Please find below a non-exhaustive list of funding opportunities for collaboration within Europe.
International funding instruments can be found under Worldwide > Further funding
EU Framework Programmes (FPs)
The EU Framework Programmes are the main programmes of the European Union (EU) for implementing its common science and technology policy. Participation in these programmes is one of the top priorities of Swiss science policy and of the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF). Swiss researchers have been participating in FPs since 1987.
European Research Council (ERC)
The European Research Council (ERC) was created by the European Commission to reinforce bottom-up frontier research. It funds projects dedicated to basic research in all scientific fields.
The information network Euresearch and the SwissCore liaison office provide information about the EU programmes and support the participation of Swiss researchers in the FPs.
European Co-operation in Science and Technology (COST)
COST is an intergovernmental framework for European Co-operation in Science and Technology, allowing the coordination of nationally-funded research on a European level. It increases the mobility of researchers across Europe and fosters the establishment of scientific excellence in nine key domains of environmental, cross-border and public utility problems.
Applications can be submitted via the State Secretariat for Education and Research (SER).
EU Enlargement Contribution of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA)
With the enlargement contribution, Switzerland helps to reduce economic and social disparities within the enlarged European Union. One of the measures connected to this contribution is funding reserved for research projects in the ten Member States that joined the EU on 1 May 2004.
Proposals can only be submitted through the National Coordination Units (NCU) of the respective countries. In Switzerland, the programme is coordinated by the SDC.
Scientific Exchange Programme between New EU Member States and Switzerland (Sciex-NMS-CH)
The Rectors’ Conference of the Swiss Universities (CRUS) implements a scientific exchange programme with eight of the new EU Member States. It is open to all faculties and sciences.
The main goal of the programme is to establish scientific partnerships, which will:
- develop individual researchers' capacities;
- foster scientific progress and innovations;
- establish or enhance networks between researchers.