Current Case Study

What is the Transdisciplinary Case Study?

The Transdisciplinary (Td) Case Study is a 7 ECTS master’s course offered in spring semesters at ETH Zurich by the Transdisciplinarity Lab (TdLab). In the course, students examine environmental and sustainability issues in a case study region and contribute to the development and discussion of possible solutions. The course is based on an experiential and reflective learning approach, offering a flexible work structure and cross-boundary collaborations. Students will work independently in interdisciplinary an intercultural teams, developing their own transdisciplinary research projects that bridge science, policy, and practice.

What is the focus of the Td Case Study in 2026?

In spring 2026, the Td Case Study will explore climate change adaptation in the Alps with a focus on the mountain region of Surselva in the Swiss canton of Grisons. The course is carried out with the support of Regiun Surselva and the Surselva Lab, a real-world lab of FH Graubünden, and with additional partners from policy and practice. Students will collaborate with societal stakeholders to address local needs in sectors such as natural hazards, agriculture, tourism, and water. To do so, students will develop concrete research questions and answer them by collecting and analysing data directly in the case study region. Thereby, the focus is set on co-creating solution-oriented knowledge.

Course setup

The course is led by Dr. Benjamin Hofmann and Dr. Ariane Wenger, lecturers from the TdLab. A student tutor from D-USYS will also support students in their project work. Furthermore, the course is conducted in collaboration with the Zurich University of Arts (ZHdK), Master in Transdisciplinarity, led by Prof. Patrick Müller and Prof. Irene Vögeli. The collaboration between ETH Zurich and ZHdK offers a space for developing arts-sciences collaborations and for exploring creative forms of expression. A local advisory group with representatives from policy and practice will support the course and help students’ finding their research ideas and stakeholder contacts. Overall, the course combines input from lecturers and guest speakers, independent research by students, as well as excursions and field research in the case study region.

Important dates

• Pre-semester information event for students: Thursday, December 18, 2025, 13:00-14:00 in CHN building, room K77.

• Weekly Wednesday course sessions: 14:15-18:00 from February 25 to May 27, 2026 (expect for April 8)

• Excursions to the case study region of Surselva: March 11 and March 20, 2026

• Mid-term presentations in the case study region of Surselva: April 15, 2026 (afternoon)

• Block week in Ilanz: June 14 to 19, 2026

• Synthesis week at ETHZ: June 22 to 26, 2026

• Final presentation event in the case study region of Surselva: July 1, 2026

Course requirements

The course is limited to 25 MSc students from USYS (Environmental Sciences and Agricultural Sciences) and other ETH departments. To apply for this course, students have to send a one-page motivation letter, covering the following questions: Why are you interested? / What do you want to learn? / What can you contribute? to by February 1, 2026.

German language skills are an advantage but not a prerequisite for participation. Nevertheless, you should be aware that many documents and interactions with the actors will be mainly in (Swiss) German.

The following parallel course is an ideal, but not mandatory complement: 701-1571-00L Integration in Science, Policy and Practice: Inter- and Transdisciplinary Concepts, Methods, Tools. Some of the concepts, methods, and tools of inter- and transdisciplinary integration explored in this course could be applied in the real-world setting of the Td Case Study.

For further information, visit the Course Catalogue

Contact

For questions and comments, please contact Dr. Benjamin Hofmann,