Vice Presidency for Academic Affairs – VPA

The VPA ensures EPFL’s excellence in education and research by bringing together five associate Vice Presidencies.

Our mission

The Vice Presidency for Academic Affairs (VPA) oversees EPFL’s activities in the core missions of education and research. Bringing together these activities within a single vice presidency seeks to forge stronger ties between students, researchers, and staff members.

The goals are to encourage scientific and technological advancements by combining a strong foundation in the fundamental sciences and engineering with adoption of best practices in university-level teaching and an integrated approach to education and research.

The VPA supports ground-breaking projects that leverage our School’s knowledge, draw on cross-disciplinary skills and coordinate the efforts of EPFL’s many research institutes and R&D centers, to contribute to the solution of today’s societal challenges.

The inquiring minds of the young, posing questions uninhibited by knowledge of the impossible, is a fountain of inspiration and creativity in any ambitious research effort. Conversely, education offers a powerful hedge for high-risk research, delivering value to society even when an ambitious research goal is not reached. It is precisely the continuous interaction and mutual enrichment of these two complementary missions that makes us who we are – a university.”

Jan S. Hesthaven, Vice President for Academic Affairs