CS 2024 "Identities, Landscapes, and their Interactions in the Entlebuch UNESCO Biosphere Reserve"
Latest News
Molnar, M., Winkler, P., Diener, S., & Morales Bruce, V. (2024). Das Zusammenspiel von Identität und Landschaft in der UNESCO Biosphäre Entlebuch. Transdisziplinäre Fallstudie 2024. ETH Zürich, USYS TdLab. doi: external page 10.3929/ethz-b-000709176
What is the case study?
The transdisciplinary case study is a research-based teaching activity (7 ECTS) that takes place in a real-world setting. Students work independently in groups and learn to formulate research questions, to apply methods of data collection and analysis and to work in an interdisciplinary team and in close dialogue with society.
What is it about in 2024?
The case study in the spring semester 2024 will be carried out together with the UNESCO Biosphere Entlebuch. The general topic is developed together with a local advisory group before the start of semester and serves as the starting point for the students' work. To this end, the general topic will be analysed, structured and translated into concrete research questions, which are then to be answered.
For example, we might ask ourselves what role (agri)cultures and local identity play in the Biosphere Entlebuch and how they relate to and shape the environment, or more generally what role cultures play in sustainability and sustainable land use in particular.
Who is involved?
The following people coach and support the students in the 2024 case study:
- Prof. Dr. Michael Stauffacher (responsible lecturer, co-director TdLab, ETH Zürich)
- Florian Knaus, MSc ETH (scientific coordinator, UNESCO Biosphere Entlebuch)
- Dr. Bianca Vienni Baptista (Senior Researcher/Lecturer, TdLab, ETH Zürich)
- Sandro Bösch (administrative, organisational support, TdLab, ETH Zürich)
During the case study, we are closely collaborating with students and lecturers from the
- Zurich University of the Arts (ZHdK), Master in Transdisciplinarity, Prof. Irene Vögeli and Prof. Patrick Müller
Advisory group:
We will be supported on site by a local advisory group that will meet at least once before (January 2024), once during (March 2024) and once after the semester (fall 2024).
Important dates
First information event: Tuesday, 12th December 2023 (17h15–18h00) in CHN K77 (TdLab).
If you have questions, please send an Email to
Students have to apply for this course by sending a two page motivation letter (why are you interested? what do you want to learn? what can you contribute?) before the end of January 2024 to and
Students will work on Wednesdays (14h15–18h00) from 21 February to 29 May 2024, as well as during two block days on Friday 8 to Saturday 9 March and during block weeks after the end of the semester from 17 June to 3 July 2024 (full days).
Final presentation (public, for all interested)
Tuesday, 2 July (19h00-20h30, Schüpfheim)
Further comments
Please note that 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.
For students in Agricultural Sciences, the case study is the alternative to the compulsory course "751-1000-00L Praxisprojekte Agro-Food"
The following parallel course is the perfect complement to the tdCS:
“701-1571-00L Integration in Science, Policy and Practice: Inter- and Transdisciplinary Concepts, Methods, Tools"
Concepts, methods and tools of interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary integration are being explored here. Some of these could be applied in the real-world setting of the tdCS.
Please contact for questions and comments
Michael Stauffacher,