What is needed on both sides to make this engagement work?

It definitely requires more appreciation of the other’s perspective and a willingness to learn. Politicians don’t necessarily lack understanding just because they prioritise differently. And scientists aren’t all naïve just because they don’t fully grasp the workings of the political machinery in Bern. In my view, there needs to be far more exchange – not just in a crisis or on the fringes of an award ceremony where everyone congratulates each other. Nor just because it’s nice to meet. We need a form of exchange that’s held because everyone benefits from it. Think about it: we live in a world where people no longer fully understand the technologies they interact with daily, yet we’re trying to regulate these new technologies in a way that’s reasonable. Those regulating them must understand as much as possible about what they are regulating, the consequences of doing it one way or another, and what might happen if they don’t act at all. To handle such challenges, we need interdisciplinary perspectives, and this is what the ETH School of Public Policy will enable.

Can you give some examples of fields where this dialogue will be particularly relevant in the near future?

Take artificial intelligence, for instance. You could intervene too early, banning everything and missing out on incredible opportunities, particularly in fields like medicine, materials science or cybersecurity. Or you could act too late and have to live with totally unintended consequences. Aside from the fact that this discussion must take place internationally, how can you assess it sensibly without seeking input from the scientific community? The same applies to genetic engineering, biodiversity, quantum computing and many other areas.

ETH is a Swiss federal university – will the School of Public Policy mainly focus on national issues?

The national level is certainly important, but we’ll also be aiming to enable our country representatives to formulate and defend a Swiss position when it comes to international regulation. Many emerging technologies will be regulated multilaterally – through the United Nations or the EU, for example. From my experience, Switzerland doesn’t have much trouble being heard; however, it must be able to make strong proposals, and that’s where science can help. I can also imagine a situation where a canton or city approaches ETH to understand the implications of a particular technology when faced with making a political decision. ETH has such a wealth of knowledge and world-leading researchers – why not tap into this and ask for their advice?

The School of Public Policy offers individuals and foundations the chance as donors to help build effective bridges between science and politics. What specific projects can interested parties support?

In addition to building bridges through a range of formal and informal dialogue formats, the School envisions a number of interdisciplinary, problem-oriented research projects led by associated professorships. We also want to give early-career researchers the opportunity to conduct applied research at the intersection of science and politics for a set period. In the longer term, two new professorships are planned – one focused on the interface between politics and public health, and another on digitalisation. Supporting the School of Public Policy is an opportunity for all societal actors who care about evidence-based policymaking and want to help shape society in this direction. I look forward to speaking with anyone interested in exploring this type of commitment.