National data research center expands presence in the canton of Vaud
Published: Friday, Nov 22nd 2024, 16:30
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The Swiss Data Science Center (SDSC) of EPF Lausanne and ETH Zurich is being expanded. It will be located permanently on the Biopôle campus of the Canton of Vaud in Epalinges.
Following an introductory phase, the ETH Board confirmed the importance of the SDSC as a strategic infrastructure for national research this year, Martin Vetterli, President of the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne (EPFL), and Joël Mesot, President of the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich (ETHZ), told the media in Lausanne on Friday.
The ETH Board approved a budget of CHF 60 million for the period 2025-2028 - that is CHF 15 million per year. The canton of Vaud is supporting various projects in the initial phase with CHF 7 million.
Isabelle Moret (FDP) and Frédéric Borloz (SVP), the Canton of Vaud's Director of Economic Affairs and Head of Education, expressed their "great pleasure and happiness" that SDSC is establishing itself in the canton "within an innovation ecosystem". "This strengthens the canton's position as a competence center for data and artificial intelligence," they explained.
Vetterli and Mesot pointed out that artificial intelligence not only affects the technology industry, but all sectors of the Swiss economy. "Around two thirds of jobs will be affected by the digital transition and generative AI," they said, citing estimates.
SDSC Director Olivier Verscheure said that one of the goals of the center is to provide companies with expertise and skills to develop their data strategy. This could be seen as a kind of "coaching" in relation to the collection, management and analysis of data.
Founded in 2017, the Center for Data Science currently employs 130 people and will take on a further 40 employees by 2028.
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