The first National Centres of Competence in Research (NCCRs) were launched eight years ago. This was completely unchartered territory for Switzerland. Now this initial series of NCCRs – one of three currently in progress – is approaching the final year of its twelve-year funding period.
The NCCRs are a success, with impressive results that have greatly benefited the Swiss research hub. The National Centres of Competence in Research not only achieve cutting-edge research, their importance to the Swiss research community goes much further.
The National Centres of Competence for Research leave a lasting mark that far surpass the term for which they run. They have helped the various actors within the Swiss research community to concentrate on their strengths and set substantive priorities. The NCCRs have permanently changed the structure of the research landscape.