International
Do you want to collaborate across borders with other researchers? Or spend some time abroad doing research? The SNSF offers you many opportunities to build international networks.
For researchers funded by the SNSF, international collaboration is the norm. Nine out of ten report on projects, exchanges or informal contacts with colleagues in other countries. By collaborating across borders they create knowledge that enables social and economic progress. They also broaden their horizons, gain access to infrastructures and advance their careers.
Opportunities geared to your situation
If you would like to network with partners abroad, the SNSF offers funding opportunities for different career stages, forms of collaboration and countries. Find out on this page what suits your situation best:
- You are in Switzerland and want to collaborate with researchers abroad.
- You are currently in Switzerland and want to do research abroad.
You are in another country and would like to network with partners in Switzerland? This page tells you what you need to know for your specific situation:
- You are abroad and want to collaborate with researchers in Switzerland.
- You are currently abroad and want to do research in Switzerland.
Guided by principles
We can support your international networking based on a number of basic principles. Key among them are excellence in research, academic freedom and good scientific practice. Find out more about the considerations that guide the SNSF in its international strategy.
Collaborating with researchers abroad
Exchanges and events
Have you received a project funding grant? It will enable you to cover the costs of international exchanges.
If your aim is to meet in person, start a collaboration or initiate a project, visiting a researcher abroad is a good opportunity. Or you can invite researchers from abroad to Switzerland. The SNSF finances stays of up to six months. If you would like to bring together a number of researchers, you can organise a conference in Switzerland.
Through networks, known as “Actions”, the European COST programme supports conferences, exchange programmes or continuing education, for example. In addition, the SNSF funds research projects by Swiss participants within COST Actions.
Your idea for a joint project is ready to roll? The SNSF offers you a range of funding options:
Joint projects
The SNSF has agreements in place with numerous affiliated organisations to facilitate bilateral or trilateral cooperation. You and your colleagues abroad submit only one joint application for funding, which reduces the workload.
In the SOR4D programme, you will work with researchers from developing countries on transdisciplinary projects to advance the implementation of the 2030 Agenda.
The SPIRIT programme also strengthens knowledge exchange between Swiss researchers and researchers from selected countries that receive development aid.
On behalf of the federal government, the SNSF launches bilateral calls for proposals with countries that show high or promising research potential.
Partners in project funding
You can involve a partner from abroad in your project. Project partners make a limited contribution and, unlike applicants, are not co-responsible for the project. Their research costs are covered by the project budget.
Multilateral initiatives
We offer funding opportunities for you to advance your research within international consortia in different subject areas and with different groups of countries.
Employees from abroad for projects in Switzerland
In addition to these forms of cross-border collaboration, we also offer another option: in many SNSF funding schemes, you can employ doctoral students and postdocs from abroad as members of your project team in Switzerland. Their salaries are covered by an SNSF grant.
Conducting research abroad
Stays
Would you like to visit your research partner abroad? If you have a doctorate, you can apply for a grant for a stay lasting up to six months.
As a postdoctoral researcher, you can advance your career with a two-year stay abroad. The costs can be covered by a Postdoc.Mobility fellowship from the SNSF.
We also enable doctoral students who are employed in an SNSF-funded project to spend time abroad.
Collaborating with researchers in Switzerland
Get an overview of researchers, potential partners and current research topics on our Data Portal. The projects funded by the SNSF can be filtered according to various criteria.
Exchanges
Are you interested in meeting in person to share ideas, start a collaboration or launch a project? Researchers in Switzerland can invite you for a scientific stay, or they can go over and work with you for up to six months.
Joint projects
If the research funder in your country has an agreement with the SNSF, you can submit a joint grant application with researchers in Switzerland.
In several other funding schemes, you can submit an application together with Swiss researchers. The project is jointly managed by all applicants.
Partners in project funding
Researchers in Switzerland can involve you as a partner in their project. In this case, you make a limited contribution and are not co-responsible for the project. Your research costs are covered by the project budget.
Conducting research in Switzerland
Are you considering advancing your scientific project or career in Switzerland? We offer opportunities at various career levels:
Get an overview of researchers, potential partners and current research topics on our Data Portal. The projects funded by the SNSF can be filtered according to various criteria.
Exchanges
Are you interested in sharing ideas in person, starting a collaboration or launching a project? If you have a doctorate, researchers in Switzerland can invite you for a research stay lasting up to six months.
Working in an SNSF project
In many funding schemes, Swiss researchers have the opportunity to employ doctoral and postdoctoral researchers from abroad as members of their project team in Switzerland.
News