ETH Zurich appoints insider Günther Dissertori as next president

Günther Dissertori, a familiar figure within ETH Zurich, will assume the presidency of the Federal Institute of Technology Zurich (ETH Zurich) starting next year. The Federal Council announced Wednesday its decision to appoint the 56-year-old to succeed Joël Mesot, who has led Switzerland's top university for eight years. Dissertori will take office in January 2027.

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played a decisive role in the strategic evolution of ETH Zurich's academic training, notably by launching the largest reform of studies since the introduction of the Bologna Process.

Currently serving as rector of ETH Zurich, a position not mirrored in its Lausanne counterpart, Dissertori was appointed to this role by Mesot in 2021. His involvement has primarily focused on education, particularly foundational courses. The Federal Council and the ETH Board, the supervisory body for the two federal institutes of technology, noted Dissertori's "decisive role in the strategic evolution of ETH Zurich's academic training." This includes launching "the largest reform of studies since the introduction of the Bologna Process," which established the bachelor's and master's degree system. They also credited him with strengthening project-based learning formats and consolidating the strategic integration of artificial intelligence in teaching.

In a competitive higher education landscape, institutions face numerous training challenges. The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted established practices, while artificial intelligence continues to present ongoing shifts. For traditional institutions like the federal institutes of technology, rising student numbers raise increasing questions about space and curriculum adaptation. The choice of Dissertori, emphasizing continuity, appears to directly address these educational dimensions.

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strengthened project-based learning formats and consolidated the strategic anchoring of artificial intelligence in teaching.

Born in South Tyrol, Italy, Dissertori studied physics in Innsbruck. His research expertise lies in experimental particle physics using accelerators. The Federal Council acknowledged his "significant contribution to proving the existence of the Higgs boson" as part of the experiment conducted at CERN's Large Hadron Collider in 2012.

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largely contributed to proving the existence of the Higgs boson as part of the experiment conducted using the Large Hadron Collider at CERN in 2012.