actionuni

Do you want to help us represent academic mid-level staff in Switzerland? 💪 We are currently looking for new delegates to the Swiss Accreditation Council, to Eurodoc and in the area of Open Science. Interested? See the details on our website: lnkd.in/dR8Fpdb6

Thank you to Eurodoc for highlighting these crucial issues at the European level and for coordinating efforts across countries.

Actionuni strongly supports the right of ECRs to fair remuneration aligned with their qualifications, and to self-representation and active participation in academic decision-making.

Our delegate to Eurodoc, recently represented us at one of Eurodoc’s quarterly meetings for national organizations across Europe. Key issues discussed included representational rights and participation in academic governance, as well as the need for a fair minimum salary for doctoral candidates.

"There is no justification for such drastic spending cuts: Switzerland's finances are healthy, and now is the time to invest in the future."

Acidul : wp.unil.ch/acidul/2025/...
bsky.app/profile/acti...

This is a national mobilisation effort. Actionuni's members, mid-level staff associations at various Swiss research institutions also submitted their position to the consultation. For instance, see ACIDUL's position here (French): wp.unil.ch/acidul/2025/....

If we do not push back, these unfair cuts will fall entirely on the precarious mid-level staff and students. See actionuni's response on our website (German & French): actionuni.ch.

There is no justification for such drastic spending cuts: Switzerland's finances are healthy, and now is the time to invest in the future. The rationale given by the report's authors as to why certain areas have been targeted appears arbitrary, and their arguments are flawed.

Actionuni has responded to the consultation on the federal government's austerity measures. We strongly reject these unfair and counterproductive cuts, which threaten the Swiss higher education and research system.

Consider signing and sharing to show our opposition to the proposed budget cuts in the higher education sector

Sexual Harassment Awarness Day Eine nationale Kampagne der Schweizer Hochschulen gegen sexuelle Belästigung.

The Sexual Harrassment Awareness Day will take place on April 29th. See the website of the campaign to find out what events are happening at your univerisity: universities-against-harassment.ch/en/programm 2/2

Swiss universities need to establish stable positions for intermediate staff that create working conditions where victims of sexual harassment can safely file complaints without risking their academic futures. 1/2

actionuni's board held an in-person meeting in Bern today to discuss policy issues and align on strategy for the next six months of the mandate.

The 6th Delegates Assembly of the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF) took place last Thursday. Our representatives advocated for mid-level academic staff, addressing the Federal Council's planned budget cuts that threaten Switzerland's research, teaching, and mid-level academic positions.

Progress towards gender equality in Swiss academia remains slow Despite more women studying at Swiss universities than men, few make it to the upper echelons of the academic world. A tour of some key data.

For more info on the data about gender equality in Swiss academia, you can have a look here. #GenderEquality #Academia #Switzerland

The International Women's Day is coming! Progress toward gender equality in academia remains slow. At the current pace, meaningful change could still take decades. Structural barriers, biases, and slow institutional reforms continue to hinder progress. It’s time for sustained commitment and action.

"We stand in solidarity with our colleagues in British higher education facing an acute crisis. As Newcastle University and others engage in strike action, we support their fight for better conditions. Academic staff across borders share common struggles. #HigherEducation"

Read our full statement (in 4 languages): actionuni.ch/press-releas...
#SaveSwissResearch #SaveSwissTeaching #HigherEducation #Research #Innovation #Switzerland 7/7

We join our voices with swissuniversities, SNSF, the Swiss Academies of Arts and Sciences, the ETH Board, and Innosuisse in calling for sustainable funding solutions that protect our academic institutions. 6/7

What's at stake? Switzerland's position as a global leader in research and innovation, our economic competitiveness, and our ability to provide quality education accessible to all. 5/7

Mid-level academic staff will be disproportionately affected, with over 80% already facing job insecurity through fixed-term contracts. These cuts jeopardize the limited progress recently achieved through national efforts to improve the working conditions. 4/7

Mobility funding for doctoral researchers and postdocs would be slashed, limiting international collaboration and career development. Meanwhile, the teaching burden on scientific staff would increase, undermining both research capacity and teaching quality. 3/7

These proposed cuts would put over 700 SNSF research projects at risk and threaten 2,000 research positions. The ETH Domain's reserves would be reduced by 1 billion CHF by 2028, making flexible and long-term research investment nearly impossible 2/7

🚨 URGENT: Swiss research and education faces unprecedented budget threats. Today, actionuni and 12 mid-level academic staff associations across Switzerland released a joint statement opposing the drastic federal budget cuts threatening our institutions. 1/7

#SHK #SchweizerischeHochschulkonferenz
#CSHE #CSSU #CSSA
#HigherEducation #AcademicCareers #FairWork #FutureOfAcademia

Mid-level academic staff are essential to research and teaching, yet they often face uncertain career paths and precarious contracts. Their voices must be heard to create a fairer, more sustainable academic system!

The SHK sets regulations on degree structures 📚, student/mid-level staff mobility 🌍 and accreditation ✅. It oversees nationwide coordination, and ensures an efficient distribution of responsibilities, particularly in cost-intensive areas.

🏛️ The Schweizerische Hochschulkonferenz (SHK) is the key decision-making body for higher education in Switzerland, bringing together all major stakeholders.

📢 Today is SHK Day! Our representative, Neele Heiser, is on her way to Bern to advocate for better working conditions for mid-level academic staff. 🏛️ 🤝 ⚖️ 📜

Today, actionuni and local mid-level staff associations held their first meeting to address these austerity measures. More info will follow.