Christian Schwarzenegger Appointed New Provost of Universitas 21

Christian Schwarzenegger, the Vice President Faculty Affairs and Scientific Information at UZH, has been appointed the new provost of U21 through a competitive international selection procedure. He will take up that post on 1 August 2026.

In his role as provost, he will be in charge of the operational management and strategic development of the U21 consortium of 31 of the world’s leading research-intensive universities. UZH joined U21 in May 2017 and is the only Swiss university in this network. Its membership strengthens UZH’s international knowledge-sharing and cooperation with partner universities in Asia, Australia, Africa, and North and South America.

The Universitas 21 (U21) network comprises 31 top-tier universities spanning every continent. The aim of the consortium is to engage in intensive cooperation in research and teaching to develop solutions to global challenges and to promote the exchange of students and researchers around the world.

The University of Zurich has been a member of U21 since May 2017 and is the only Swiss university in this network. UZH’s involvement facilitates the university’s internationalization strategy, strengthens innovative approaches and research-inspired teaching and learning, and fosters student mobility.

As a longtime university vice president and as a veteran expert in international university alliances, Schwarzenegger brings with him extensive experience in leadership, global partnerships, open science and institutional development. He guided UZH’s accession to Universitas 21 in 2017 and represented UZH for three years as a senior leader at the annual meetings of the network and other events. He organized the 2020 U21 annual general meeting in Zurich in collaboration with UZH’s Global Affairs office.

“I feel honored to become a part of Universitas 21 and to work together with such a committed, internationally oriented community of universities,” Schwarzenegger says about his new remit, adding, “I’m looking forward to building on the achievements of the past years together with the members of U21.”

UZH President Michael Schaepman congratulates Schwarzenegger on his selection as provost: “His appointment to the post is a great acknowledgement of Christian’s longtime dedicated involvement in the international higher education sector, and at the same time it is an accolade for the University of Zurich’s internationalization efforts. With his experience, Christian will play a leading role in further developing U21.” Schwarzenegger, who was recently awarded the Japanese Order of the Rising Sun, will particularly apply his expertise on Asia to further expand cooperation between the continents.

David Garza, the Chair of Universitas 21 and President of Tecnológico de Monterrey Education Group, likewise praises the provost appointment: “Christian Schwarzenegger brings a strong international perspective and a deep understanding of what makes global collaboration truly effective. His leadership experience and global insight position him to guide the network into its next phase.”