National Centres of Competence in Research (NCCRs)
The submissions made in response to calls for new NCCRs are evaluated by international committees and the SNSF in a two-stage procedure. The SNSF recommends highly rated NCCR proposals to the Federal Department of Economic Affairs, Education and Research (EAER) for implementation. The final decision on establishing NCCRs lies with the EAER.
The submissions made in response to calls for new NCCRs are evaluated by international committees and the SNSF in a two-stage procedure. The SNSF recommends highly rated NCCR proposals to the Federal Department of Economic Affairs, Education and Research (EAER) for implementation. The final decision on establishing NCCRs lies with the EAER.
The periodic calls for new NCCRs are generally aimed at research initiatives in all science areas. The NCCR proposal is submitted by the designated NCCR director. NCCR directors have an excellent scientific track record and are employed at a Swiss research institution.
In a first step, the NCCR directors submit a letter of intent to the SNSF. Subsequently, they describe their vision and objectives for the NCCR in an outline proposal. If the home institutions still support the initiative after evaluation of the project outline, the NCCR directors submit a full proposal to the SNSF. The SNSF sends the government (EAER/SERI) a shortlist of outstanding NCCR proposals deemed to be worthy of funding. Based on its current research policies, the government selects the NCCR proposals to be funded, giving individual initiatives a higher priority. The selected NCCRs are established by means of a government ruling.
More information on the selection process for NCCR proposals can be found under "How to - submit an NCCR proposal" as well as in the relevant call document.