Framing the Future: ETH and Global Policy

This article is part of a series highlighting ETH Zurich’s role at the intersection of science and policymaking. ETH has just launched the Albert Einstein School of Public Policy. It serves as a hub for policy-oriented education, research, and real-world impact. To find out more, visit: https://einstein-school.ethz.ch/en/

Framing the Future: ETH and Global Policy

Where Policy and Science Meet: Insights from the ETH Policy Fellowship

October 14, 2025
The blog today is a vlog! Marco Fischer, an alumnus of the ETH Policy Fellowship Programme, presents the insights he gained during the fellowship.

How can science make policy more effective? What is science diplomacy? How can policymakers engage with academia?

These are the questions explored by the ETH Policy Fellowship, which also reflect the mission of the future School of Public Policy, which ETH will launch next week. Science strengthens policy by grounding decisions in evidence and reducing uncertainty. Science diplomacy uses research and collaboration as tools to build trust and address global challenges across borders. In the spirit of knowledge transfer in the service of society, ETH Zurich aims to bridge the gap between researchers and policymakers through programmes such as the ETH Policy Fellowship, thereby helping them to address societal challenges through sustainable, effective, and evidence-​informed solutions. As Marco puts it:

“Now more than ever, we need strong bridges between science and policy – this programme helps to build them.”

More information about our Policy Fellowship programme can be found here: https://policy.ethz.ch/en/policymakers/policy-fellowship.html

Society, Education Public Policy , School of Public Policy , Science-Policy Interface
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Marco Fischer has been the Head of Section for Science Diplomacy, Space and the Arctic at the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA) since 2023, joining the Swiss diplomatic service in 2014. He holds a MA in Economics of the University of Zurich and a MAS in International Development Cooperation from ETH Zurich. He is an alumnus of the ETH Policy Fellowship Programme 2024-2025.

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