GESS Who! and University Politics at ETH Zurich
GESS Who! is the student association for students in the Department of Humanities, Social and Political Sciences (D-GESS). We represent students from the MA in Comparative and International Studies, the MA in History and Philosophy of Knowledge, the MSc in Science, Technology and Policy, and the BA in Public Policy. As a VSETH student association, we work on issues specific to D-GESS and contribute to decisions affecting students across ETH Zurich.
Student representation takes place at several levels. At D-GESS, students take part in departmental bodies and programme-level teaching committees. Within VSETH, GESS Who! delegates contribute to discussions and decisions shared by student associations across ETH. These bodies give students a way to raise concerns, share experience and help shape study programmes and student life. For further information about student representation and university politics at ETH, please also visit VSETH’s website.
Student Representatives
Student Representatives are the direct contact point between students in a degree programme and the people responsible for its teaching. They listen to concerns, collect feedback on courses and study conditions, and bring relevant issues to professors, the Director of Studies and the programme’s Teaching Committee. They also share information with GESS Who! and other representatives across D-GESS, helping connect programme-specific concerns with wider student interests.
Representatives in HS2026:
MA in Comparative and International Studies:
Theodoros Karapoantzios
Lena Kaffenberger
MSc in Science, Technology and Policy:
Olga Kochkareva
Daria Skalitzky
MA in History and Philosophy of Knowledge:
Eva Zwicker
Severin Keller
BA in Staatswissenschaften:
Nico Hürlimann
The Department Conference (DK)
The Department Conference (Departementskonferenz, DK) is the highest body of D-GESS. It brings together professors, representatives of academic and administrative staff, and five student representatives. Its remit includes academic planning, departmental rules and the allocation of certain departmental resources. The student representatives bring the perspective of D-GESS students into these discussions.
GESS Who!’s representatives in the DK are elected by the association’s General Assembly. Their responsibility is to represent the interests of students across D-GESS, rather than only those of one degree programme.
Representatives in HS2026: Julia Andrist (MAHPK) and Maren Hermen (MACIS)
The Delegates’ Council (MR)
The Delegates’ Council (Mitgliederrat, MR) is one of VSETH’s central decision-making bodies. It decides on matters that are not assigned to another VSETH body, including the budget, elections and changes to the statutes. The MR meets three times a year and includes delegates from the student associations and VSETH committees.
GESS Who!’s MR delegates are elected by the General Assembly. They represent GESS Who! and its members in VSETH-wide discussions and decisions. This helps ensure that the needs of students in the humanities, social sciences and political sciences are heard alongside those of students from other departments.
Representatives in HS2026: Huynh-Son Do (MAHPK) and David Jüttner (MACIS)
Associations’ Council (FR)
The Associations’ Council (Fachvereinsrat, FR) brings together delegates from VSETH’s student associations. It discusses and decides on shared matters, including VSETH’s university-policy strategy, and supervises the VSETH Board. It is also a place for student associations to exchange information and coordinate their positions.
GESS Who! is represented in the FR by its President or a delegated representative. This role connects D-GESS students’ concerns with the wider work of VSETH and gives GESS Who! a voice in decisions affecting students throughout ETH Zurich.
Representatives in HS2026: Paula Vondrlik (STP) and Philipp von der Thannen (STP)
Disability Representative
Representative in HS2026: Theodoros Karapoantzios (MACIS)