History of origin of the institute

The association “Interdisciplinary centre for ethics and human rights” (1987) transformed into the interdisciplinary institute for ethics and human rights (IIEDH) in 1993. It developed interdisciplinary research activities, whose main focus was the analysis of the indivisibility and interdependence between human rights (pursuant to the different approaches of the social sciences), law and ethics.

In 1998 the IIEDH was endowed a UNESCO chair for human rights and democracy. The observatory of diversity and cultural rights was founded in 2004.

In 2013 a new domain was founded around the area of research “Aging, ethics and law”.

Apart from the ethical questions revolving around health and health care for persons in vulnerable situations as well as the end of life, this area of research conducts an ethical deliberation about the commitment and social participation of seniors.

At the end of August 2016, the founder of the institute, Patrice Meyer-Bisch, retired. His successors, Regula Ludi and Dominic Roser introduced new perspectives such as “Rights of humanity and normativity in history” as well as “Environmental ethics and economics”.