Federal Councillor Johann N. Schneider-Ammann announced Tuesday the creation of eight new National Centres of Competence in Research (NCCR). They will be set up at the universities of Basel, Bern, Fribourg, Geneva and Neuchâtel, as well as at the EPF Lausanne and the ETH Zurich.
Following a scientific assessment of the 60 applications by the Swiss National Science Foundation, the Federal Department of Economic Affairs, Education and Research (EAER) decided to create the following eight new NCCRs:
Through the NCCRs, the Confederation has been supporting research networks of the highest quality, with particular emphasis on interdisciplinary and new innovative approaches within disciplines since 2001. As of 2014 there will be a total 21 of NCCRs. They will benefit from a significant level of federal funding over a period of up to twelve years.