For the first time applicants request project funding of over CHF 500 million
By 1 October 2015, researchers had submitted a total of 1152 project proposals to the SNSF in which they requested overall funding of CHF 524 million.
Whereas the total number of applications increased by 6%, the requested funding rose by 14% compared to the winter semester 2014. The SNSF has thus for the first time received project funding requests totaling over CHF 500 million.Growth was registered in all science areas, albeit not at the same rate. Both the humanities and social sciences as well as biology and medicine registered a single-figure increase in the number of applications (+3% and +5% respectively) and in the amount of requested funding (+8% and +9% respectively). The increase in applications was relatively modest also in mathematics and the natural and engineering sciences (+5%); the requested funds, however, increased markedly (+14%). Strong growth has also been in evidence for interdisciplinary projects (44% more applications than in the previous year, and an increase of 81% in requested funding). This may be attributable to the fact that it was the final call for the funding scheme "Interdisciplinary Applications". As of spring 2016, applicants will be able to submit interdisciplinary projects via the revamped Sinergia funding scheme.
The above figures show that the demand for funding research projects has for the second time in succession been substantially higher than in the previous year. The application numbers and requested funds show a marked upwards tendency following a temporary lull after 2011.
The SNSF will evaluate the submitted proposals in the coming months and make the corresponding funding decisions by April 2016.