Competence Centers

The ETH domain's Competence Centers became operative in 2006, inviting project applications and launching their first research projects. The Competence Centers combine regional scientific know-how with corresponding business activities. They also set milestones for the future. They foster alliances between basic research and applied research, spurring innovation in business and society.

The Competence Center Energy and Mobility (CCEM-CH) conducts research in technologies that increase energy efficiency, reduce CO2 and toxic emission levels and lessen dependence on fossil fuels through the use of renewable energy sources.

The Competence Center Environment and Sustainability (CCES) is currently supporting six projects. They revolve around the issues of climate and climate change, natural hazards and risks, and natural resources. One example is the TRAMM project, which investigates the causes of landslides, rockslides and avalanches. A further fifteen projects have been submitted.

The Competence Center for Materials Science and Technology (CCMX) is currently supporting 27 research projects. Future applicability and the needs of industry were the key criteria in the selection procedure. In some of the projects, the institutions of the ETH domain cooperate with Swiss universities and industrial enterprises.

SystemsX.ch, a joint initiative of ETH Zurich and the Universities of Zurich and Basel, has become a pan-Swiss interdisciplinary project. SystemsX.ch is intended to make Switzerland a global leader in the field of systems biology. Systems biology brings together researchers from biology, chemistry, physics, mathematics, engineering and medicine to explain the workings of entire biological systems.

The Competence Center Biomedical Imaging (NCCBI) intends to raise imaging processes to peak level for the benefit of specialist technology in medicine and biology. This will for instance enhance research into degenerative diseases and dysfunctions.