Of the 47 submitted letters of intent, the largest share was in mathematics, natural and engineering sciences (21), followed by the life sciences (16) and the social sciences and humanities (10). Some of the research infrastructures are interdisciplinary. While most of the proposals were sent from universities and associated research institutions, universities of applied sciences, hospitals and non-academic sectors were also represented.
Roadmap for research infrastructures
The call was launched within the scope of the Swiss Roadmap for Research Infrastructures. The Roadmap serves as a basis for financial decisions under the 2017-2020 ERI Dispatch. It contains prospective research infrastructures of national importance and provides an inventory of existing research infrastructures. The requirement to periodically produce such a Roadmap was set down in the revised Research and Innovation Promotion Act (RIPA).
SERI website
Evaluation procedure
Initially, the SNSF examines the submitted proposals for new research infrastructures based on the criteria published in the call (1st phase). The SERI then decides on the allocation of the successful proposals after consulting with the potentially responsible institutions (primarily the ETH Domain, cantonal universities incl. universities of applied sciences, the SNSF and the Swiss Academies of Arts and Sciences). The 2nd phase is organised based on input from the institution that will be responsible for funding during the 2017-2020 ERI budget period, if applicable.
The funding decisions will be made within the scope of the 2017-2020 ERI Dispatch.