TPP Alumnus Insights: How the TPP Programme Shaped Boris’ Career

What motivated you to apply for the CAS TPP: Policy Process, and what made this specific programme the right choice for you?

So, before applying to the program, I was working at a law firm for five years. And I had the ambition to move away from law a bit, more towards the policy space. I wanted to work where I could shape and influence policy and legislation processes, rather than applying existing law to a current set of facts. And for me, there were many things just coming together at the right time.

For one, the CAS is part of ETHZ, which is one of the highest ranking and reputable universities internationally. The TPP programme specifically covers an intersection of areas which I am very interested in and where I had some niche knowledge. I was a lawyer but specialised in information communication technology. I've always been interested in how technology influences society at large and this CAS allowed me to get a solid introduction in political science in a short amount of time and in a very concentrated manner.

I wanted to use the CAS TPP as a launchpad for my next career step. I thought it would give me credibility to change from law to the policy space, which it really did. I applied to the CAS TPP probably in autumn 2020 and the programme would only start in early 2021. During the same time, I applied to a position for the job at the federal department of foreign affairs (FDFA) and I was able to show my enrolment to the CAS, which provided some legitimacy to my application, indicating my sincerity and dedication to my desire to work at that intersection of law and technology.

Looking back, what were some of the most valuable insights or memorable aspects of your experience in the CAS TPP: Policy Process programme?

I think what was most impressive overall was really the depth and breadth of the entire programme. We covered many different areas of political science and it was very well structured. We had a quite diverse set of experts contributing with a diverse portfolio. In the short amount of time that one has available, it was quite remarkable to be able to gain insight into so many different fields of political science. That was extremely valuable, and it was also very useful for me going forward because I know that whenever there’s something that I need I can just do follow-up research and use the foundation and knowledge that I’ve gained during the CAS. So, these foundational insights that we were able to gain really help connecting the dots.

The broad overview into political science has certainly helped me a lot. The depth and breadth of the course, allowing students to figure out what aspect of political science or technology and public policy is of use or of interest to them and then move on and specialise in a certain area if they want to, that was definitely the most valuable aspect of the CAS.

What advice would you give the professional seeking to transition into roles at the intersection of technology and public policy?

In my experience, to work at this intersection, one needs mainly two things: an interest in both technology and public policy. It might seem as a given, but it’s quite fundamental. You really need to want to understand technology to a certain extent; and you also really need the appetite to engage with the sphere around policy, politics, and polity, and to bring a political technological expertise into it.

Communicating clearly and aligning on language is probably the biggest challenge for people with diverse backgrounds coming together at a table and discussing any policy issue. It’s crucial to understand where the other people are coming from, to train your active listening capability and really comprehend their meaning, how they use certain words, as many terms can have different usages and implications in different contexts and for people from different backgrounds.

So ultimately, my advice would be to really just have a big appetite for knowledge in technology and for playing around in the public policy sphere; and to go with an open mind and open ears. 

Overall, I think this programme is very helpful for the technical community to understand public policy better. It really touches a market need and I'm sure many people could benefit from this particular programme. This applies also to many people whom I'm working with, because our organisation is full of electrical engineers, so it’s immensely helpful to have an understanding of public policy, of engagement, advocacy, human rights, and ethical considerations. Without such a foundation, it can seem like an entirely different world, and this CAS certainly helped me bridge these two worlds. It's something that is becoming increasingly important I think, because so many if not most of public policy areas now have a technological or a technical aspect to it. This is the socio-technical dimension of our work. So, the TPP programme could add valuable skills to many people engaging in the field of technology and public policy.