Swiss Government announces new ‘ERC-type’ grants

The Swiss Government has announced that it will offer special research funding to replace opportunities lost from Horizon 2020. The country lost its ‘associated country’ status last month following a referendum on immigration.

The Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF) will offer grants similar to those offered by the European Research Council. The SNSF said: “In accordance with the intention of the Federal Council announced last Friday and in co-ordination with the State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation, the SNSF wants to set up a temporary funding scheme as a transitional measure for calls in 2014. This scheme covers the aims, scope and funding level of the ERC funding schemes, Starting Grants and Consolidator Grants.”

The SNSF added that a decision on Advanced Grants will be taken later in agreement with the Sustainable Europe Research Institute.

The calls for these temporary schemes will be open to scientists who work in Switzerland or who are currently negotiating positions at institutions in Switzerland. The original ERC submission deadlines for the Starting Grant proposals (25 March) and the Consolidator Grant proposals (20 May) will remain in place for the new temporary scheme.

Switzerland is now considered a ‘third country’ participant under Horizon 2020, meaning that researchers are restricted to applying for funding as part of a group consisting of partners from EU member states.