ETH Zurich partners with EPFL and ICRC to address humanitarian challenges
With the Engineering Humanitarian Action initiative, launched on 10 December 2020, ETH Zurich and EPFL have formed a collaboration with the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) to develop innovative solutions for a greater impact of humanitarian action.
In 2019, an estimated 216 million people needed humanitarian assistance in 69 countries. Humanitarian actors in general and the ICRC, in particular, are facing major challenges. Innovative approaches to strengthen humanitarian action are therefore all the more important.
The Engineering Humanitarian Action initiative will focus on the areas of energy and the environment, data sciences and digital technologies, and personalized health and related technologies. At ETH Zurich, efforts under the initiative are being coordinated by ETH4D.
Humanitarian Action Challenges
In September 2020, the three institutions issued a joint call for proposals for Humanitarian Action Challenges. Researchers from both universities were able to submit independent or joint proposals to support the ICRC in its mission to protect and assist people affected by conflict and armed violence.
A total of six innovative projects, two of which will be carried out by EPFL researchers, two by ETH researchers, and two as joint projects by researchers from both universities have been selected.
Find out which projects ETH Zurich will support