More effective Academies following a re-organization

Bern, 8 December 2023

Following an evaluation commissioned by the State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation (SERI) and a comprehensive organizational development process, the Swiss Academies of Arts and Sciences (a+) have revised both their Statutes and their Organizational Regulations. Today the Federal Council approved the partial revision of the a+ Statutes.

A federal union as a partner for politics and society

The revised statutes define in particular the relationship between the Association of Swiss Academies and its members (Swiss Academy of Sciences SCNAT, Swiss Academy of Humanities and Social Sciences SAHS, Swiss Academy of Medical Sciences SAMS, Swiss Academy of Engineering Sciences SATW, Foundation for Technology Assessment TA-SWISS and Science et Cité Foundation). They also clarify the roles and duties of presidia and committees. It has become clear that the federal union model enables an optimal interaction of diversity, autonomy and cohesion in the scientific communities. Thanks to an efficient organization - which also encompasses the largest scientific and academic network in Switzerland, connecting over 100,000 scientists and scholars, most of whom work on a voluntary basis - a+ can successfully perform the tasks set out in its legal mandate. In particular, the dialogue with business and society as well as with politics and authorities has been further strengthened as a priority for the Swiss Academies.