Switzerland is participating in the EU enlargement by supporting the efforts to reduce economic and social disparities. The supported countries include Romania and Bulgaria, the two most recent EU members. One of the selected fields of cooperation in both countries is scientific research. The Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF) and its counterpart in Romania respectively in Bulgaria were chosen by the Swiss Agency for Development Cooperation (SDC) for managing and administrating the two special programmes set up with the available money. Both programmes (2011-2016) will support the implementation of three-year Joint Research Projects (JRPs) carried out by groups of researchers from Romania/Bulgaria, jointly with groups of researchers from Switzerland.
Romanian-Swiss Research Programme (RSRP)
SNSF is co-operating with the Romanian Executive Agency for Higher Education, Research, Development and Innovation Funding (UEFISCDI) to implement the programme. The total budget available for the JRPs is CHF 10.35 million (85% from the Swiss contribution, 15% from the Romanian contribution). The maximum amount to be granted for a single JRP will be CHF 450,000.
Projects exclusively within the following thematic areas will be funded:
- Research on the following major diseases: cancer, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes and obesity;
- Impact of waste and pollutants on environment and climate;
- Sustainable energy;
- Economic Growth and Social Disparities.
There was a single call for proposals that was opened on 30 September 2011 and closed on 31 January 2012.
Bulgarian-Swiss Research Programme (BSRP)
SNSF is co-operating with the Science Directorate (SD) of the Ministry of Education, Youth and Science (MEYS) to implement the programme. The total budget available for JRPs is CHF 4.23 million (85% from the Swiss contribution, 15% from the Bulgarian contribution). The maximum amount to be granted for a single JRP will be CHF 400,000.
Projects exclusively within the following thematic areas will be funded:
- Ecological forestry/farming and waste management;
- Social disparities and regional differences;
- Drug development;
- Innovative building methods and materials.
There will be a single call for proposals that will open on 15 November 2011 and close on 15 March 2012. Proposals will have to be jointly prepared by Swiss and Bulgarian applicants and submitted by the Swiss applicant to the SNSF via its electronic submission system (mySNF).