Doctoral students at Switzerland’s Federal Institute of Technology (ETH) have complained of being underpaid. The university is investigating the claims and has paid some of the money that students say they are owed.
The issue follows hard on the heels of the recent – yet unrelated – scandal of doctoral students being bullied at ETH. The latest complaint is not connected to that problem and appears to be confined to the university’s Basel campus.
According to the NZZ am Sonntag newspaper, doctoral students in Switzerland should earn between CHF47,040 and CHF70,300 ($48,000-$72,000) in their first year, and up to CHF80,320 in their third year.
However, some of the affected students say they have been paid considerably less, despite working full-time. The worst case revealed by the newspaper is of a student being paid CHF26,400. The article says at least half a dozen other students feel short-changed.
ETH Vice-President Ulrich Weidmann admitted that there was an issue. “This is clearly illegal and must not happen,” he told NZZ am Sonntag. He added that CHF150,000 had so far been paid to students to make up the discrepancy, although some CHF200,000 has been claimed.
The university is also conducted an analysis of all part-time contracts ranging back to 2015. That probe should be completed by the end of the autumn.
Popular Stories
More
Climate adaptation
Why Switzerland is among the ten fastest-warming countries in the world
Train vs plane: would you take a direct train between London and Geneva?
Eurostar is planning to run direct trains from Britain to Germany and Switzerland from the early 2030s. Would you favour the train over the plane? If not, why not?
Legal action filed against Swiss purchase of Israeli drones
This content was published on
Legal action aims to put an end to the delivery of the six Elbit reconnaissance drones already plagued by delays and setbacks.
Higher direct payments fail to curb scrub encroachment on alpine pastures
This content was published on
The scrub encroachment on Swiss alpine pastures leads to the loss of grassland and damages the typical landscape. It is also responsible for the decline in biodiversity. Despite higher direct payments, the bushes continue to spread.
Head of Swiss financial regulator’s Banks division quits
This content was published on
Thomas Hirschi, head of the Banks division of the Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority FINMA will leave at the end of August.
Swiss population satisfied with life according to survey
This content was published on
In a survey, the population of German-speaking and French-speaking Switzerland expressed general satisfaction with their lives. Respondents were less happy with politics and their personal finances, according to the online comparison service Moneyland.
WHO ‘extremely concerned’ about growing vaccination scepticism
This content was published on
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), vaccination scepticism and a collapse in funding for vaccination campaigns pose a major threat to the health of the world's population.
High-net-worth individuals prioritise well-being over material possessions
This content was published on
The priorities of wealthy private individuals have shifted against the backdrop of ongoing geopolitical tensions and trade disputes. While spending on luxury goods is declining, demand for travel and experiences is unabated.
Swiss researchers sequence genome of 1918 Spanish flu virus
This content was published on
Researchers from the Universities of Basel and Zurich (UZH) have sequenced the genome of the Spanish flu virus, thanks to a sample taken from an 18-year-old Swiss boy who died in the city on the Limmat in 1918, when the pandemic spread around the world.
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.
Read more
More
Prestigious Swiss university sacks ‘bullying’ professor
This content was published on
One of Switzerland’s top universities has followed through on its threat to sack a professor following allegations of bullying.
This content was published on
Switzerland’s leading university has moved to dismiss a professor accused of bullying and pledged wide-ranging measures to tackle the issue.
Enrolment at Switzerland’s top tech universities shoots up
This content was published on
Switzerland’s federal technology institutes are attracting a record number of students, particularly in information technology and engineering.
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.