“Quality is everything”
“Quality is everything”
Before a young person with talent is awarded a scholarship or fellowship from ETH, they must first cross the hurdles of a multi-stage selection process. Professor Lorenz Hurni, long-standing Vice Rector for Study Programmes at ETH, provides insight into how the process works in the case of Excellence Scholarships.
As Vice Rector for Study Programmes, you chaired the ESOP Commission for five years. What does it do exactly?
LORENZ HURNI – After the almost one thousand applications have been reviewed and prioritised by the departmental admissions committees of the respective degree programmes, the ESOP Commission is tasked with drawing up an overall nominations list. Each prioritised dossier is then reviewed once more by two people on the basis of the following criteria: potential and motivation, quality and originality of the project proposal, exceptionality, and special qualities. Our eleven-member commission is made up of professors from different fields, two students and two doctoral students, as well as the Head of International Affairs. The varying complementary perspectives are very enriching and raise the quality of the selection.
“It‘s a pleasure to see what brilliant young people come to us. We as ETH and as a society can only be grateful to the donors who make this possible!”
When does the Commission not follow a department‘s proposal?
Often the departments find themselves in a quandary because they receive a higher number of excellent applications than their quota of scholarship places. In rare cases, we adjust their rankings if, in addition to a candidate’s performance track record – which is at a similarly top level for all – someone stands out thanks to a particularly interesting profile or special effort, for example. In the end, when a selection must be made between two multi-talented people of equal standing, origin can also be the deciding factor. We then tend to give a chance to someone from a disadvantaged background who would otherwise not be able to afford to study at ETH.
In your opinion, what distinguishes the ESOP programme from scholarship programmes at other universities?
In terms of numbers, we’re unfortunately nowhere near the level of other universities: the top American universities, for example, award merit scholarships on a much larger scale. But because our programme is so competitive, the talented students we finally select really are the very best. Not only in terms of their subject, but also of their personality and broad horizons. In my eyes, the name Excellence Scholarship is absolutely justified.
Excellence Scholarship selection process
Selection process for other ETH grants
ETH scholarships
- For ETH students with limited financial resources.
- Each application is carefully reviewed by the Rectorate’s financial aid office.
- The value of the scholarship is individual and calculated according to the family’s financial situation and any other funding from the canton or country of origin.
- Students receiving support from ETH must provide regular proof of progress in their studies.
Pioneer Fellowships
- For ETH students and researchers with entrepreneurial ambitions who want to market their research results.
- Applications are reviewed in three steps: preliminary evaluation according to formal criteria by the programme management, preliminary evaluation of scientific soundness by the Scientific Advisory Board, and final evaluation and selection by the Evaluation Board.
- The grant amounts to CHF 150,000 for 18 months (one recipient) or 12 months (two recipients).
