To increase the number of women in research, the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF) annually awards a limited number of Marie Heim-Vögtlin* (MHV) subsidies.
MHV subsidies are aimed for doctoral and postdoctoral candidates within all disciplines funded by the SNSF and aim to facilitate the recipients research project. The MHV subsidies support the integration in a host institution at a Swiss University or ETH. The MHV Programme preferable supports where no other means of such re-integration exist.
In order to achieve sustained re-integration, the host institution has to provide not only a written declaration of acceptance and job confirmation but also a continuing financial commitment following expiration of the MHV subsidy (cf. MHV rules, article 4/2).
Conditions of participation
- For women scientists, whose scientific career was delayed or interrupted due to family obligations (children) or a change of residence as a result
of their partner’s career development
- Licentiate, diploma/master or doctorate
- Continuation of the research activity at a university in Switzerland (universities of applied sciences and universities of teacher education: an affiliation to a Swiss university is obligatory)
- Occupation grade: min. 50%
- Duration: maximum two years (in well-founded cases: max. one year prolongation)
- No age limit
Selection procedure
The selection procedure takes place in two phases:
In the first phase, the National Research Council resp. the evaluation commissions assess all applications which do fulfill the formal criteria, and select those candidates (approx. 50%) to be invited for an interview with a powerpoint presentation (phase 2).
With a success rate of around 38%, approx. 35 new MHV subsidies can be awarded per year.
Call for applications and submission
Applications for these subsidies may only be submitted in response to a specific call. Applications received outside the application period will be processed during the next call.
The application, to be submitted by mySNF only, must include a research and career plan, a detailed CV, a publication list, the above-mentioned letter of acceptance of the host institution and one letter of recommendation. More information can be found under: mySNF > MHV Programme.
Next Call for applications: May 2010
Next Submission deadline: 2 August 2010
Start of the subsidy: 1 February 2011 at the earliest
mySNF: To meet the submission deadline a mySNF user account must be requested two weeks before the submission deadline at the latest.
Demands for prolongations and continuations:
Demands must be submitted 5 months before the termination of the current
MHV subsidy, with the form for the research plan_prolongations. More information can be found under: mySNF > MHV Programme.
*) In memory of the first Swiss female doctor in Medical Sciences, Marie Heim-Vögtlin (1845-1916)