We, the members of ZHdK, are committed to working together in a respectful and professional manner and to using natural resources sparingly. We are also committed to treating one another with respect and to embracing the principle of non-violent communication.
We are committed to respecting different roles and responsibilities, as well as different competencies and areas of expertise, at all levels of the University.
We are committed to seeing mistakes as part of development and learning. We endeavour to foster a culture of cooperation in which mistakes can be treated openly and where we, as members of ZHdK, can learn from mistakes, whether they are our own or those of others.
We are committed to fostering an inclusive university culture, one based on the realisation that different persons have different needs, perspectives and backgrounds. We endeavour to reduce physical, technical and social barriers to create an environment which is conducive to learning, teaching, doing research and working together in the most equitable, non-discriminatory way possible.
We are vigilant. If we experience or witness violations of personal integrity, for instance, discrimination, sexual harrassent and bullying, we will assist those affected, offer our support and intervene if necessary.
We are committed to treating confidential information with due diligence and to safeguarding personal, institutional and sensitive data.
We are committed to disclosing conflicts of interest in a truthful and comprehensive manner and to ensuring that personal interests neither compromise nor impair our professional decision-making, nor our collaboration with others, nor the integrity of ZHdK.
We are committed to a conscious and responsible use of resources in daily campus life. We also endeavour to ensure that this awareness informs our decision-making.
We, the executive staff of ZHdK, are committed to performing our duty of care and our responsibilities towards our staff, students and the institution as a whole to the best of knowledge. We are committed to enabling others to understand our decisions and to communicating them in a transparent and comprehensible manner.
We are committed to a leadership culture which rests on mutual trust and a genuine sense of responsibility. We are committed to taking appropriate measures to strengthen this leadership culture. We will deal with feedback, criticism and conflicts in an open and constructive manner.
The University Board bears particular responsibility for the strategic orientation and sustainable development of ZHdK. It is committed to acting in a transparent and careful, considered way, always bearing in mind its role and responsibilities. It is committed to taking decisions in the best interests of the University and its members, while also taking into account how its decisions affect others, collaboration, resources and society.
We, the teaching and research staff of ZHdK, and we as its guest lecturers, endeavour to interact with students in a way that protects personal integrity. We are committed to fostering independent thinking, critical reflection and responsible action in our students.
In teaching and research, and in particular when supervising and assessing creative, artistic, academic and educational projects, we are committed to reflective thinking: we will step back and question our backgrounds, assumptions and perspectives. Our actions will reflect our awareness of and sensitivity to discrimination.
We are committed to selecting course materials with care. Whenever such materials contain discriminatory depictions or language, we will make their context and our aims in using these materials clear in advance. We will treat those materials and those engaging with them in a responsible manner. We are committed to establishing and fostering a feedback culture which enables respectful dialogue and constructive criticism.
We are committed to supporting students with disabilities by making appropriate access arrangements. We will take into account challenging periods for students such as examinations and the final semester of their studies.
We are committed to acting in accordance with the principles of academic integrity in all aspects of teaching and research.
All members of ZHdK are responsible for living this Code of Conduct in daily campus life. Zurich University of the Arts (ZHdK) is committed to establishing a framework best suited to achieving this objective. This framework includes points of contact which members of ZHdK may consult should they experience or witness any violations of integrity. It also includes clear lines of responsibility. ZHdK is committed to supporting its members in translating the guidelines and principles set out in this Code of Conduct into daily campus life.
1 September 2026