The ZHAW has started to implement the requirements following the adoption of the new personnel ordinance (PVF) by the Zurich cantonal government in July 2022.

Another significant milestone was reached with the new personnel ordinance’s entry into force. The final decision was taken after the conceptual phase between 2012 and 2016 and a public consultation on the law governing the universities of applied sciences and arts (FaHG), in 2018. Revising the PVF had become necessary because the profile of the universities of applied sciences and arts has evolved over the past decades. The new PVF aims to accommodate these developments in the areas of academic programmes, research and development, continuing education and business services. The revision offers the ZHAW new perspectives and scope for advancement, which will create excellent career and promotion opportunities in all areas of activity in the future – whether in the form of equal opportunities for professional careers or retaining young talent for the long term.

Seizing opportunities

As part of the “crossover” project launched in spring 2021, the ZHAW has been working intensively on allocating its academic staff to the new personnel categories. It aims to use the new PVF as a basis to become a more future-oriented university. To fully utilise the scope of action and the opportunities offered, the ZHAW considered various implementation scenarios and developed an implementation concept, which was approved by the Executive Board. The new personnel ordinance will come into effect on 1 August 2024. Until then, the ZHAW is facing major challenges, which it needs to address with the right approaches and by allocating enough time so that the opportunities can be seized for the benefit of the organisation and its staff.