Family reunification for research scientists and no quotas for students
At the start of July, the Rectors’ Conference of the Swiss Universities (CRUS) discussed the Federal Council’s concept for the future control of immigration. The rectors regret that there is no clear commitment not to include students in the quotas.
If the Federal Council has its way, annual quotas will be set in future for all individuals from abroad staying in Switzerland for a period of four months or more. This was proposed by the Federal Council on 20 June 2014 in its concept for implementing the new article of the Federal Constitution on immigration. The external pageconcept outlines how the Federal Council will set the quantitative limits and quotas for controlling migration to Switzerland from February 2017. It would appear that, from February 2017, the Council intends to implement rigorously the new constitutional article adopted by the Swiss electorate on 9 February 2014.
The Rectors’ Conference of the Swiss Universities (external pageCRUS) discussed the Federal Council’s implementation concept at its most recent plenary session in July. According to Antonio Loprieno, President of CRUS and Rector of Basel University, the university rectors are aware of the difficult position of the Federal Council. “But, to be honest, we are profoundly disappointed,” says Loprieno in the external pagecurrent CRUS Newsletter. The rectors and other representatives of education and research informed the Federal Office for Migration of their concerns in the spring. However, these concerns were not considered in the implementation concept.
Students should not be subject to quotas
“I believe that two central points are missing in this concept,” says Loprieno. First, the Federal Council makes no express statement as to whether or not foreign students should also be subject to quotas. According to the CRUS President, the Swiss universities regard it as a matter of course that students must not be included in the quotas. “They do not come here to seek gainful employment and are not taking jobs away from anyone.”
Second, the Federal Council makes no distinction between individual sectors in its implementation. All skilled employees are lumped together with no distinction made for scientific personnel. But for Loprieno it is clear “that sectors with high levels of innovation and high added value should be given preferential treatment in the national interest”.
“Continue to fight for our concerns”
Switzerland as a centre of science and ETH Zurich have managed to develop a strong position in the international competition for the best research scientists as a result of excellent framework conditions and long-term strategies. Amongst the prerequisites for retaining this position – in addition to participation in international networks (key word: Horizon 2020) and in the international competition for high-prestige awards, such as external pageERC grants – are good framework conditions for research scientists and their families.
ETH President Ralph Eichler therefore welcomes the fact that the Federal Council’s proposal includes family reunification for scientific employees from abroad. “Family reunification is very important, not just for professors but also for doctoral candidates and postdoctoral staff,” he says, adding that students up to master’s level should be excluded from the quotas.
The CRUS is now intending to make its arguments heard once more in a letter to the Federal Council. The concept for the implementation of the mass immigration initiative will be formulated as a statement to parliament in the next few months. “We will fight to ensure that the universities’ concerns are taken into account to a greater extent in this statement,” says Eichler with determination. “Because ultimately education and research benefit the whole of society.”