EMPOWER & CONNECT

Open to doctoral candidates from all ETH departments, EMPOWER supports self-orientation in diverse professional contexts by expanding horizons through new knowledge, practical skills, and networking opportunities.

Enriching growth program for PhD students, exclusive edition 2026/2027

ABOUT US

By offering outstanding learning experiences, we address competencies that are unique assets for professional portfolios across a wide range of environments, both within and beyond academia.

The program features a series of monthly transdisciplinary events, varying in duration and format—from short “spark” workshops to larger 1–2 ECTS VVZ courses (available starting HS26). These events cover a wide range of topics (stay tuned for the detailed schedule).

Many thanks to everyone who completed the preparatory surveys and helped shape the program, please continue to provide your feedback and share ideas!<3

We look forward to welcoming you at our events of this exciting initiative!

Sincerely,
Your EMPOWER Team

We deeply aknowledge great support of Rector's Team and ETH Doctorate

EPT-hub DPHYS ETH Zurich Doctorate

“EMPOWER is an outstanding example of a bottom-up initiative that brings doctoral students from the different fields together and actively fosters the development of their transferable skills in curricular courses and extracurricular activities.”

Prof. Dr. Günther Dissertori, Rector

“By creating a vibrant, cross-disciplinary platform for exchange, learning, and self-orientation, EMPOWER expands participants’ perspectives and prepares them for diverse professional paths both within and beyond academia.”

Prof. Dr. Ulrike Lohmann, Vice Rector for Doctoral Studies