Aline Bütikofer appointed Full Professor of Health Economics

ETH Zurich and Università della Svizzera italiana (USI) announce the joint appointment of Professor Aline Bütikofer as a Full Professor of Health Economics. At ETH Zurich, she will join the Department of Management, Technology and Economics, while at USI she will be affiliated with the Institute of Economics (IdEP) of the Faculty of Economics. Currently a Full Professor at the Norwegian School of Economics (Norway), she will take up her post in August 2026.

Aline Bütikofer is internationally recognised as a leading scholar in the field of empirical health economics. Her interdisciplinary research examines the long-term effects of environmental factors and public policy on health, cognitive development, social mobility and inequalities. With this appointment, ETH Zurich and Università della Svizzera italiana are further strengthening their strategic collaboration and welcoming a pre-eminent researcher whose contribution will consolidate the international visibility and scientific excellence of both institutions in the field of health economics.

“The appointment of Professor Aline Bütikofer strengthens a strategic area for research and education at a time when the challenges related to public health and the sustainability of healthcare systems are becoming increasingly significant from both a social and an economic perspective,” says USI’s Interim Rector, Professor Gabriele Balbi. “Just a few months ago, USI launched the new Master of Science in Health, a programme designed to contribute to addressing the major contemporary challenges in health through an interdisciplinary approach.”

The appointment is part of the ETH–USI agreement on joint professorships, a cooperation model launched in 2010 to strengthen synergies in research and teaching between the two institutions. Three other ETH–USI joint professorships are currently active: Professor Federica Sallusto in immunology, Professor Andrea Alimonti in oncology and Professor Massimo Filippini in the fields of energy economics and political economy.