Halfway Through the Mandate: A First Assessment
Appointed in July 2023, Prof. Costanza Bonadonna assumed the Deanship of the Faculty of Science supported by her team of vice-deans (Prof Enrica Bordignon, Prof. Jonas Latt, Prof Christoph Renner and Prof Jean-Luc Wolfender). Based on the consultation with all Faculty sections, the Dean’s office developed clear vision and mission with the idea to position the Faculty within a collective dynamic that combines academic excellence, societal responsibility, and participatory governance.
All projects and strategies are driven by the conception of the Faculty as a coherent, diverse, and interdependent whole. An "organicistic Faculty" in which every component, students, researchers, teaching staff, and administrative and technical personnel, contributes to a shared mission rooted in excellence, inclusivity, creativity, and engagement. This vision is grounded in a clear strategic framework centered on three mission priorities: supporting high-level research and teaching, ensuring an inclusive and creative academic environment, and asserting a societal role in a world facing global challenges.
These well-established principles have gradually been translated into concrete actions. Now halfway through her term, the outlines of this vision and mission are becoming more distinct. It is time for a mid-term review of concrete initiatives, strategic shifts, and areas for future development.
Research: Digital Transition, Collaboration, Multidimensionality and Ethical Oversight
In the field of research, the shift toward more open and sustainable practices continues. This includes the gradual phasing out of proprietary tools in favor of open-source solutions (such as Python and shared databases), as well as the rollout of electronic lab notebooks. These technical changes support a broader culture of open science, even as they bring challenges related to resource management and ongoing staff training.
The creation of a dedicated committee on artificial intelligence also reflects increased ethical vigilance regarding emerging scientific and educational uses.
Emphasis is also being placed on interfaculty collaboration, particularly with the Faculty of Medicine, around the sharing of instruments and technical expertise—a highly relevant strategy in the context of budgetary pressure.
The flagship project of the Center for Physical and Mathematical Sciences (CSPM) is also progressing. The recently unveiled architectural design promises a space tailored to the demands of contemporary science: openness, sustainability, and accessibility. This future building marks a major milestone toward a science that is connected to society—open, sustainable, and purpose-built to meet today’s research needs.
Finally, two workshops were held as part of LERU into Action—one on multidimensional academic recruitment (March 2024) and another on dual-use applications (March 2025) signaling an active stance in the European academic debate on scientific integrity and responsible governance.
Teaching and Learning: more diverse and stronger curricula that can best prepare students for the professional and academic environments
The revision of the doctoral charter and the harmonization of regulations aim to better structure the supervision of PhD students while respecting disciplinary diversity.
At the bachelor’s level, the CAFE-s program continues to play a key role in supporting students at the start of their academic journey, with special attention to math remediation.
The launch of a project to integrate the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) into curricula supported by the Rectorate also opens an ambitious path to reflect on the role of academia in addressing global challenges. While still in an exploratory phase, the initiative has already sparked notable interest within the academic community.
On the societal engagement front, the 2025 edition of Focus Carrière Sciences brought together over 480 participants, confirming the value of maintaining a regular dialogue with the professional world.
Faculty life
One of the Faculty's major achievements has been to provide a clear and transparent description of the characteristics of each position evaluated by the MC3 committee — the body responsible for all matters related to intermediate teaching and research positions (COLS1, COLS2, CC, CE, MER). This description, along with the various possible and desirable promotion paths within UNIGE, has been made available on the Faculty’s website to help candidates choose the most suitable position and to raise awareness of incentive measures aimed at reducing precariousness.
Also in collaboration with the Faculty of Medicine, we are developing strategies to mitigate precariousness, support the mentoring of new professors and better evaluate research and teaching activities.
We have also strengthened our commitment to inclusion, equality and diversity through the work of the Faculty Committee on Equity and Diversity. Activities such as improvisational theatre on harassment and power games, youth booklets featuring scientists, and workshops for Master's students are just some examples of this important engagement. In addition, the Faculty of Science has developed a well recognized strategy to support inclusive recruitment through the project “A MINDFUL MEMO: Recognizing and Addressing Unconscious Bias in the Recruitment Process” (https://unconscious-bias.ch/). A deck of cards has been designed that has already started to been used both at the Faculty of Science and other Faculty of the University. We are currently working with all the Faculties and the Service of Equality and Diversity of the University to develop a short video to support the use of the cards.
Increased focus has been placed on recognizing and integrating administrative and technical staff (PAT) into Faculty life. With more than 500 members, the PAT represents a significant and very diverse component of our community, which deserves to be fully valued, supported and integrated. This vital pillar has been the subject of a participatory process involving academic sections, human resources, and the Equality and Diversity Committee. Interviews, portraits, and “Questions Time” with the Dean’s Office are part of an effort to better understand on-the-ground realities, strengthen connections, and gradually shape a specific PAT plan. While still ongoing, this work has already yielded rich and nuanced feedback, highlighting collective challenges that are often underexpressed.
Finally, a new faculty newsletter was launched, designed as an internal and external communication tool. A showcase to make visible the richness and diversity of our activities, and to strengthen the link between all components of the Faculty. A communication team has also been developed to support the scientific communication across all Faculty sections.
Perspectives and Continuity
With a solid foundation now in place, the second half of the term opens up a range of opportunities. Several major priorities — such as strengthening efforts in inclusion, evolving support systems for research and teaching, and recognizing diverse academic careers — have now been clearly identified. These priorities are actively integrated into the Faculty’s roadmap, with mechanisms already in place to ensure their implementation.
The challenges ahead are real, but they are also matched by a renewed institutional dynamic, fueled by a shared commitment across the Faculty. In this sense, the coming months are less a test than a continuation, an opportunity to deepen what has been initiated and to translate principles into long-lasting structures. It is this collective momentum that will shape the second act of the mandate, with the same ambition that guided its beginning: to make science thrive within and beyond our walls.
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