New Lead Agency agreement with Slovenia
To simplify collaboration with Slovenian researchers, the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF) has signed a Lead Agency agreement with the funding organisation of Slovenia, the Slovenian Research Agency (ARRS).
Under the Lead Agency process, a joint application by researchers in Switzerland and Slovenia can be submitted to one of the two national research funding organisations. The proposals must have a common research question and a joint research plan. According to the Lead Agency agreement, the parts of the project in the individual countries must not be independent projects that could be carried out in isolation.
The Lead Agency process forms part of the SNSF's project funding scheme and is not a funding scheme in its own right. It does not have its own budget and is subject to the same provisions that govern project funding. Hence applicants may only submit a Lead Agency application if there are no thematic overlaps with applications being evaluated at the SNSF or with ongoing projects.
The SNSF and the ARRS have agreed to take turns as the Lead Agency on a yearly basis. The application process is governed by the provisions in force at the relevant organisation. Costs are calculated on the basis of the relevant national guidelines. In 2019, the SNSF will act as the Lead Agency. The deadline for submission is 1 October 2019.