12.12.2025
Inside the Faculty
How do actuarial sciences help address society’s major challenges?
Population aging, climate change, and poverty represent significant risks for society and for the insurance sector. In this new article series, we shed light on how actuarial science can contribute to tackling these issues.
Quantifying health to make better decisions
What if actuarial science could shape the future of aging societies—not just calculate risk? Prof. Joël Wagner explores how actuarial research can support governments, insurers, and households in addressing the challenges linked to an aging population and rising long-term costs. His work shows how data-driven analyses can guide smarter policies, sustainable financing, and better support for society.
How can we insure extreme weather events?
As natural disasters intensify, Professor Hansjörg Albrecher and his colleagues at the Center of Competence in Climate Extremes (ECCE) examine how actuarial science can help maintain the viability of the insurance system in the face of climate risks. They explore how actuarial modeling can protect communities and insure climate-related risks without jeopardizing the sector’s financial stability. Their objective: to help industry leaders and policymakers better understand and calibrate climate risks to build a more resilient future.
Can insurance break the cycle of global poverty?
Nearly half of the world’s population still lives in poverty, including 700 million people in extreme poverty. Faced with this challenge, Professor Séverine Arnold’s research shows that inclusive insurance could become a powerful lever for protecting the most vulnerable and achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Using robust mathematical models, she demonstrates that subsidized insurance can reduce poverty, lighten the social burden on states, and strengthen the insurance sector.
What if tomorrow’s system drew inspiration from yesterday’s?
As populations age and pension systems come under pressure, Professor Peter Hieber explores how tontines—collective retirement schemes dating back several centuries—could offer a fair solution to complement public and private pensions.
