ETH Zurich was founded in Zurich in 1855 under the name Polytechnikum and describes itself as a university of science and technology. Its full name is Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule Zürich. Sixteen departments cover its academic range, from architecture and engineering to the natural sciences, management and the humanities. The Executive Board, which regulates the organisation of the school, includes the President, Prof. Dr. Joël Mesot, and the Rector, Prof. Dr. Günther Dissertori.
In 2025 ETH Zurich had 26,942 students by headcount: 11,520 bachelor, 10,144 master, 4,266 doctoral and 739 MAS or MBA students. It counted 557 professors and 10,618 full-time equivalent staff. Total revenue was CHF 2,051 million, of which the federal financial contribution was CHF 1,385 million.