PRIMA supports excellent women researchers aspiring to a professorship
Female professors continue to be underrepresented at Swiss higher education institutions. By introducing PRIMA (Promoting Women in Academia), an innovative career funding scheme for excellent women researchers, the SNSF aims to contribute to the appointment of female professors in Switzerland.
Women remain largely underrepresented in top hierarchy levels at Swiss higher education institutions. Although in 2015 half of the students were women, they represented only 21% of the professors. That said, the proportion of women professors has nonetheless risen by 8% over a nine-year period. With the new PRIMA grants, the SNSF enables excellent researchers to acquire independence and scientific autonomy and to sharpen their profile for the next career step.
In this context, the SNSF is launching PRIMA, which is aimed at female researchers at postdoc level from all disciplines who have the potential for an academic career and are eager to pursue an academic career at a Swiss higher education institution. With a maximum duration of 5 years, PRIMA grants cover the grantee's salary and project costs (max. CHF 150,000 per year), which allow, amongst others, to engage a team, benefit from an academic stay at another institution as well as from a mentoring network. With PRIMA, researchers will acquire excellent academic perspectives. In order to encourage Swiss higher education institutions to appoint more female professors and to optimally support grantees, the remaining PRIMA funds can be transferred to the new workplace after an appointment.
First call for proposals for PRIMA
Applicants for a PRIMA grant have obtained their doctoral degree or an equivalent qualification between 2 and 10 years prior to the submission deadline. A degree in human, dental, veterinary, social or preventive medicine followed by at least three years of research is considered as equivalent to a doctorate. Applicants who also meet the personal requirements for Ambizione may, on request, have their PRIMA application also considered as Ambizione.
The first call for proposals will be launched on 1 August 2017, and the submission deadline will be 1 November 2017. The budget of 15 million Swiss francs will cover ten to twelve PRIMA grants for the most promising projects in 2018.