General Information

The University of Zurich established its Evaluation Office in 2000. We are tasked with evaluating all of the UZH's approximately 200 organizational units at intervals of 6 to 8 years, applying a multi-stage procedure (incl. self- and external evaluation); accordingly, all UZH units have been evaluated at least twice to date, provided they already existed during this period.

In 2018, with the start of the 3rd evaluation cycle (2018-2026), new evaluation regulations came into force. The Evaluation Office is no longer an independent unit reporting to the Executive Board, as was previously the case, but is assigned to the Deputy President. This strengthens the management-supporting function of evaluations; however, the professional and operational independence of the Evaluation Office is maintained. 

In the 3rd cycle, the evaluation procedure is coordinated with two other strategy and quality development processes: Quality management processes for education and teaching and management processes (strategy and development meetings). Regarding the former, the coordination is achieved by including the education quality reports (prepared within the framework of the quality management study and teaching) in the self-evaluation reports of the respective units. Regarding the latter, the evaluation process is linked to the management processes by discussing the evaluation results in the strategy and development meetings between UZH governing bodies and the unit under evaluation.

The function of the responsible governing body is assumed by the Faculty Council (evaluation of academic units) or members of the Executive Board (evaluation of central services/management). 

As part of the university's strategy and quality development system, the evaluation process forms an integrated evaluation concept with quality management of teaching and learning and management processes. 

The Evaluation Office of the University of Zurich is tasked with conducting evaluations for all areas of UZH. In short, the purposes of evaluations are: Develop decision-making aids for medium and long-term planning; survey and further develop the quality of academic work in research, teaching and service as well as the quality of work in management and administration; be accountable to the public.

The evaluation process includes various steps, in which all participants are supported by our project managers as contact persons. 

Academic units (institutes, seminars, clinics, faculties), selected study programs, supporting services (Central Services) and the management bodies (dean’s offices, Offices of the Vice Presidents, directorates, Office of the President) are subjects of evaluation. In addition, cross-organizational subject areas can also be evaluated. As a rule, evaluations assess all areas of activity as well as the relevant structures, processes and results. In the case of academic units, the evaluation covers the areas of research, teaching, promotion of young researchers, services, management and administrative activities as well as the unit's medium-term goals and the measures used to achieve these goals. In the case of management and Central Services, the questions are adapted according to the respective areas of responsibility and activities.