Perspectives Beyond the Curriculum
Perspectives Beyond the Curriculum
All our events are free and open for everyone! If something seems interesting, we would love to see you there.
TalkJoin us for an interactive session to learn about one of the most promising initiatives that aims to set the stage for AI that serves all - Based on trust, transparency and accountability. Delivered by one of the key figures behind the Swiss APERTUS program.
Learn MoreWe're a student organisation at ETH Zurich. We bring people to campus whose work, thinking, and experience go beyond what the curriculum can cover — and we create space for real conversation with them. Our first events launch in autumn 2026.
ETH trains many of the engineers and scientists who will shape the coming decades. But the curriculum rarely asks: what does this technology mean for society? Who sets the rules? What careers exist that nobody talked about in your first-year lecture? These are the questions we care about.
Our formats vary. Some evenings are built around a single speaker — a 45-minute talk followed by discussion in a smaller circle. Others bring several shorter perspectives together in quick succession, followed by an apéro. And not everything we do ends up on this page — some of the most interesting conversations happen in rooms that are harder to find. If that sounds like your kind of thing, keep your eyes open. Not every door is marked.
the lens. Engineering and science are powerful — but they don't operate in isolation. We bring in the legal, economic, philosophical, and political dimensions that shape how technology actually lands in the world.
people to perspectives they don't encounter in a lecture hall. Policymakers, founders, researchers from other fields, people who've lived the questions students are just starting to ask.
through real stories. Not keynote polish — genuine accounts of unconventional paths, hard decisions, and what it actually looks like to build something that matters.
We're students at ETH Zurich — but our paths here were anything but straight. Liberal arts, winemaking, life across four continents and as many languages. We study mathematics, architecture, and computer science — and argue about technology policy, sustainability, and what emerging tech actually means for people's lives. We started INFLECTION because we kept having the conversations we wished were part of the programme — and figured others might want in.
What we've done. Who showed up. What was said.
We successfully held our second event "How Powerful is BigTech? (Actually)”. With 65+ guests, it got cozy in the venue. The evening was lively, with discussions and exchange beginning already before the talk, over a light apéro. After the input from Dr. Rikap, the Q&A with her went on for another 30 minutes and could have lasted longer; The questions kept coming. We were happy to see many of you stay around after the talk to continue talking. We rounded the evening off with the usual, more intimate post-talk discussion with Dr. Rikap over Pizza. Huge thanks to Cecilia Rikap for the inspiring input, and to everyone who came and helped make the event a success. For those of you who couldn’t make it but are curious about what was said: Dr. Rikap kindly allowed us to share her slides. You can find them in our WhatsApp community and for a limited time on our website. Join our WhatsApp, or follow us on our socials, so you don't miss our next events! You can find us under 'inflectionzuruch' on LinkedIn and Instagram. Join our WhatsApp community: https://go.inflectionzurich.ch/wa
Speakers: Cecilia Rikap
Our inaugural INFLECTION event "Who Owns Tomorrow's Tech?" filled our venue to capacity. Over 60 guests from diverse backgrounds learned, asked questions, and discussed open-source technologies and Europe's digital sovereignty with Nicholas Gates (OpenForum Europe) and Javier Serrano (CERN). The evening began with an apero for all guests. After the main talk and a lively Q&A, we rounded it off with an intimate post-talk discussion with our speakers over a second, more generous apero. Huge thanks to our speakers and everyone who made this evening a success – most of all you, our audience. We received positive feedback and already look forward to applying our learnings to the next event. Join our WhatsApp channel, Email newsletter, or follow our socials, so you don't miss it!
Speakers: Javier Serrano • Nicholas Gates
130+
Participants
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Events Held
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Speakers & Mentors
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Countries Represented
Have something on your mind? Whether it's a speaker idea, a collaboration, feedback, or something we haven't thought of yet — we'd like to hear it.
Students — suggest a topic, propose a speaker, tell us what you think, or get involved: students@inflectionzurich.ch
Everyone else: contact@inflectionzurich.ch
Interested in supporting INFLECTION or partnering on future events?
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