European multilateral initiatives – also for researchers in Switzerland
The SNSF is participating in European Partnerships and other multilateral initiatives. They promote consortia activities in research and innovation within Europe and beyond.
Switzerland is located in the middle of Europe. Many research topics that are relevant here are also of interest to neighbouring countries. This geographical and subject-related proximity is reflected in intensive research partnerships. In 60 per cent of the projects funded by the SNSF, researchers report collaboration with colleagues in Europe. Integration into such networks is of great importance for science in Switzerland.
Transnational projects
One way of doing this is to participate in the European Partnerships or other multilateral initiatives, in which funders join forces and jointly launch calls for transnational projects. The projects are funded directly by the participating organisations of the country in question. The SNSF facilitates this avenue for international collaboration and supports researchers’ efforts to find suitable offers.
Ongoing multilateral initiatives
The SNSF is involved in several initiatives, including those that started before the Horizon Europe framework programme and that continue to launch calls for proposals. Researchers in Switzerland are fully eligible to participate. Information on these existing initiatives can be found on the SNSF website (see link below).
New European Partnerships
With the launch of Horizon Europe, the various types of multilateral initiatives were brought together under one umbrella: the European Partnerships. Some existing initiatives will continue in their current form through to their completion (e.g. the multilateral initiatives mentioned above), while others have been merged and will continue as partnerships. Some new thematic partnerships were also launched. The SNSF has analysed them to ascertain where participation would have the greatest impact on the corresponding Swiss research community. Based on this, it has selected and joined a number of them:
- Biodiversa+: Biodiversity
- Clean Energy Transition Partnership (with Swiss Federal Office of Energy)
- Driving Urban Transitions (with Innosuisse, Federal Office of Energy, Federal Office for Spatial Development, Federal Office of Civil Aviation)
- Water4All: a secure water supply for all in the long term
- Transforming Health and Care Systems (with Innosuisse and the Federal Office of Public Health, scheduled for 2023)
- One Health / AMR, successor to JPI AMR (scheduled for 2024)
- Rare Diseases, successor to EJP Rare Diseases (scheduled for 2024)
The SNSF provides ongoing information on the calls for proposals launched in these initiatives via its usual communication channels.
Participation independent of Swiss association to Horizon Europe
Horizon Europe provides a unique platform for collaboration in Europe. It is the largest international programme for research and innovation. Researchers are collaborating on projects that would not be feasible as separate undertakings in individual countries. Switzerland is currently a non-associated third country for Horizon Europe. It nevertheless can participate in the European Partnerships. Coordination of a project is possible, for example, and the project partners from Switzerland are added to the number of countries necessary for a project. By participating in selected co-funded European Partnerships, the SNSF aims to provide researchers with the best possible support in maintaining networks.