Swiss National Science Foundation

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The Swiss National Science Foundation ( SNSF , French Fonds national suisse de la recherche scientifique , Italian Fondo nazionale svizzero per la ricerca scientifica , English: Swiss National Science Foundation , SNSF ) is a private law foundation for research funding , founded in 1952 by the physicist and medic Alexander von Muralt was initiated. In 2010 the SNSF had a budget of around CHF 800 million.

organization

The fund is divided into the Board of Trustees, the National Research Council and the office ( Bern ). The Board of Trustees is the highest body and makes decisions on a strategic level. The National Research Council is composed of scientists, the majority of whom work at Swiss universities. It assesses research proposals submitted to the SNSF and decides on their implementation. It has up to 100 members and is divided into four departments:

The research commissions are anchored at universities and colleges. They serve as a link to the SNSF and take a local stance when evaluating applications from your own university.

The office supports and coordinates the activities of the foundation council, research council and research commissions. Your tasks are to monitor the financial aspects of funding activities, obtain and evaluate domestic and foreign expertise on research applications, maintain contacts with research policy bodies in Switzerland and abroad, represent the SNSF in appropriate committees and communicate with the public . The office is based in Bern.

Funding instruments

On behalf of the federal government, the SNSF funds basic research in all scientific disciplines. He examined by researchers submitted research applications and supports scientific criteria selected projects. By awarding grants and grants, the SNSF is committed to helping young academics. His most important instruments in career funding are the research grants, the SNSF professorships and the Marie Heim-Vögtlin grants (program for the advancement of women in research). In addition, since 2020 the SNSF has been responsible for the AcademiaNet database for excellent women scientists with the aim of increasing the proportion of women in scientific management positions.

In addition, the SNSF is involved in international cooperation with organizations and research programs and supports scientific conferences and the publication of publications (mainly dissertations and habilitation theses ).

Research programs and research priorities

The National Research Programs (NFP) and the National Research Priorities (NFS) are the most important instruments of the SNSF in subject-related research . On behalf of the Federal Council, the NRPs make scientifically sound contributions to solving urgent problems. They last up to five years and are endowed with an average of eight to twelve million francs. The SNSF has launched 77 NRPs since 1975.

The National Research Priorities (NCCR) aim to strengthen the structure of research in Switzerland. The NCCR are anchored at one or more universities and consist of a competence center and a national and international network. An NCCR is supported for ten to twelve years with CHF 20 to 60 million from the SNSF as well as the universities' own funds and third-party funds.

Research magazine

The periodical Horizonte is published jointly by the Swiss National Science Foundation and the Swiss Academies of Arts and Sciences and reports four times a year on the latest results and findings from all scientific disciplines: from biology and medicine to social and cultural science topics to mathematics and natural sciences. Horizonte is aimed at a broad audience interested in scientific questions and is available free of charge by subscription.

President

literature

  • Swiss National Fund for the Promotion of Scientific Research: Portrait. We promote scientific research . Bern 2005.
  • Antoine Fleury and Frédéric Joyce: The Beginnings of Research Policy in Switzerland: Founding History of the Swiss National Fund for the Promotion of Scientific Research, 1934–1952 . here + now, Baden 2002
  • Swiss National Science Foundation: Swiss National Science Foundation for the Promotion of Scientific Research: a brief portrait. Bern 1995.
  • Swiss National Fund: 50 years of the Swiss National Fund for the Promotion of Scientific Research: 1952–2002 . Bern 2002.

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ SNSF wants to run AcademiaNet - AcademiaNet. Retrieved May 27, 2020 .
  2. ^ Matthias Egger elected as the new President of the National Research Council of the SNSF. SNSF, accessed on September 23, 2016 .
  3. ↑ Martin Vetterli ends his presidency at the SNSF , February 24, 2016