Uni Zurich: Kurt Imhof wants to hand over management of the Fög

Professor Kurt Imhof would like more public funding for his work, and the University of Zurich seems willing to accommodate him in this regard. A spokeswoman confirmed to the Tages-Anzeiger that the "option" of "transforming the research area into an associated institute" is being discussed. Neither the university nor Imhof himself wanted to be more specific. Both emphasized that the decision was not final.

More money for the "Quality of the media" yearbook

However, as several people familiar with the internal university processes confirmed to the Tages-Anzeiger, the upgrade is not just an "option": the university rectorate has the firm intention of ennobling the Fög with the title of institute. The new institute is also to receive additional university funding for its research, in particular for the comprehensive yearbook "Quality of the Media" published by the Fög.

At the same time as the transformation into an institute, the 56-year-old Imhof wants to hand over the management of the Fög to three of his closest colleagues and "step down operationally", as it is said. Imhof will instead become President of the Foundation Board. He will also remain a professor at the Institute of Sociology and the Institute of Political Science. Imhof's reason for stepping down is that he wants to make the future "Institute for the Public Sphere and Society" more independent from himself and secure its future development.

According to the Tages-Anzeiger, however, Imhof's planned withdrawal has been received differently: Already informed private clients of the Fög welcome the move, because the future institute will be better separated from Imhof's controversial persona. His frequent appearances in the media and his disputes with journalists and publishers about the Yearbook on Media Quality had led to frowns among these clients.

> You can find more background information in the article on Tagesanzeiger.ch

> "Quality assurance must not be left to chance"