New internal organisation for research funding
SNSF's Administrative Offices have adopted a new internal structure for research funding. There are now six sections: Projects, Careers, International Cooperation, Thematic Research, Long-term Research and Grant Management.
To prepare them for the challenges of the future, the organisations need to review their structure and operations at regular intervals. Adopted on 1 April 2022, the new structure will give the SNSF greater flexibility and agility, leaving it better placed to meet the needs arising from its mission and those of the researchers it supports. It will also help us to achieve our strategic objectives and to fulfil our mandate in the long term.
"This new organisation will enable us to enhance our synergy and efficiency while leveraging our competencies to better serve researchers. We will also have a better understanding and capacity to anticipate the evolution of research," explains Angelika Kalt, Director of the SNSF.
Shaping the future of research
The Projects section encapsulates projects in the social sciences and humanities, STEM and life sciences as well as interdisciplinary projects. Careers brings together the various funding schemes for young researchers with the aim of ensuring their scientific independence. International Cooperation provides funding for cross-border research and develops networks for cooperation with funding organisations in other countries, thus helping to limit the negative effects of Switzerland's non-association with Horizon Europe.
These three sections are combined in the Operations department, covering the vast majority of funding awarded by the SNSF.
Thematic Research covers the National Research Programmes (NRPs) as well as BRIDGE and SOR4D, which are being run in collaboration with Innosuisse and the SDC respectively. Long-term Research includes the National Centres of Competence in Research (NCCRs) and the research infrastructures. These two sections are united in the Development department. Their mission is to contribute to the SNSF's aim of shaping the future of research in Switzerland.
Supporting scientists
The management of applications and grants from all of the SNSF's funding schemes has been consolidated under the new Grant Management section. Bringing together the administrative and financial support units for researchers will allow for greater flexibility and enable the continuous improvement of these services.
The new organisation charts contain not only the new structure of the SNSF's Administrative Offices but also the contact persons for each scheme. As was already the case, the SNSF website provides contact details (e-mail and phone) that may be of use to researchers as well as to the Grant Offices of higher education institutions. This internal restructuring supplements the existing points of contact, with very few changes. "It is our express wish to be as accessible as possible so that we can provide the very best assistance to the scientists whom it is our mission to support," concludes Angelika Kalt.