Federal technology institute ETH Zurich’s high placing in global university rankings could be under threat as its budget struggles to keep pace with increasing student numbers, it says. The university believes government funding will be insufficient for the coming years. And if funding levels remain unchanged, cost-cutting measures may become necessary, it said on Thursday as it presented its 2023 annual report. + Read about why the Universtiy of Zurich recently stopped participating in one prestigious international ranking Among other things, a restriction on student numbers or a hiring freeze in research and teaching are being considered. The discontinuation of entire fields of research and degree programmes were also floated as a possibility. The institute was already facing major financial challenges last year, and the sharp rise in student numbers, compensation not keeping pace with inflation and planned government cuts have come as additional strains. Despite this, a surplus ...