Former ETH President Heinrich Ursprung dies
Published: Friday, Feb 23rd 2024, 10:10
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Former ETH President Heinrich Ursprung died last Saturday shortly before his 92nd birthday. The biologist was President of ETH Zurich from 1973 to 1987.
"He played a key role in shaping the university landscape in Switzerland," said Joël Mesot, President of ETH Zurich, in a statement on Friday. "We are still benefiting from his initiatives today."
Ursprung played a leading role in the introduction of new fields of study at the time, such as computer science, biotechnology and materials science. He also recruited researchers from top American universities for future-oriented fields.
Even after his time as ETH President, his influence on the university landscape remained strong. From 1987 to 1990 Ursprung was President of the Swiss School Board and from 1990 to 1997 Director of the Group for Science and Research, from 1992 as State Secretary. This was the predecessor organization of today's State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation (SERI).
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