Trump Administration Pressure On Scientists Reaches Switzerland

(MENAFN- Swissinfo) The Trump administration has sent a questionnaire to the Swiss federal institute of technology ETH Zurich requiring it to show how its US-funded projects align with America's new“political guidelines”. Project components touching on climate issues or diversity, equality and inclusion (DEI) are thought to be in US sights. Here's what you need to know. This content was published on March 21, 2025 - 15:36 8 minutes

I am a climate and science/technology reporter. I am interested in the effects of climate change on everyday life and scientific solutions. Born in London, I am a dual citizen of Switzerland and the UK. After studying modern languages and translation, I trained as a journalist and joined swissinfo in 2006. My working languages are English, German, French and Spanish.

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What has the Trump administration asked of ETH Zurich?

ETH Zurich confirmed to the NZZ am Sonntag newspaper on March 16 that it had received a survey from the American authorities demanding information on its US-funded research.

“ETH Zurich is still examining, in consultation with other Swiss universities, how it should respond to the questionnaire,” spokesperson Christoph Elhardt told SWI swissinfo.

The Swiss university refuses to reveal which specific projects are involved to protect those affected. It also says it cannot release the“confidential” survey or give any further details, apart from that“it mainly concerns questions about compliance with the political guidelines of the new US administration”.

Based on similar experiences in other countries (see below), some of the questions are likely to touch on gender, diversity and climate issues, which are on the US president's radar. Excerpts of similar surveys have been circulating on social media in recent weeks showing questions like:“Can you confirm this is not a climate project or 'environmental justice' project or include any such elements?”

Are other Swiss universities affected?

So far, no other higher education institutions in Switzerland have reported receiving a questionnaire. But it is likely that other Swiss universities that receive US funding will also get one in the future, according to Luciana Vaccaro, president of swissuniversities, the conference of rectors of Swiss universities.

Vaccaro expressed concerns about the US initiative to Swiss public television, RSIExternal link , this week.“What worries me is that the American government is currently trying to bring us down to a level we're not on,” she said, adding that science is“not a political party”.

Some Swiss politicians have criticised the US move.

“Freedom of research and the principle of equal rights for all prevail in our country. If the US wants to curtail these here, we cannot and must not accept it,” the Radical-Liberal (centre-right) politician Simone de Montmollin, president of the parliamentary Committee for Science, Education and Culture, told the NZZ.“If this practice takes on larger dimensions, then politicians must intervene,” she said.

How much do Swiss universities receive in funding from the US government?

Over the past ten years, ETH Zurich researchers have received CHF2.5 million ($2.8 million) a year in US government funding. The university currently has 14 ongoing research projects financed by US government institutionsExternal link . According to information provided by ETH Zurich, they cover a wide range of topics, including specialist health projects. One project, for example, is funded by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) in the US, which has recently faced massive cuts as part of the Trump administration's purge of federal agencies.

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