German-Swiss research centre for digital transformation planned
The Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich (ETHZ) plans to build a teaching and research centre for "responsible" digital transformation in Germany.
A declaration of intent was signed on Friday with the Dieter Schwarz Foundation to establish the teaching and research centre on the campus in Heilbronn. A total of 20 new professorships will be created over the next 30 years with half located in the German campus.
ETHZ plans to open a new teaching and research centre there, its second branch abroad after Singapore.
“This partnership with the Dieter Schwarz Foundation allows ETH Zurich to further develop its research and teaching, particularly in the field of artificial intelligence, to an extent that would not be possible with regular ETH funding and structures,” said ETHZ president Joël Mesot in a press release.
The Heilbronn campus already has 7,500 students. It is home to branches of the Technical University of Munich and the Fraunhofer Institute of Technology. It also maintains partnerships with renowned international universities, such as Oxford (UK) and Stanford (USA).
The Dieter Schwarz Foundation is named after the 84-year-old founder of the German retail chain Lidl. According to Forbes magazine, he is the richest man in Germany, with a fortune of $39.2 billion.
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