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Professorships Department

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

General questions

Q: What must I do to enter an existing or new outside professional activity or interest?

A: After logging into the web app, you can enter all existing and new professional activities and interests using the “Record a new disclosure of an outside professional activity and interest” form.

Procedure:

  • Enter an existing or new professional activity or interest using the “Record a new disclosure of an outside professional activity and interest” form
  • Click the blue “request submission” button -> the information will be transferred to the “Your recorded disclosures of outside professional activities and interests” table
  • A new, empty “Record a new disclosure of an outside professional activity and interest” form will appear. This allows you to enter all of your outside professional activities and interests at once.
  • After entering all of your outside professional activities and interests -> log out via the tool navigation buttons in the upper right hand corner (“log out (UZH shortname)”).

Q: Must outside professional activities and interests be entered if they are already in the past ?

A: No. The law came into effect on January 1, 2017. The obligation to disclose interests only begins then. The following applies: All activities that began before January 1, 2017, and continue after January 1, 2017, must be entered. Any activities that ended before December 31, 2016, do not have to be entered.

Q: I have no outside professional activities or interests that need to be disclosed. What must I do?

A: The “I don't have any outside professional activities and interests” option is available in the web tool. Click on the box there, and then click on the “Save” button. Then log out via the tool navigation buttons in the upper right hand corner (“log out (UZH shortname)”).

Q: I completed a form this spring and sent it to the Professorships Department. Do I have to complete the same information again?

A: There is a difference between the statement of outside earnings and the disclosure of outside professional activities and interests, which is now required. In some cases, outside earnings are associated with outside professional activities and interests, and vice-versa. New outside professional activities and interests should be entered shortly after they begin in the register of outside professional activities and interests. If an outside professional activity ends, this fact can also be entered.

Outside earnings must be declared annually, independently of the register. You will continue to be asked to do so in March of the year when the declaration is made. For example, the request for the declaration of outside earnings for 2016 will be sent in March 2017. In the future, the declaration of outside earnings will include the obligation to confirm that the disclosure of outside professional activities and interests has been completed for the previous year.

Definitions

Q: What is an body?

A: A body is a collection of persons formed to follow a common goal. This terminology was chosen explicitly to include all forms of firms, etc.; it is thus broadly defined.

 

Q: What is an interest group?

A: As used by legislators, the term «interest group» is to be broadly understood. According to established practice, UZH understands it to mean a group of people who work for common interests, topics, or areas of activity. This includes companies and law firms.

Memberships

Q: I am a member of a professional society / scientific society / club. Must I declare membership as an outside professional activity or interest?

A: Simple membership of professional societies / scientific societies / clubs, without an active function, does not need to be declared as an outside professional activity or interest. If membership is associated with a specific role (e.g. advice, management), it must be declared.

Q: I am member of corporate scientific advisory boards. Must I declare these memberships as an outside professional activity or interest?

A: Yes. Membership iof corporate scientific advisory boards is considered to be a long-term management and consulting activity in accordance with § 2, par. B of the directive on the disclosure of interests, in the context of what constitutes an interest group, and must thus be declared.

Q: I am a member of the scientific advisory board of an excellence cluster at a university. Must I declare this membership as an outside professional activity or interest?

A: Yes. Membership of a scientific advisory board of a university is considered to be a long-term management and consulting activity in accordance with § 2, par. B of the directive on the disclosure of interests, in the context of what constitutes an interest group, and must thus be declared.

Q: I represent Swiss universities on the board of directors of a foreign professional association. Must I declare this membership as an outside professional activity or interest?

A: Yes. Representing Swiss universities on the board of directors of a foreign professional association is considered to be a long-term management and consulting activity in accordance with § 2, par. B of the directive on the disclosure of interests in the context of what constitutes an interest group, and must thus be declared.

Q: I am a member of the national research council of the SNSF. Must I declare this membership as an outside professional activity or interest?

A: Yes. Membership of the national research council of the SNSF is considered to be a long-term management and consulting activity in accordance with § 2, par. B of the directive on the disclosure of interests in the context of what constitutes an interest group, and must thus be declared.

Q: I am a member of an SNSF/ERC evaluation panel. Must I declare this membership as an outside professional activity or interest?

A: Yes. Membership of an SNSF/ERC evaluation panel is considered to be a long-term management and consulting activity in accordance with § 2, par. B of the directive on the disclosure of interests in the context of what constitutes an interest group, and must thus be declared.

Q: I was elected to the finance committee of the commune where I live. This is associated with a few meetings a year; the role is unpaid. Must I declare this membership as an outside professional activity or interest?

A: Yes. This activity is considered membership of a management or supervisory body in a municipal or public law agency in accordance with § 2, par. A of the directive on the disclosure of interests in the context of what constitutes an interest group, and must thus be declared.

Activities for or on behalf of UZH

Q: Is membership of a UZH committee (Committee for Academic Career Development, Research Committee, etc.) an outside professional activity or interest that is subject to mandatory disclosure?

A: No. This activity does not have to be declared as an outside professional activity or interest. Activities of this sort within UZH are part of the duty of UZH professors to support UZH's academic autonomy in accordance with § 46 of the Employment Ordinance of the University of Zurich (PVO-UZH) dated September 29, 2014.

Q: Does an ex officio membership, for example a membership on behalf of the UZH of a board of trustees, such as the WWPK foundation, need to be declared?

A: Yes. An activity on behalf of UZH or an ex officio membership represents an outside professional activity or interest in accordance with § 2, par. A of the directive on the disclosure of interests in the context of what constitutes an interest group, and must thus be declared. As this is not a personal interest, it can be specified in the “function” category under “other”, as an activity on behalf of UZH or ex officio.

Other activities

Q: I am publisher or editor of a scientific journal. Must I declare this activity as an outside professional activity or interest?

A: No. Publishing or editing scientific journals is not considered to be an outside professional activity or interest.

Q: I am member of an advisory / editorial board of a scientific journal. Must I declare this activity as an outside professional activity or interest?

A: No. Membership of an advisory board is not considered to be an outside professional activity or interest.

Q: I am an assistant lecturer at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology. Must I declare this activity as outside professional activity or interest?

A: No. This activity is not considered to be an outside professional activity or interest that is subject to declaration. However, itmust be declared each year on the statement of outside earnings.

Q: I hold many lectures for which I receive a fee. Must I declare this activity as an outside professional activity or interest?

A: No. Lectures must be declared on the statement of outside earnings.

Q: I am a director of a professional association. Must I declare this activity as an outside professional activity or interest?

A: Yes. Directorships of professional associations are considered to be a long-term management activity in accordance with § 2, par. B of the directive on the disclosure of interests in the context of what constitutes an interest group, and must thus be declared.

Weiterführende Informationen

Contact

Professorships Department

Sonja Egli

Phone: +41 44 634 20 22