" I enjoy convincing people about an idea that also convinces me,” explains Donald Tillman. The new manager of ETH Zurich Foundation (1) has an enthusiasm for ETH that is instantly noticeable. “While I was working in industry, I saw that innovation often starts in the universities. That is why this sphere also fascinates me.”

Tillman took up his new position at the beginning of March. He feels it to be an advantage that he is familiar with conditions at the university. “The people at ETH value the fact that I studied here,” he observes. It is clear to him that ETH needs an organisation to obtain additional private funding. “The finances of the Swiss universities are stagnating, whereas our competitors abroad have increasing amounts of funding available. We must take care not to miss the connection.”

America as an example

The Foundation’s activities are intended to supplement current fundraising. “We certainly don’t want to compete against the departments,” Tillman emphasises. “What we are trying to do is to obtain additional funds for the Executive Board’s strategic projects.” He also says he wants to take more care of what are known as retail customers. “Among the ranks of former students there are quite a few who are willing to give something back to ETH.”

In this respect he thinks the American examples should be emulated. Tillman also studied at MIT himself and is familiar with the conditions there. “The American educational institutes have perfected fundraising to a degree that we can only dream about.” But, he concedes, there is also a different prevailing culture over there. “Certainly we cannot simply copy everything. Instead we must adapt it to our local circumstances.”

A critical debate

After completing the setup phase, the ETH Foundation can now tackle the consolidation phase. The Foundation has been reorganised and there are new staff. Except for Ernst Hafen, who sits on this body ex-officio as ETH President, the Board of Trustees now includes non-ETH individuals from the ranks of industry and the donors. Tillman is convinced that the shape of the organisation that has now been chosen will guarantee the Foundation’s independence.

Discussions about which projects should be given material support will be unavoidable. “There is a need for a debate between the Executive Board, which proposes something, and the Board of Trustees, which examines it critically from the point of view of industry and the donors,” says Tillman. He thinks that is precisely what will also promote the dialogue between industry and ETH. “I am convinced that ETH should work more closely with industry. ETH Foundation can make a contribution to that end.”

Donald Tillman has been in charge of ETH Zurich Foundation’s office since the beginning of March. large

Impressing the message on society

For educational institutes to derive their finances partly from private funding is not yet the custom in Switzerland at present. For this reason Tillman would welcome a situation in which the other educational institutes also carry out fundraising. He is convinced that "The message that additional private finance is needed could be implanted more quickly that way." He thinks industry recognises that educational institutes need additional funding for strategic projects – in addition to direct project financing. However, a precondition is that governmental authorities do not use it as an excuse to reduce university budgets in return.