38 applications submitted for new National Centres of Competence in Research (NCCRs)
In November 2023, the SNSF launched a 6th NCCR call. The multi-stage selection process is now entering the decisive phase - 38 research consortia have submitted their proposals, and the SNSF will evaluate them by autumn 2025.
In the first evaluation phase in 2024, the SNSF assessed 75 NCCR outline proposals. In September 2024, about a third of the research consortia were invited to prepare a comprehensive NCCR application. A total of 38 proposals were submitted and subsequently approved for the next evaluation round. They will be evaluated by panels of distinguished international experts by autumn 2025.
Wide range of topics and large share of women
The submitted proposals address a range of societal and technical challenges such as digitalisation, artificial intelligence, sustainability, health and nutrition, and the strengthening of democratic societies. As in previous NCCR calls, research themes fundamental to the social sciences and humanities and to the natural and life sciences are well represented. Almost all cantonal universities, the two Federal Institutes of Technology, five universities of applied sciences and two research institutions are participating in the call as "home institutions" (i.e. those that provide an NCCR with long-term financial and structural support). For 16 of the NCCRs to be evaluated, women are the designated NCCR directors and will perform the lead roles. Consequently, the share of women directors (42 percent) is larger than in any previous round of NCCR calls.
Evaluating NCCR applications
The SNSF also applies its standardised evaluation procedure to NCCR selection. In a first step, at least five external expert opinions (peer reviews) are obtained from researchers outside Switzerland to evaluate the proposals. Several international experts in three interdisciplinary panels then examine the reviews and use them as a basis for discussing and rating the applications. Based on these assessments by the panel, the Research Council identifies the best NCCR applications and compiles a shortlist.
Decision on new NCCRs
The SNSF will forward its shortlist to the State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation (SERI) for final selection at the end of September 2025. Only applications that fully meet all assessment criteria and are convincing in terms of their scientific quality will be considered. The Federal Department of Economic Affairs, Education and Research (EAER) will make the final decision on which NCCRs are to be funded, with an official announcement expected at the beginning of 2026. The newly selected NCCRs will then begin their research in the first half of 2026.