Federal Council confirms Patrick Aebischer as President of EPFL

Berne, 04.05.2011 - At the request of the ETH Board, the Federal Council has reappointed Prof. Dr. Patrick Aebischer (*1954) as President of the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL). The Swiss neuroscientist will continue as President of the EPFL for a fourth term, from 1 March 2012 to 29 February 2016.

The reappointment of Patrick Aebischer, a charismatic and experienced leader in the Swiss university and research world, clearly signals the Federal Council’s recognition and approval of the successful course followed by the EPFL.

Under Patrick Aebischer’s leadership, the EPFL has focused on striving for international excellence in teaching and research, and thanks to its practical orientation has attracted attention and brought benefits to the region and, indeed, to the whole of Switzerland. Showcase projects for teaching (Rolex Learning Centre), research (Blue Brain Project) and knowledge and technology transfer (Quartier de l’innovation) have also raised the profile of school and gained the admiration of the national and international community. In the ‘Arc lémanique’ and beyond, the EPFL has become an important source of positive economic development in recent years.

Prof. Dr. Patrick Aebischer was appointed President of the EPFL on 14 May 1999 and took up the position on 1 May 2000. Since then his mandate has been twice renewed. Patrick Aebischer studied medicine and neurosciences at the Universities of Fribourg and Geneva and later became a professor at Brown University (Rhode Island, USA). Patrick Aebischer is a member of several scientific committees, including the Swiss Academy of Engineering Sciences, the Swiss Academy of Medical Sciences and the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering. He is the founder of three biotechnology companies and on the board of directors of the Lonza Group.


Address for enquiries

Markus Bernhard, Head of Communications ETH Board
Tel. 044 632 20 03
markus.bernhard@ethrat.ch


Publisher

The Federal Council
https://www.admin.ch/gov/en/start.html

State Secretariat for Education and Research (SER) - as of 1.1.2013 SERI
http://www.sbf.admin.ch

https://www.admin.ch/content/gov/en/start/documentation/media-releases.msg-id-38947.html