u201cI\u2019d like to thank the Federal Council for their confidence and am excited about working to keep ETH Zurich a top global university together with the strong team of the Executive Board, our professors and all members of staff,\u201d says Dissertori. He has served as Professor of Particle Physics since 2001; in 2022, he was named Rector, Deputy President and member of the ETH Zurich Executive Board.\u00a0<\/p>\n
A top-notch researcher…\u00a0 <\/p>\n
Dissertori\u2019s appointment brings a distinguished scientist to this important office \u2013 one whose work made \u201ckey contributions to the discovery of the Higgs boson at CERN\u2019s Large Hadron Collider in Geneva in 2012\u201d, according to the Federal Council\u2019s media release. In addition to contributions to basic research, Dissertori also helped drive the use of detector technologies in medicine, which led to the founding of an ETH spin-off that launched a cost-efficient brain PET scanner. As Rector, he has emphasised working together with the private sector, for example as part of the Learning Factory project in Zug, which will bring ETH students into cooperation with industrial companies. He has also advanced the Student Project House, a place for students to develop entrepreneurial skills and an innovative spirit.\u00a0<\/p>\n
…and a passionate instructor\u00a0 <\/p>\n
Fostering early-career researchers has always been at the heart of Dissertori\u2019s work. As Rector, he was responsible for teaching and instruction on all levels, including the university\u2019s continuing education courses. In the words of the Federal Council, Dissertori \u201chas signifiantly shaped the strategic direction of academic instruction at ETH Zurich\u201d over the past four years. He launched the PAKETH project, the largest curriculum reform since the introduction of the Bologna system. PAKETH will facilitate the development of degree programmes, create more flexibility and open up new avenues for students to build contacts with companies. Dissertori also developed a comprehensive vision for teaching, strengthened project-based teaching formats and proactively pushed for the strategic integration of AI into the curriculum.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Proven leadership skills\u00a0 <\/p>\n
Jo\u00ebl Mesot, who will continue serving as ETH Zurich\u2019s President until the end of December, expressed approval of the selection of Dissertori: \u201cI am pleased that my successor is such an experienced figure, someone who has already shown impressive skill in managing scientific and research institutions. As a leader, he\u2019s empathetic, sensitive to a variety of concerns and politically savvy.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
The President of EPFL, Anna Fontcuberta i Morral, adds: \u201cI\u2019m looking forward to working with G\u00fcnther. I especially appreciate his collegial spirit, which we\u2019ve already had the chance to experience on a number of occasions. Together, we will keep building on the strong ties between EPFL and ETH Zurich to the benefit of our country.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
To ensure continuity in the Rector\u2019s office, the process for nominating and selecting Dissertori\u2019s successor will be kicked off immediately. The new Rector will be nominated by professors and voted on by the ETH Board \u2013 a process that requires some time. The goal is to ensure that the successor has been named by 1 January 2027.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
Thanking Jo\u00ebl Mesot for his service\u00a0 <\/p>\n