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epfl – vpai 3.11.09

EPFL’s Strategy and Achievements

Riding the Globalization Wave:

Prof. Martin Vetterli

Vice President Institutional Affairs

Dr D. Noukakis, J.-F. Ricci

Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL)Lausanne , Switzerland

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Overview

1.The global context

2. Challenges for higher education

3. EPFL’s strategy and achievements

4. Conclusions

Riding the Globalization Wave

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The knowledge economy

«In 2006, the world has produced more transistors

than grains of rice »Samuel Palmisano, Chairman & CEO of IBM

The Global Context A New Paradigm

Welcome to the knowledge economy where the human capital is

an essential element of competitiveness

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Scientific impact on economic activity

Source : Nature 430, 311 - 316 (15 July 2004)

The Innovation GapThe Global Context

Citation per paper (RBI normalized)

Country 2002 1993–2002

Switzerland 1.70 1.59

United States 1.48 1.41

Denmark 1.48 1.33

United Kingdom 1.39 1.21

Netherlands 1.39 1.33

Germany 1.33 1.15

Austria 1.24 1.09

Belgium 1.21 1.17

Sweden 1.21 1.25

Canada 1.18 1.13

GDP per person in 1’000 USD at 1995 PPP

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-> Globalisation of educational services

-> Implementation of Bologna process affects EHEA and RoW!

International Academic Marketing

The academic landscape in Europe

The Global Context Globalization of Higher Education

Source: Trends V (2007): Universities shaping the European Higher Education Area. An EUA report

Student mobility flows across “Bologna” countries

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-> Demographic challenges ahead:

• 2,400,000 students study abroad every year, but estimated growth of demand for international education: 6%

• Projected drastic decrease of the 20-24 age cohort in developed countries (-10% in top-20 economies)

• Growth mostly from developing and emerging countries

-> Students mobility

-> Faculty “star system”

-> Off-shore campuses

-> Newcomers

International Academic Marketing

The academic landscape

The Global Context Globalization of Higher Education

End of national monopolies

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Source: Trends V (2007): Universities shaping the European Higher Education Area. An EUA report

Structure of graduate education across “Bologna” countries

Challenges for HE Building World Class Universities

Diversity in educational structures

Need for US style graduate schools?

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-> Appropriate management structure and corporate culture

-> Attract and retain first rate Faculty

-> Develop structured graduate education

-> Recruit the best students (financial aid system?)

-> Reinforce tech transfer

-> Provide a modern infrastructure and attractive facilities

-> Develop strategic partnerships

-> Become less dependent on state funding

Challenges for HE Building World Class Universities

Key issues to be addressed

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EPFL

Major reorganizations since 2000

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6’746 Students (of which 1’624 PhD)

266 Professors

2140 Employees

Confederation Budget 554 Million CHF (2008)

External Financing 194 Million CHF (2008)

Total Budget 748 Million CHF or ≈ 500 Million EUR

EPFL in numbers

Facts and figuresEPFL Today Facts & Figures 2008

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FNRS

CTI

EU

Public & private sector

Industry

Diversity of 3rd party fundsExpenses (Million CHF)

Students1%

Federal74%

CTI2%

Public & privateSector 11%

EU6%

FNRS6%

Expenditure by sourceof funding (2008)

EPFL Today Resources and Financing

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EPFL’s Management structure

EPFL Today

PRESIDENT

VP-INSTITUTIONAL AFFAIRS

VP-ACADEMIC AFFAIRS

VP-INNOVATION & VALORISATION

VP-PLANINING & LOGISTICS

DIRECTION

SCHOOLBASIC

SCIENCES(Research bodies)

SCHOOLLIFE

SCIENCES(Research bodies)

SCHOOLENGINEERING

SCIENCES &TECHNIQUES

(Research bodies)

SCHOOLCOMPUTER & COMMUNIC.

SCIENCES(Research bodies)

ARCHITECTURE, CIVIL &

ENVIRONMENT. ENGINEERING

(Research bodies)

DEANSHIP BACHELOR/MASTER

DEANSHIPDOCTORAL SCHOOL

15 SECTIONS OFFERING 15 BACHELOR AND 19 MASTER PROGRAMS

19 DOCTORAL PROGRAMS

COLLEGE OF MANAGEMENT & TECHNOLOGY

COLLEGE OF SOCIAL

SCIENCES& HUMANITIES

INTEGRATED SYSTEMS CENTER

CENTER FOR NEUROPROSTHESES

Some Major Achievements

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National and international accreditation

Structure of Academic ProgramsEPFL Today

center of accreditation and quality assurance of the swiss universities Commission des Titres d’Ingénieur

A Bologna-based curriculum recognized world-wide

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EPFL Today

Anchor education in cutting-edge research

Physics

Chemistry / Chemical Eng.

Mathematics

Material Sciences

Electrical Engineering

Microtechnology

Mechanical Engineering

Computer science

Communication systems

Architecture

Civil Engineering

Environmental Science & Eng.

Life Sciences & Technology

Management of Technology

Financial Engineering

Nuclear Engineering

Education programsSchools

Basic Sciences

Engineering

Computer and Communication Sciences

Architecture, Civil and Environmental Eng.

Life Sciences

Social Sciences and Humanities

Management of Technology

Structure of Academic Programs

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-> 19 programs

-> Guarantee the highest quality standards for recruitment

-> Provide support and supervision to PhD students

-> Create a network of PhD students throughout EPFL

Doctoral school: Launched in 2003

Steady increase of PhD students

EPFL Today Structure of Academic Programs

0

200

400

600

800

1000

1200

1400

1600

1990 1992 1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004 2006

1990: 354

2008

2008: 1’624 of which 65%international students

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EPFL Today Student body

Under-graduates

49%

51%

Graduates

0

1'000

2'000

3'000

4'000

5'000

6'000

7'000

1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008

PhD

Master

Bachelor

* CMS and postgraduate students not included

Evolution of student mixNumber of students

Swissnationals

ForeignStudents

38%

Foreignresidents

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An international facultyFaculty.hiring@epfl.chEPFL Recruitment

“A University is its Faculty”

0.0%

10.0%

20.0%

30.0%

40.0%

50.0%

60.0%

Switzerland France, Germany, Italy

Europa, others North America Asia

EPFL Professors by nationality in % of the total

2000 (total: 143)

2004 (total: 221)

2008 (total: 266)

EPFL Faculty members by nationality% of the total

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–> Recruit at the international level

–> Give autonomy (an Assistant Professor is like a Full Professor!)

–> Provide a stimulating environment and adequate resources

–> Mentoring

–> An evaluation process after 6-8 years

An attractive tenure track system

60 206

143

0 100 200 300

2008

2000

PATT Full Professors

EPFL Recruitment Faculty.hiring@epfl.ch

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Center for Neuroprosthetics

Blue Brain

Center for Biotechnology

Center for Integrated Systems

Stimulate transdisciplinarity

Design Center

Alinghi

Solar Impulse

Montreux Jazz Festival archives

Space Center

Hydroptère

Strategic initiativesPartnerships

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Average Impact Factor

Number of Publications x

Impact Factor

Excellence in Research Bibliometrics

Steady increase in publications

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Excellence in Research Competitiveness

ERC Advanced Grants in 2008

EPFL (CH) 11

Weizmann Institute of Science (Israël, IL) 8

ETH Zürich (CH) 7

University of Oxford (UK) 7

Imperial College London (UK) 6

University of Cambridge (UK) 5

Université Catholique de Louvain (BE) 4

Université de Genève (CH) 4

Helsinki University of Technology (FI) 4

University College of London (UK) 4

Shanghai Jiao Tong ARWU 2009

Engineering, Technology and Computer Science

1 Massachusetts Inst Tech (MIT) USA

2 Stanford Univ USA

3 Univ Illinois - Urbana Champaign USA

4 Univ California - Berkeley USA

5 Carnegie Mellon Univ USA

6 Univ Michigan - Ann Arbor USA

7 Univ Texas - Austin USA

8 Georgia Inst Tech USA

9 Univ California - San Diego USA

10 Penn State Univ - Univ Park USA

11 Univ Southern California USA

12 California Inst Tech USA

13 Univ California - Santa Barbara USA

14 Univ Maryland - Coll Park USA

15 EPFL Switzerland

15 Univ Cambridge UK

17 Purdue Univ - West Lafayette USA

18 Cornell Univ USA

19 University of Toronto Canada

20 Tohoku Univ Japan

Competing in the premier league

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Stimulate and supportInnovate & Transfer

A place to innovate

12 new companies / year

Science Park with 100 companies

College of management of technology

Tech transfer services

Innovation network

Entrepreneurship program

Coaching

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0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

1990

1991

1992

1993

1994

1995

1996

1997

1998

1999

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

Invention & technology disclosures

Priority patent appl.

Licenses, TT agr. & options

Start-ups

Innovate & Transfer Technology Licensing

A nice progression

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Infrastructure: Main projects

Rolex Learning Centre

Stu

dents

Housin

g

Hote

l

Conference Centre

Innovation Square

Sport

centr

e

Message 2

009

EPFL Tomorrow Create a True Campus

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Conclusions

Competition for minds & funds beyond regional levelEPFL’s recipe:

Clear positioning and action plan

Quality of people at key managerial positions

Competitive recruitment of Senior & Junior faculty

Tools for academic cross-fertilization(education and research)

Reduced dependency on state funding

Riding the Globalization Wave