Petra Studer is the coordinator of ‘Netzwerk Future’. She is also deeply committed to the advancement of women. | Image: zVg

When Swiss research institutions want to liaise with politicians, their contact point is ‘Netzwerk Future’ (‘Network Future’). It was founded in 2001, and its coordinator – and only permanent member of staff – is Petra Studer, a political scientist and vice-president of the women’s section of the Swiss Liberal-Democratic Party (FDP). Netzwerk Future has an annual budget of CHF 250,000 and is funded by the Swiss Academies of Arts and Sciences, the ETH Board, Innosuisse, the Swiss National Science Foundation and Swissuniversities.

Petra Studer, you don’t like to describe your activities as ‘lobbying’. Why not?

Lobbying has something of a sleazy ring to it. Ultimately, though, it’s a synonym for representing the interests of someone or something, and this is a normal process in a democracy. We want a dialogue between the different actors in education, research and innovation on the one side and federal politics on the other. Politicians are far removed from the world of science and scholarship, so we want to keep them informed. In contrast to the classical lobbying system, we also deal with issues that are brought to us, and we then inform our supporting bodies about them.

In concrete terms, how do you go about the business of providing information?

We answer enquiries from parliamentarians, we send them a newsletter four times a year, and we inform our team of politicians from the National Council and the Council of States. But when commissions hold hearings, it’s our supporting organisations who attend, not us.

Our conversation is taking place before the referendum on limiting immigration that has struck fear into researchers. Are you able to change the minds of the parliamentarians of the People’s Party who are supporting this initiative?

We can’t dissuade politicians in the People’s Party from campaigning for the initiative. But our representatives in education, research and innovation have all actively explained the consequences for their institutions if it is passed. They also held a press conference to this end. That was something new.

But you have also addressed parliament directly in the case of initiatives on animal testing.

Yes, of course. We regularly produce factsheets with information from the researchers who are involved. We have to prepare them so that they can be understood by people who aren’t, say, molecular biologists.

Do you try and win over opponents of animal testing from the Green Party?

Of course we talk with them, also in the context of our team of politicians. We say: “You do know that …” and they reply: “I support the universities, but I want tighter controls on animal testing”.  It’s a heterogeneous group, so this is completely normal.

Are there any topics that are particularly dear to you?

Promoting women is something close to my heart. Up to now, I never had to argue in favour of something that I didn’t want. But if I had to, of course I’d still do it.