Before drafting a Sinergia proposal, applicants need to ensure that the project also complies with the following definitions and rules:
Interdisciplinary research
Interdisciplinary research is defined as research across disciplinary boundaries. In order to achieve the research objectives, it is necessary to integrate elements (theories, methods, concepts, etc.) from two or more disciplines. A similar degree of importance is attached to all the disciplines involved. Collaborative proposals that involve only one discipline or one main discipline supported by auxiliary disciplines should be submitted in SNSF project funding:
Link project funding (Research in one main discipline)
An application should be related to disciplines from at least two different research domains of the following SNSF-list:
SNSF research domains and disciplines (PDF)
Collaborative research
Collaborative research means that the research goals can only be achieved if two or more applicants combine their complementary expertise and knowledge in a new, joint research approach. The collaboration of research groups from different types of institutions (UASs, UTEs, universities, ETH/EPF, etc.) is also welcome.
Breakthrough research
Breakthrough research is distinguished by a high potential for shifting or invalidating paradigms. This type of research questions or goes beyond existing models, theories, doctrines, research approaches, methods, etc. It opens up new research fields and is often of a high-risk, high-reward nature.
Eligibility of applicants
- All applicants must have obtained a doctorate at least four years before submitting the application or have equivalent research experience.
- All applicants must be employed with a work-time percentage of at least 50% for the duration of the project at a research institution eligible to receive research funding from the SNSF or have been given written assurance of such employment.
- All applicants must be in a position to carry out research projects under their own responsibility and to lead project staff.
- All applicants must make a substantial contribution to the proposed research. The research infrastructure necessary to carry out the proposed research must be at their disposal.
- If there are three or more applicants, one applicant may be based at a research institution abroad, if his/her expertise is essential, meaning it is not available in Switzerland (2+1, 3+1).
Applications must be submitted via the online platform mySNF:
It is recommended that applicants start entering details in mySNF as soon as possible after the launch of the call (early April 2016). Setting up a new mySNF user account may take up to one week. On mySNF, help texts offer detailed advice on writing and submitting the grant application. The application has to be written in English.
The CVs and scientific track records of all applicants, as well as the research plan must be submitted as PDF-documents via mySNF. The following guidelines must be adhered to in principle:
Assessment criteria
The following specific aspects of the general assessment criteria of the SNSF (scientific quality of the proposed research project, scientific qualifications of the researchers) assume greater importance in the evaluation of Sinergia proposals:
- The project comprises breakthrough research with a high potential for shifting or invalidating existing paradigms.
- Ability of the applicants to successfully conduct breakthrough research and complementarity of their expertise and knowledge
- Quality of the interdisciplinary collaboration and adequacy of the organisation in view of the joint research objectives
- Adequacy of the requested budget.
Evaluation
The evaluation consists of three steps:
- 1) Formal verification: The Administrative Offices of the SNSF check whether the submitted application meets the formal and personal requirements. They may also check whether the application complies with the rules of scientific integrity:
Regulations of the National Research Council on the treatment of scientific misconduct by applicants and grantees (PDF)
- 2) International peer-review process: The application is sent to usually two or more external reviewers and evaluated using a list of questions based on the Sinergia assessment criteria. Once a funding decision has been reached, the applicant can access the anonymised external reviews via
mySNF:
List of questions for the assessment of Sinergia applications (PDF)
- 3) Examination by the Sinergia evaluation commission: Based on the external reviews, two members of the Sinergia evaluation commission evaluate the application and rank it according to the assessment criteria. Subsequently, the Sinergia evaluation commission discusses and compares all applications and reaches provisional funding decisions. In a last step, the Presiding Board of the Research Council verifies whether the procedures have been correctly applied and the budget and other conditions complied with. If this is the case, it approves the provisional decision of the evaluation commission.
Communication of the decision
The final decision is generally taken five-and-a-half to six months after the submission deadline. The Administrative Offices of the SNSF communicates the final decision to the applicants as soon as possible in the form of a ruling (in accordance with the Federal Act on Administrative Procedure).