Simplified cooperation with Denmark

Projects led by Swiss researchers and conducted together with Danish partners can be supported financially by the SNSF, even the subprojects based in Denmark. The SNSF covers the costs incurred there - up to 50 per cent of the overall budget. Conversely, the Independent Research Fund Denmark will finance the Swiss parts of the projects it promotes.

Such agreements, so-called International Co-Investigator Schemes, are already in place with the UK, Norway and Sweden. For the UK, the agreement is limited to the humanities and social sciences. For projects with Norway and Sweden, the financing of subprojects abroad is also limited to a maximum of 50 per cent of the overall budget, for projects with the UK to a maximum of 30 per cent. The usual submission deadlines apply for Swiss researchers, namely 1 April and 1 October. The participation requirements and financial provisions of the SNSF apply.

Different offers

The International Co-Investigator Scheme is one of the funding options offered by the SNSF to facilitate cross-border project funding. The Lead Agency process is another such funding scheme: here either the SNSF or the funding organisation in the partner country takes the lead in the evaluation. The SNSF then finances the subprojects in Switzerland. Lead Agency agreements are in place with Austria, Belgium, France Germany, Luxembourg, Poland and Slovenia. Applications are generally submitted once a year either to the SNSF or to its partner organisation.

233 Projects

At the end of 2018, the SNSF was funding 233 projects in the framework of International Co-Investigator Schemes and the Lead Agency process. "We want to expand these research funding schemes," says Jean Luc-Barras, head of the International Cooperation division. "This will make it still easier for Swiss researchers to realise innovative projects together with foreign partners of their own choosing."

• International Co-Investigator Scheme
• Lead Agency process