Annual report 2024

Preparing for the next age of humanity

Imagine a group of humans 5,000 years ago, living in a world both hostile and full of promise. Each morning, they set out with stone weapons and tools to hunt and gather. But one stays behind, striving to forge a harder form of copper. Undeterred by repeated failures, they want to seek help from other tribes. But with the harsh winter approaching, the rest of the group feels that enough time has been wasted and that everyone needs to get involved in the hunting and harvesting. As a result, no one saw that adding tin to copper would produce bronze, propelling them from the Stone Age into the Bronze Age.

An unlikely scenario? An exaggerated and simplistic comparison? Let’s look closer to home. If, in 1982, budget cuts had prevented the SNSF from supporting a number of outstanding projects, it might have missed the first of the 700 studies it has since funded on messenger RNA (mRNA) technology. Consequently, the SNSF would not have facilitated the development of RNA vaccines against Covid-19 and other infectious diseases, which saved millions of lives and helped stabilise the global economy.

Given the circumstances, the proposed budget cuts for the coming years resemble a financial winter, shifting priorities in the wrong direction. In times of uncertainty and instability, investing in research and innovation is essential. Now is the time to mobilise funds and achieve results that will benefit society in the medium and long term.

We face an uncertain future. Covid-19 foreshadows future pandemics, requiring us to once again leverage cutting-edge scientific knowledge and expertise. Likewise, the remarkable development of artificial intelligence will benefit society as a whole as long as its risks are managed and control is not left to special interest groups. Finally, in the face of climate change, science can provide the information needed to make insightful political decisions.

Only a knowledge-based society can meet these challenges. Switzerland's prosperity is due in no small part to its longstanding determination to invest ever more in its scientific research and innovation capacity. Since 1952, the SNSF has played a vital role in this effort by funding talented researchers and high-potential projects, enabling Switzerland to maintain its position as the world's most innovative country. This annual report provides a closer look at the work we are currently undertaking to serve both the scientific community and – ultimately – the public.

Investing substantially in research in recent years has also helped strengthen the economy. The young researchers we have supported have driven business innovation and, in turn, helped fill the nation’s coffers. Recognising this impact, the Swiss parliament expressed its commitment to increasing support for early-career researchers in Switzerland.

Switzerland stands to lose significantly by cutting research funding and risks isolating itself, while other countries invest and prepare for the next age of humanity. Progress depends on curiosity and a relentless pursuit of discovery. Let’s provide enough resources and make it happen!

Yet tomorrow’s research will, more than ever, attract or create the businesses, goods and services that underpin the economic health of Switzerland, forming a vital element of its prosperity and peace. Abraham Lincoln, that great visionary whom history has so often proven right, summed it up in these words: “The best way to predict the future is to create it.” Let us therefore create our future instead of enduring it.

Jürg Stahl
President of the Foundation Council

Torsten Schwede   
President of the Research Council

Angelika Kalt   
Director

Funding approved in 2024

In 2024, the SNSF approved 961 million Swiss francs for new projects, fellowships abroad and publications (excluding open-access journal articles) under its regular funding programmes, investing almost as much as in 2023 (961 million).

685 million Swiss francs (579 million in 2023) were allocated to research funding, enabling established researchers and their teams to pursue their ideas. 136 million Swiss francs (138 million in 2023) were approved for early-career researchers, and 105 million francs (198 million in 2023) for research groups within programmes. The main reason for the decline in group funding was that, in 2024, the budget of the previous Sinergia funding scheme was integrated into project funding for the first time.

Swiss researchers were again excluded from key parts of the EU's Horizon Europe programme in 2024. Consequently, the SNSF extended its transitional measures for early-career and established researchers on behalf of the federal government. In total, the SNSF approved grants amounting to 189 million francs, significantly less than the 235 million awarded in 2023.

Over the past year, the SNSF has evaluated some 8,700 grant applications as part of its rigorous selection procedures and approved 2,935. The lion’s share of funding went into supporting around 1,800 research projects in Switzerland. Additionally, we allocated 47 million francs to 384 fellowships, enabling early-career researchers to gain experience abroad. We also provided funding for scientific exchanges and open-access publications (books and book chapters). In addition to the approved 2,935 applications, some 4 million francs went into financing 1,400 open-access journal articles via our partner ChronosHub.

As in previous years, around a third of the newly awarded funds, some 34 percent, went to the life sciences. We invested 29 percent of funds in mathematics, natural sciences and engineering, 27 percent in the humanities and social sciences and 10 percent in interdisciplinary projects.

The SNSF approved 647 million francs for applications from universities, 314 million for institutions within the ETH Domain, 76 million for universities of applied sciences and 12 million for teacher-training universities. Additionally, supplementary grants and measures amounted to approximately 13 million francs last year, supporting researchers with expenses such as childcare.

The new funds approved in 2024 will also result in overheads of around 150 million francs, which we will transfer to the universities to cover their indirect research costs.

The second phase of the National Centres of Competence in Research (5th series) began in 2024, after four years of research starting in 2020. The SNSF has approved further funding for the years 2024 to 2027, amounting to 120 million francs.

Approved grants: Detailed key figures 2024

Ongoing projects 2024

At the end of 2024, 5,954 SNSF-funded projects were ongoing, involving 22,224 researchers from higher education and other institutions, 40 percent of them women. Most projects run for several years. The share of female researchers leading a project was 33.7 percent, representing an increase of 0.8 percentage points compared to 2023.

Researchers in projects by age and gender

Detailed interactive key figures for 2024 and the key figures for previous years are available on our Data Portal at data.snf.ch.

In line with its strategy, the SNSF intends to identify challenges at an early stage and collaborate with its partners in education, research and innovation to address them. This is why, in addition to evaluating applications and funding projects, the SNSF carried out a wide range of other work in 2024, including discussions to improve working conditions and career prospects for researchers. The SNSF has also resolved to increase the minimum salaries of doctoral students employed under its funding schemes from 1 January 2026.

The final stage in the restructuring of the SNSF's bodies was also completed with the election of the new Research Council, which commenced its duties on 1 April 2025 under the direction of the Research Council Committee. Torsten Schwede was elected as the new President of the Research Council at the end of 2023, succeeding Matthias Egger, and officially took office at the start of 2025.

This new structure has better equipped the SNSF to respond to developments in research and research funding by establishing a more flexible structure based on the principles of good governance. Equally, the need for a clear division of roles between the evaluation itself, the supervision of evaluation procedures and decision-making regarding the allocation of funds has been addressed. Furthermore, Katrin Milzow and Thomas Werder Schläpfer succeeded Angelika Kalt as the new co-directors of the SNSF and began their duties at the beginning of April 2025.

Also, in 2024, Switzerland and the EU concluded their negotiations. Researchers in Switzerland can now participate in nearly all calls under the EU’s Horizon Europe programme. Consequently, the SNSF will not be launching any corresponding calls for the 2025 programme year. Meanwhile, preparations are underway for the next EU framework programme for research and innovation (2028–2034), with the SNSF contributing nine recommendations. The SNSF advocates for a robust programme that tackles global challenges and supports prosperity across Europe.

2024 was an equally important year for international collaboration. The SNSF and its Ukrainian counterpart, the NRFU, have committed to supporting 20 research projects to strengthen the Ukrainian scientific community shaken up by the war. Additionally, the SNSF organised the Global Research Council with its counterpart FONSTI in Côte d'Ivoire and discussed research sustainability with 60 organisations from 53 countries. 2024 also marked the tenth anniversary of the Lead Agency agreement between the SNSF and its French counterpart, the ANR. The agreement has facilitated collaboration between researchers in the two countries and led to the funding of over 150 projects.

The open-access strategy that had been applied in Switzerland since 2017 expired in 2024. Swissuniversities and the SNSF have therefore updated it with the ambitious goal of making all publicly funded publications freely accessible. According to the latest figures available for 2022, 81 percent of scientific publications from SNSF-funded research projects were already open-access. Moreover, with the introduction of the Open Research Data policy, most of the SNSF's funding schemes require the applicant to submit a data management plan. The SNSF aims for project-generated data to be archived in public repositories and to adhere to FAIR data-sharing principles. The proportion of completed SNSF-funded projects with at least one declared dataset continues to grow.

A summary of the SNSF's activities in 2024 would be incomplete without mentioning artificial intelligence, which scientists are increasingly integrating into their work. The SNSF continuously assesses the potential of these tools. When researchers use AI in their proposals, they bear full responsibility and are considered the sole authors. This topic will remain a focus for the SNSF in the coming years as it closely monitors technical and legal developments, adapting its position as needed.

A more detailed summary of our activities in 2024 is provided below.

Foundation Council

The Foundation Council of the SNSF is responsible for ensuring that the SNSF remains true to its mission and for overall governance. Based on a recommendation from the Research Council, it endorses the main pillars of the SNSF's funding policy, in particular the multi-year programme. In addition, it approves the financial statements and the annual report.

For the duration of the 2024-2027 term of office, the Foundation Council will consist of nine members:

Jürg Stahl (President), Prof Nikola Biller-Andorno, Prof Astrid Epiney, Dr Matthias Essenpreis, Prof Urs Frey, Jörg Gasser, Dr Agnès Petit, Dr Laetitia Philippe (representative of the SERI), Prof Lothar Thiele.

Committees of the Foundation Council

The Foundation Council appoints the Finance and Audit Committee (FPA) and the Nomination and Compensation Committee (NVA) as standing committees.

The Foundation Council elects two to three of its members to the Finance and Audit Committee and the Nomination and Compensation Committee for a term of two years. For the 2024-2025 period, Agnès Petit and Jörg Gasser sit on the FPA, while Astrid Epiney and Nikola Biller-Andorno sit on the NVA. Neither committee has any decision-making powers.

Delegates Assembly

The Delegates Assembly is a body of the Swiss National Science Foundation that convened for the first time in March 2024. As an advisory body, it plays a crucial role in shaping the development of the SNSF by bringing the diversity of opinions of the Swiss research community into the discussions.

According to the SNSF’s Statutes, the Delegates Assembly comprises a maximum of 40 members. A total of 28 seats are allocated to members representing the universities, the ETH Domain, the universities of applied sciences, the universities of teacher education and the Swiss Academies of Arts and Sciences. Early-career researchers are represented by three members in the Delegates Assembly.

The Bureau of the Delegates Assembly presides over the Assembly. It consists of President Prof Elisabeth Stark (University of Zurich), Vice President Prof Christine Pirinoli (University of Applied Sciences and Arts Western Switzerland), Prof Christian Bochet (University of Fribourg) and Prof Christian Wolfrum (ETH Zurich).

Universities: Prof Hugues Abriel, Prof Patrick Gagliardini, Prof Felix Kessler, Prof Klaus Möller, Prof Francesco Pepe, Prof Sara Rubinelli, Prof Primo Schär, Prof Marianne Schmid Mast.

ETH Domain: Prof Martin Ackermann, Prof Martin Hairer.

Universities of Applied Sciences: Dr Beate Böckem, Prof Corina Caduff, Prof Emanuele Carpanzano, Prof Andreas Gerber-Grote, Prof Falko Schlottig, Prof Viktor Sigrist, Prof Alex Simeon, Prof Ulrike Zika.

Universities of Teacher Education: Prof Horst Biedermann, Prof Dorothee Brovelli.

Academies of Arts and Sciences: Prof Yves Flückiger, Prof Christofer Hierold, Prof em. Philippe Moreillon, Prof George Thalmann.

Elected members: Philipp Walch, Rachel Démolis, Laure Piguet.

Internal Audit

BDO AG, Bern.

Compliance Committee

Prof Urs Frey (President); Prof Walter Reith, Prof Dominik Hangartner, Dr Rita Pikó, Ingrid Petersson.

Research Council

The Research Council is the scientific body of the SNSF. It is responsible for evaluating grant applications and making funding decisions. The eight-member Presiding Board heads the Research Council and monitors the quality of funding decisions. It advises on science policy issues and develops the SNSF's funding policy.

86 honorary members, 37 percent women, 63 per cent men

President

Prof Matthias Egger (until 31.12.2024)

Presiding Board > Prof Matthias Egger (until 31.12.2024). President Division I: Prof Laura Bernardi, Deputy of RC President (until 31.12.2024). President Division II: Dr Bernd Gotsmann (until 31.12.2024). President Division III: Prof Matthias Peter (until 31.12.2024). President Division IV: Prof Dimos Poulikakos (until 31.12.2024). President Specialised Committee Careers: Prof Stuart Lane (until 31.12.2024). President Specialised Committee International Cooperation: Prof Anna Fontcuberta i Morral (until 30.4.2024), Prof Brenda Kwak (from 4.6.2024 until 31.12.2024). President Specialised Committee Interdisciplinary Research: Prof Andreas Mayer (until 31.12.2024).

Division I: Humanities and Social Sciences > Prof Laura Bernardi (President, until 31.12.2024); Prof Peter Auer (Vice President); Prof Roberto Caldara, Prof Véronique Dasen, Prof Paulo de Assis, Prof Julia Eckert, Prof Christiana Fountoulakis, Prof Julia Gelshorn, Prof Daniel Gredig, Prof Madeleine Herren-Oesch, Prof Ben Jann, Prof Wassilis Kassis, Prof Thomas Keil, Prof Simona Pekarek Doehler, Prof Gabriele Rippl, Prof Dominic Rohner, Prof Frank Schimmelfennig, Prof Konrad Schmid, Prof Martin Spann, Prof Danièle Tosato-Rigo, Prof Birgit Watzke.

Division II: Mathematics, Natural Sciences and Engineering > Dr Bernd Gotsmann (President); Prof Donna Testerman (Vice President), Prof Rémi Abgrall, Prof Natalie Banerji, Prof Jeffrey Bode, Dr Marc Bohner, Prof Joachim Buhmann (until 30.9.2024), Prof Philippe Cudré-Mauroux, Prof Manfred Fiebig, Prof Karl Gademann, Prof Fabrizio Grandoni, Prof Ravit Helled, Prof Anne-Marie Kermarrec, Prof Jean-François Molinari, Prof Daniela Rubatto, Prof Bettina Schaefli, Prof Stefan Schmalholz, Prof Olivier Schneider, Prof Adrian Signer, Prof Vera Slaveykova-Startcheva, Prof Thomas Südmeyer.

Division III: Biology and Medicine > Prof Matthias Peter (President); Prof Claudia Kühni (Vice President until 31.3.2024); Prof Anthony Holtmaat (Vice President from 1.4.2024), Prof Anne Angelillo-Scherrer, Prof Mohamed Bentires-Alj, Prof Melanie Blokesch, Prof Kirsten Bomblies, Prof Mirjam Christ-Crain, Prof Roberto Coppari, Prof Bart Deplancke, Prof Dominique De Quervain, Prof Olivier Devuyst, Prof Laurent Excoffier (until 31.3.2024), Prof Thomas Flatt, Prof Michel Gilliet, Prof Monica Gotta, Prof Fritjof Helmchen, Prof Christoph Hess, Prof Brenda Renata Kwak, Prof Kaspar Locher, Prof Oliver Mühlemann, Prof Adrian Franz Ochsenbein (until 31.3.2024), Prof John Richard Pannell, Prof Carlo Rivolta, Prof Federica Sallusto (until 31.3.2024), Prof Peter Scheiffele, Prof Isabelle Schmitt-Opitz (until 5.9.2024), Prof Margitta Seeck, Prof Matthias Stuber, Prof Verdon Taylor.

Division IV: Programmes > Prof Dimos Poulikakos (President); Prof Annalisa Buffa (Vice President from 1.1.2024), Prof Anastasia Ailamaki, Prof Uschi Backes-Gellner, Prof Manfred Max Bergman, Prof Dominik Brühwiler, Prof Mira Burri, Prof Eleni Chatzi, Prof Anna Fontcuberta i Morral (until 30.4.2024), Prof Gudela Grote, Prof Chinwe Ifejika Speranza, Prof Denis Jabaudon, Prof Stuart Lane (until 31.12.2024), Prof Martin Lengwiler, Prof Andreas Mayer, Prof Bert Müller, Prof Henning Müller, Prof Nicolas Rodondi (until 31.12.2024), Prof Rainer Wallny (until 31.12.2024).

Specialised Committee Careers > Prof Stuart Lane (President until 31.12.2024); Prof Gabriele Rippl (Vice President), Prof Anne Angelillo-Scherrer, Prof Antonio Baldassare (from 1.4.2024), Prof Julia Gelshorn, Prof Monica Gotta, Prof Sebastian Gurtner (from 1.4.2024), Prof Ben Jann, Prof Christian Matter, Prof Jess Snedeker, Prof Verdon Taylor (from 1.1.2024), Prof Donna Testerman.

Specialised Committee International Cooperation > Prof Anna Fontcuberta i Morral (President until 30.4.2024); Prof Brenda Renata Kwak (President from 4.6.2024); Prof Madeleine Herren-Oesch (Vice President until 4.6.2024); Prof Manfred Max Bergman (Vice President from 5.6.2024), Prof Annalisa Buffa (from 3.7.2024 until 31.12.2024), Prof Véronique Dasen, Prof Elisa Fornalé (from 1.1.2024), Prof Carlo Rivolta, Prof Daniela Rubatto, Prof Thomas Südmeyer, Prof Ralph Weber (from 1.1.2024).

Specialised Committee Interdisciplinary Research > Prof Andreas Mayer (President); Prof Rainer Wallny (Vice President until 31.12.2024); Prof Roberto Caldara, Prof Olivier Devuyst, Prof Julia Eckert (from 1.4.2024), Prof Anthony Holtmaat, Prof Anne-Marie Kermarrec (from 1.4.2024), Prof Henning Müller (from 1.1.2024), Prof Simona Pekarek Doehler (from 1.4.2024), Prof Vera Slaveykova-Startcheva, Prof Markus Wild (until 31.3.2024).

Gender Equality Commission > Prof Michèle Amacker (President); Prof Yvonne Benschop, Prof Sébastien Chauvin, Prof Michelle Cottier, Prof Stephen Curry, Dr Jasmine Lorenzini, Prof Ruth Müller.

Research Integrity Commission > Prof Nadja Capus (President); Prof Bart Deplancke, Prof Olivier Devuyst, Dr Claudia Ellenrieder, Milva Franceschi (until 14.10.2024), Prof Gudela Grote, Dr Ladina Knapp, Sophie Kohli, Dr Daniel Krämer, Prof Stuart Lane, Dr François Lavergne, Prof Jean-François Molinari, Dr David Möller (from 1.9.2024), Dr Margot Mütsch, Dr Amalia Sofia (until 31.8.2024), Dr Cornelia Sommer, Prof Thomas Südmeyer, Dr David Svarin, Prof Danièle Tosato-Rigo.

90 evaluation panels, consisting of about 1000 honorary members in all, lay the groundwork for the Research Council's decisions.

As at 31.12.2024

Administrative Offices

The Administrative Offices support and coordinate the activities of the Foundation Council and the Research Council. They are responsible for all administrative matters as well as for the SNSF's national and international networking activities and communication. The implementation of the selection procedures is its core task.

The SNSF has 366 employees (corresponding to 313 full-time equivalents), of whom 60 percent are women and 40 percent men. Nearly half of the employees (182) have a work-time percentage of between 90 and 100 percent. 173 employees work between 60 and 89 percent, and 11 employees less than 60 percent.

Executive Management > Director, Chief Executive: Dr Angelika Kalt. Chief Finance, Infrastructure and Services Officer (CFO): Céline Liechti. Chief Information Officer (CIO): Sébastien Stampfli. Chief Operations Officer (COO): Dr Thomas Werder Schläpfer. Chief Research Development Officer (CDO): Dr Katrin Milzow (from 1.4.2024).

Heads of Staff Divisions > Human Resources: Karim Errassas. Communication: Christophe Giovannini. Strategic Processes: Dr Katrin Milzow (until 31.3.24). Legal Service: Dr Kaspar Sutter. General Secretariat: Dr Anna Brandenburg.

Heads reporting to CFO > Finance: Andreas Kilchenmann. Facility Management: Yves Flohimont.

Heads reporting to CIO > IT Research Funding Services: Dr Laurence Krpoun-Meylan. IT Management & Administration Services: Dr Frank Neidhöfer. IT Enterprise Business Services: Dr Frank Neidhöfer. IT Client, Platform & Core Security Services: Michael Sägesser. IT Service Desk: Bruno Tanner. IT Information & Collaboration Services: Peter Tomasini-Monjoe.

Heads reporting to COO > Projects: Dr Simona Berardi Vilei (until 31.3.24), Dr Pascal Fischer (from 1.2.2024). Grant Management: Dr Michael Hill. International Cooperation: Dr Laure Ognois. Careers: Dr Marc Zbinden.

Heads reporting to CDO > Long-term Research: Dr Jean-Luc Barras. Thematic Research: Dr Pierre Willa. Gender Equality in Research Funding: Dr Jasmine Lorenzini. Data Team: Dr Anne Jorstad.

As at 31.12.2024

• Financial statement 2024 and report of the statutory auditor (PDF)
• Risk assessment (PDF)

Parliamentary debates are currently underway on the Confederation's cost-cutting measures from 2026. The Swiss Federal Council plans to reduce the annual contribution to the SNSF by almost 10 percent in 2027 and 2028, possibly starting as early as 2026. A decision by the Swiss Parliament is expected in the winter session of 2025, by which time the SNSF expects to know the extent of the budget cuts. For the time being, it is difficult to provide an accurate and detailed picture of the SNSF's funding schemes for the period 2025-2028. The funds allocated by the Parliament in December 2024 would make it possible to implement the measures below in the coming years.

From young researchers to team management

The SNSF wants to improve prospects for young researchers and scientists with non-linear careers. To this end, the SNSF will refine its career support schemes to address the challenges of the 21st century while maintaining its commitment to improving working conditions. From 1 January 2026, it will also increase the minimum salaries of doctoral students employed under its funding schemes. As previously announced, the SNSF will discontinue the Doc.CH and MD-PhD funding programmes from 2025 to concentrate on support at the postdoctoral level and beyond.

To align with its other career development programmes, the SNSF launched the SNSF Starting Grants 2025 at the end of 2024. This scheme represents the highest level of SNSF career support, enabling researchers to lead projects and research teams in Switzerland. The next call will open on 1 February 2026.

The SNSF is also refining its project funding to enhance the flexibility and innovation of Swiss research across all disciplines. Starting in April 2025, resubmitted projects with amendments will no longer need to be declared separately and will be treated as initial submissions. This change aims to ensure fairer competition and equal treatment for all applications.

Equality, diversity and sustainable development

Promoting research also means fostering equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI). The SNSF will maintain its commitment to an open and equitable research culture and ensure that research benefits society. As part of the new leadership programme, launched in February 2025, the SNSF will offer courses and workshops to recipients of SNSF Starting Grants, Eccellenza and PRIMA funding. This initiative aims to support early-career researchers in developing leadership skills and effectively managing diverse teams.

The SNSF also prioritizes transdisciplinary research on sustainable development. To this end, it will continue the SOR4D (Solution-oriented Research for Development) programme, established with the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC). This programme aims to foster innovation and reduce poverty in least-developed, low- and middle-income countries.

In the coming years, the SNSF will also expand and enhance its joint funding programme with Innosuisse, namely BRIDGE. This initiative emphasises practical knowledge transfer, enabling researchers to swiftly translate their findings into products or services.

Research and society – a vital partnership

To foster stronger collaboration, the SNSF encourages greater exchanges between the research community and non-academic stakeholders. One key initiative is involving these stakeholders in National Research Programmes (NRPs) from the outset.

Society plays a crucial role in clinical research. While some medical issues may not be industry priorities, they are of great importance to the public. Through its Investigator Initiated Clinical Trials (IICT) programme, the SNSF supports innovative clinical trials on underexplored topics. Moving forward, the SNSF plans to boost its support by extending and developing this programme.

On the international stage, the SNSF is committed to keeping Swiss research competitive. It will strengthen support for cross-border collaborations at both European and global levels.

Since early 2025, a transitional arrangement has provided researchers in Switzerland with access to nearly all Horizon Europe calls for projects and programmes. Consequently, the SNSF will not launch any further calls for proposals as part of the transitional measures, though previously allocated funds will be maintained. While this marks significant progress, the SNSF and the Swiss Federal Government remain focused on achieving full association with Horizon Europe – an essential goal for the Swiss research community and economy.

Federal contributions until 2028

According to the current version of the service level agreement for 2025-2028, the SNSF will receive 4,952 million Swiss francs from the Federal Government during this period, subject to changes when the Federal Government decides on the annual budget. Transitional and complementary measures for Horizon Europe are not included here. Given the Federal Government's financial situation, there is a risk that contributions may be reduced from 2026 onwards.