Gender Equality in research funding
In pursuit of its goal of achieving gender equality, the SNSF has introduced a variety of measures in research funding. It offers a range of funding schemes for this purpose.
Women scientists are strongly underrepresented in academic research. To ameliorate this situation, the SNSF offers various targeted measures that facilitate equal opportunities for men and women. Specific funding schemes to support the careers of women researchers and grants towards covering the costs of mentoring programmes for young female researchers are the two main pillars of this policy. The SNSF monitors developments in Switzerland and abroad and adapts its measures in line with changing requirements.
Career funding
Supplementary measures
Awards
Becoming a parent
Team members of an SNSF-funded project who become mothers or fathers during the funding period are faced with many challenges. Whom to contact? What are the rules for maternity leave? Could I also take unpaid leave? Are there any other support measures for researchers who become parents? These guidelines explain what you need to do.
Part-time work
The SNSF allows grant holders to employ part-time staff in their project. For doctoral students, the minimum work-time percentage is 60 per cent.
In principle recipients of career funding grants must have a work-time percentage of 100 per cent. This may be reduced to not less than 80 per cent in the event of family care duties, or if the reason for reduction is the pursuit of activities that facilitate an academic career. Doc.Mobility and Early-Postdoc.Mobility fellowship holders must generally devote at least 80 per cent of a full-time equivalent to the approved research project. A lower work-time percentage may be approved in response to a justified request, particularly in the event of teaching commitments, clinical activities or family care duties.
The Flexibility Grant helps in taking some pressure off doctoral students and postdocs with family commitments. Both staff employed in SNSF-funded projects and recipients of various career funding grants may apply for it.
Mentoring
Mentoring programmes make a significant contribution to equal opportunities at universities by supporting young researchers in planning their careers. Since 2006, the SNSF has financially backed the programme "Réseau romand de mentoring pour femmes". For an overview of the mentoring programmes offered by Swiss higher education institutions, please refer to the website of Gender Campus.
AcademiaNet
In January 2020, the SNSF took over the AcademiaNet platform for a period of at least five years. The online portal contains the profiles of over 3100 outstanding women researchers from all over Europe. AcademiaNet lends them greater presence and visibility, thereby increasing their chances of obtaining, for example, senior academic positions as well as opportunities to speak at academic conferences or to brief journalists in an expert role.
SNSF Care
SNSF Care offers support to panel members, guests or speakers participating in SNSF events who have care responsibilities for children or other persons. The scheme provides financial contributions towards the cost of travelling, accommodation and food. In addition, the SNSF can organise care for children and other dependent persons who need to come along, or it will cover the cost of care for those staying at home. It is also possible to claim the cost of caregivers travelling with the panel member, guest or speaker.
If you have any questions, please contact equality@snf.ch
Further reading
- European Commission and Helsinki Group - Guidance to facilitate the implementation of targets to promote gender equality in research and innovation_2018 (PDF)
- Women and men in Swiss higher education institutions: Indicators for equal opportunities in studies and academic career (with an English summary)_2017 (PDF, 21 MB)
- Science Europe - Practical Guide to Improving Gender Equality in Research Organisations_2017 (PDF)
- European Commission – SHE FIGURES 2018
- NFP 60 - Synthesebericht "Gleichstellung der Geschlechter"_2014 (PDF)
- Gender and Research Funding (GEFO 2008): Synthesis Report (PDF, 851 KB) (PDF)
Links
Switzerland
- "Equal opportunities" on the website of swissuniversities
- "Equal opportunities for men and women" on the website of the SERI
- Konferenz der Frauen- und Gleichstellungsbeauftragten an Schweizer Universitäten und Hochschulen (KOFRAH)
- Think Tank Gender & Diversity
- Gender Campus: Gender Studies, Equality and Diversity at Swiss Universities
- Gender equality indicators on the statistics platform operated by the Federal Statistical Office
- femdat.ch - das frauen-karriereportal
- Verein Feministische Wissenschaft Schweiz (FemWiss)
Equality offices at the higher education institutions
- University of Basel, Diversity
- University of Bern, Office for Gender equality
- Universität Freiburg, Dienststelle für die Gleichstellung von Frau und Mann
- Université de Genève, Service égalité
- Université de Lausanne, Bureau de l'égalité
- University of Lucerne, Office of Equal Opportunity
- University of Neuchâtel, Equal Opportunities Service
- University of St. Gallen, Equal Opportunities
- Università della Svizzera italiana, Servizio pari opportunità
- EPFL, Equal Opportunities Office
- ETH Zurich, Equal! Equal Opportunities for Women and Men
- Bern University of Applied Sciences (BFH), BFH Chancengleichheit
- Fachhochschule Ostschweiz (FHO), FHO Chancengleicheit
- Haute école spécialisée de Suisse occidentale (HES-SO), Egalité & Diversité
- Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts (HSLU), Specialist Unit for Diversity
- Scuola universitaria professionale della Svizzera italiana (SUPSI), Servizio Gender e Diversity
- University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland (FHNW), Diversity and equal opportunities
- Zürcher Fachhochschule (ZFH), Arbeitsgruppe Chancengleichheit
- Kalaidos Fachhochschule, Büro für Chancengleichheit
International
- GENDRO – Advancing Sex and Gender Equity in Research
- GENERA - Gender Equality Network in the European Research Area
- GENDERACTION – Platform to set the Gender Equality Agenda ()
- Standing Working Group on Gender in Research and Innovation under European Research Area and Innovation Committee (ERAC SWG GRI)
News
- #10YearsAcademiaNet (19.11.2020)
- Research diversity as a basis for innovation (27.10.2020)
- The National Latsis Prize goes to Maryna Viazovska (21.09.2020)
- PRIMA funds 18 projects of women researchers (02.09.2020)
- Career funding: the researcher’s overall performance counts (03.08.2020)
- Influx from the SP helps the Greens to win elections (03.07.2020)
- Successful first surveys for the SNSF careers cohort study (09.06.2020)
- #SNSFequality: social media activities on the International Day of Women and Girls in Science (07.02.2020)
- SciCV – SNSF tests new CV format in biology and medicine (31.01.2020)
- Gender equality: on the right track but more work is needed (17.12.2019)
- Flexibility Grant: research and childcare are compatible (12.12.2019)
- SNSF to run AcademiaNet platform for women researchers (05.12.2019)
- Nicola Spaldin awarded Swiss Science Prize Marcel Benoist (05.09.2019)
- PRIMA: The road to a professorship (03.09.2019)
- Research in Switzerland needs gender equality (13.06.2019)
- SNSF funding 2021-2024: New opportunities for Swiss research (22.05.2019)
- Kick-off event of the PRIMA Leadership Programme: The SNSF wants to see more women in leadership positions (10.04.2019)
- “All you can do is work to your best ability and fight for what you want.” (20.11.2018)
- Promotion of women by the SNSF: valid and necessary (04.10.2018)
- Marie Heim-Vögtlin Prize 2018: Sara Montagner discovers the epigenetic secrets of mast cells (18.09.2018)
- SNSF funding after lengthy career interruptions (14.09.2018)
- Successful start: PRIMA funds 22 projects of women researchers (29.08.2018)
- SNSF Gender Equality Commission: much achieved, but still a lot to do (10.07.2018)
- Flexibility Grant: The SNSF expands its support for researchers with families (01.12.2017)
- Mathematician Mathilde Bouvel is to receive the 2017 Marie Heim-Vögtlin Prize (05.10.2017)
- PRIMA supports excellent women researchers aspiring to a professorship (13.04.2016)
- Second SNSF conference on Gender and Excellence: different perspectives in focus (05.07.2016)
- "Who wants to work with a monastic workaholic?” (05.02.2016)
- Marie Heim-Vögtlin Prize 2016 awarded to literature researcher Zoë Lehmann Imfeld (22.06.2016)
- Marie Heim-Vögtlin Prize 2016: The ghosts of Zoë Lehmann Imfeld (04.05.2016)
- Conference on Gender and Excellence: the challenges are undiminished (27.04.2016)
- Armelle Corpet and Anna Nele Meckler – Marie Heim-Vögtlin Prize Winners 2015 (06.04.2015)
- "It is the right time for change" (19.05.2015)
- Promotion of academic careers and young researchers: the SNSF sees a need for action (19.05.2015)
- Marie Heim-Vögtlin: 36 grants awarded to promising women researchers in 2014 (21.01.2015)
- Conference on gender equality in research funding: promoting new ideas (12.11.2014)
- "Openness was and is crucial to Switzerland's success" (23.10.2014)
- Conference "Gender and Excellence - Challenges in Research Funding" (09.09.2014)
- 120% support grant now also for postdocs with Ambizione grants (07.07.2014)
- New SNSF Gender Equality Commission: innovative approaches to equal opportunities (05.06.2014)
- Gender equality grant to boost the careers of young women researchers (19.03.2014)
- For young researchers: support grant and higher salaries (25.06.2013)
- Ten Years of Equal Opportunities in Research Funding (2011) (PDF, 328 KB) (PDF)