Some reflections on science and the state in Switzerland

Collaboration between science and policy sparked unusually intense and polarizing public debates during the Covid-19 pandemic. Public attention on the interplay between science and policy, however, swiftly diminished even before the Swiss National Covid-19 Science Task Force was dissolved at the end of March 2022. When the Swiss Federal Council in December 2023 approved of a framework agreement on how to activate national scientific expertise in future crises, this news received minimal coverage in the daily press. 

This presentation offers a brief overview and examination of recent developments, placing them within a broader legal and historical context. The analysis highlights a fundamental discord between legislative norms and expectations regarding the relationship between science and the Swiss state. The roots of this discord can be traced to the wording of the Swiss federal constitution, which addresses “research”, “innovation”, and “teaching” but notably omits "science". This omission carries far-reaching implications for the promotion of science in Switzerland and, ultimately, impacts public trust in the collaboration between science and policy.

Lien zoom : https://unil.zoom.us/j/5325862929