It took some time until Uni-President Michael Hengartner for the Essential vorstiess: the disclosure of the private donor to the University of Zurich . Previously, Vice-President Gabriele took advantage of Siegert yesterday’s media conference, to plow the topic of the hour: climate change. Siegert gave a presentation on how the University is trying to reduce the number of flights (8299 in the last year), in the dining halls more vegan dishes to offer and to create new courses that deal with the topic of sustainability.

Then, Michael Hengartner, presented in his usual rapid, staccato-like speech style, the transparency list of third-party funds. “I’m proud of this list,” said the rector. A Swiss University sets out the names of its private donors as well as the purpose for which the money is in a list is transparent – it did not exist up to now.

aim to create transparency

Nevertheless, he felt not as a pioneer, said Hengartner. However, the ability of third-party funding to collect, have brought the University more. Within eight years, the deposits rose to about half. 315 million Swiss francs was at the University in the last year of third-party funding, a share of 20 percent of the total. 121 million francs come from foundations and companies, including pharmaceutical companies, banks and family foundations. A large part of the third-party funding comes from the Swiss national Fund. “Given the increasing importance of third-party funding, it is important for us to create transparency,” said Hengartner.

the University of Zurich is located at the lower end of what relates to the Collection of third-party funds, as measured by the Total of all funds. This results in a TA-survey for the largest universities in Switzerland.

The ETH Zurich turns out to be in the collection of external funds as a leader: a Total of 367 million Swiss francs acquired by the College in the year 2017. Almost 100 million more than the University of Zurich at this time. In percentage terms, the University of St. Gallen is at the top: 35 percent of the funding of higher education is running on third-party funds. The University is currently due to an expense affair and would like to in the future, statements of cash donations from third parties – such as the University of Zurich.

The ETH Zurich are currently satisfied with the Status quo – a transparency list is not currently planned. Details of the revenue collected by third-party funding would be communicated “in the rule” on request, says Detlef Günther, ETH Vice President for research and economic relations. On a Website, the ETH Zurich has also published a list of all the funded professorships.

The model of the rule of law of the University of Zurich, however, is not due to the idealism of the school Board. It has its origin in a sponsorship contract with UBS in 2012. The University denied then journalists insight into the contract, which led to a long legal battle, the University lost. The policy demanded that the University creates more transparency. In the UBS International Center of Economics in Society, the big Bank had invested around 100 million Swiss francs.

such A big chunk of the newly published transparency list. Two grants are due to your height noticeable. Firstly, an investment of the Werner Siemens-Foundation of 10.7 million Swiss francs. This payment runs for over ten years and is intended to benefit, according to Hengartner Start-ups in the field of medical technology. It is extremely important that the transfer of knowledge from the laboratory to succeed in the market economy. “This project has a model character,” said the University rector.

The universities are not tired to emphasize, as the independent research despite increasing third-party funding will be preserved.

A second Donation amounted to 20 million francs, coming from the Larsson-Rosenquist Foundation train. The Foundation’s President, Göran Larsson supports the new University-research center that investigates the long-term effects of breastfeeding. Already in 2015, transferred the Foundation to the University a Donation of the same amount.

Larsson’s interest in mother’s milk, has a financial Background: His company Medela’s pumps world market leader for electric milk.

Reputation of the Uni’s strengths

The universities are not tired to emphasize, as the independent research despite increasing third-party funding will be preserved. In the case of larger amounts, guidelines would be set, says Hengartner. A condition was that sponsored by the work, the Reputation of the University of Zurich will be strengthened.

the projects would have to be in the strategic interest of the University. “No contract research, but something that wants to examine the University in its own interest.” Nevertheless, it could come to a contract research: Roche, for example, investing at the University of individualised cancer research. “This is a benefit to many people affected. We will be happy to offer a Hand.” (Tages-Anzeiger)

Created: 03.04.2019, 23:54 PM