To flourish, scholarship must be free from external influences, constraints and ideological pressures. The University of Zurich is committed to unrestricted freedom in research and teaching. Academic freedom calls for a high degree of responsibility, including reflection on the ethical implications of research activities for humans, animals and the environment.

The UZH and its members are committed to the principles of good scientific practice and pass them on to junior researchers. The Integrity Ordinance of the UZH is based on national and international standards for dealing with scientific misconduct and regulates the structures and procedures for investigating cases of suspected scientific misconduct.
Research Integrity

In the case of research projects on or with humans, UZH researchers are obliged to weigh up the the proportionality of the probable burdens and risks for the participants with regard to the expected gain in knowledge and dispense with burdens and risks that are not absolutely necessary. In most cases, an ethical examination and approval of a research project is necessary.
Research Involving Human Beings

In biomedicine, research involving animals is indispensable when it comes to understanding holistic relationships in the organism. At the UZH, animal welfare is taken into account through exemplary animal husbandry, proper training of the persons involved, careful experimental planning and the use of all possibilities to reduce animal suffering.
Research involving Animals

Research at the UZH is subject to regulated access to genetic resources and the balanced distribution of the benefits resulting from their use. These conditions are defined in the Nagoya Protocol. More information can be found on the UZH for Researchers website.
UZH for Researchers: Nagoya Protocol