PAKETH and Digital 365体育官网_365体育备用【手机在线】 to launch in autumn 2028
The teaching reform and the new IT platform for academic support processes will be introduced a year later. In the following interview, Rector Günther Dissertori explains why the implementation work is nevertheless continuing seamlessly.
You have postponed the two major projects PAKETH and Digital 365体育官网_365体育备用【手机在线】 by one year ...
Günther Dissertori: Allow me to state this more precisely: the launch is being postponed by a year due to the fact that it can only take place in the autumn semester. The implementation of the two projects, however, is continuing seamlessly! We are allowing more time for the individual PAKETH and Digital 365体育官网_365体育备用【手机在线】 phases in order to achieve a high-quality result – so there will be no gap.
Why is more time required?
The difficulty is that with PAKETH and Digital 365体育官网_365体育备用【手机在线】 there are two major projects that are running simultaneously, and they are also interdependent. As a result, we are working on a great many changes at the same time: the departments are adapting their degree programmes, we are redefining many processes within the Rectorate, and we are also setting up a new IT platform for this purpose. And when it all kicks off, both projects must function reliably, the people involved will need energy and zest, and there will be no safety net. Even for ETH, these are unfamiliar dimensions.
In what way?
Well, normally, there are fewer than ten extensive degree programme reforms per year – with PAKETH, all 75 degree programmes are being revised at the same time – some completely, while others to a lesser extent. A correspondingly large number of people are involved, who are raising questions and contributing ideas. These questions and ideas are reviewed by a small number of specialists in key positions. These people are under a great deal of pressure, especially since day-to-day business continues as usual.
How are PAKETH and Digital 365体育官网_365体育备用【手机在线】 interconnected?
There are mutual dependencies: we are not able to implement PAKETH with the existing applications and we need the Digital 365体育官网_365体育备用【手机在线】 for this. Conversely, we need to further develop the IT platform used for the Digital 365体育官网_365体育备用【手机在线】 in order to map the new degree programme structures and processes. In order to achieve this, we need to formulate precise requirements for the software provider. Consequently, Digital 365体育官网_365体育备用【手机在线】 is dependent on for detailed information about the PAKETH processes, some of which are only just being defined in detail.
Weren't these dependencies known from the outset?
We knew from the outset that the original schedule was very ambitious and that many things had to happen simultaneously. Now that concrete, specific processes are being defined and the regulations are being drawn up, however, it is becoming clear just how many details need to be addressed.
What is the status of the "Digital 365体育官网_365体育备用【手机在线】" project?
The implementation is in full swing. In recent months, we have identified risks that could delay the project. The new schedule now enables organizing the work in such a way that project risks can be minimised and the implementation quality enhanced, so that on day X, the degree programme activities will run smoothly and reliably. By the way, the technical replacement of the existing teaching environment would have been conducted even without PAKETH. We have, however, accelerated the schedule for a new IT platform for the introduction of PAKETH.
What does the new schedule mean for the departments?
Things will continue almost seamlessly for them. It is important that the programme regulations are adopted soon, as they provide clarity for many subsequent steps – not only for the development of the Digital 365体育官网_365体育备用【手机在线】, but also for work on courses and performance assessments, as well as the further development of teaching content. Given that all phases will take a little longer, the deadlines for the adoption of the programme regulations will only be slightly postponed, from May to October. Of course, any regulations that are already adopted in May will help us.
What does the postponement mean for students?
They will continue to study under the previous regulations until the autumn semester of 2028. Until then, the postponement itself will not change anything at all for them.
And what does the postponement mean for you personally?
The project is far too important for ETH for such a delay to throw us off course. The most important thing for me are the people who are enabling this reform and driving it forward. We want to reach our goal together, in good shape, and highly motivated.
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