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 landscape goes much further.
The National Centres of Competence in Research operate as a network in which a large body of scientific partners are active. The work in these networks has proved to be fertile ground in which original and innovative research approaches can flourish.