Projects on health and wellbeing

For researchers at universities of applied sciences and universities of teacher education: the SNSF will fund projects in the area of health and wellbeing for a limited period. CHF 15 million are available this year.

Health is a topic of great importance to Swiss society. The SNSF is funding research on this topic at universities of applied sciences (UAS) and universities of teacher education (UTE) for a limited period. This will provide additional funding opportunities for promising projects on health and wellbeing. Our general aim is to strengthen use-inspired research at the universities of applied sciences and universities of teacher education.

A second call has been opened on November 1st, 2023.

A webinar concerning this call for projectstook place on Tuesday 5 December 2023. You can find the slides and the recording here:

This funding scheme is subject to the same conditions as the SNSF’s project funding. Applications may be submitted by researchers who conduct their work independently, under their own responsibility and with self-chosen goals.

  • Participation requirements

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    Researchers at universities of applied sciences and universities of teacher education whose research is directly related to health and wellbeing are eligible to apply.

    The formal requirements are set out in Articles 4 and 5 of the SNSF’s Project Funding Regulations.

    The research plan must not exceed 15 pages and 60,000 characters with spaces. No additional pages are accepted for collaborative projects. The first limit reached applies. This includes the title or front page, footnotes, illustrations, formulae, tables (and, if applicable, the table of contents), but not the bibliography.

    By the submission deadline, applicants may submit one application only in relation to this call for proposals.

    Over the entire duration of the grant, a minimum amount of CHF 100,000 and a maximum amount of CHF 250,000 on average may be requested per annum and per applicant. In each case, the maximum grant may not exceed an average of CHF 1 million per annum and project.

    The restrictions on the number of ongoing projects and applications for project funding (Art. 13 para. 2 of the Project Funding Regulations) apply to this call for proposals.

    Health and Wellbeing projects are part of the project funding. In this scheme, grantees may receive a maximum of three grants from the SNSF for the same funding period, provided at least one grant is for an EU consortium project or has been granted on the basis of a lead agency, Weave or International Co-investigator scheme evaluation.

    No specific evaluation criteria apply to collaborative and interdisciplinary projects. Articles 9, 10 and 15 al 4 of the project funding regulation do not apply.

  • How to

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    This year, unlike the first call for projects, there will be no pre-registration.

    Application submission

    The call opens on November 1st, 2023. Please submit your application by no later than 17:00 on March 15th, 2024 via the mySNF platform. Please select the funding scheme “Health Research and Wellbeing at UAS and UTE”.

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    The requirements for the research plan can be found in the call document. The language of the application must be English.

  • Guidelines and regulations

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    You can find detailed information about this funding scheme in the call document.

    The call for proposals in the area of health and wellbeing is subject to the conditions on project funding, which are set out in three sets of regulations:

    The following guidelines are based on the regulations. They contain additional explanations and instructions which are intended to facilitate the practical application of the regulatory provisions. If anything is unclear, we advise you to contact the SNSF Administrative Offices (see Contact information).

  • FAQ

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    In addition to submitting an application for the “Projects in Health Research and Wellbeing” call, am I also allowed to apply for SNSF project funding or to receive a project funding grant?

    Yes. However, the restrictions on the number of ongoing projects and applications for project funding apply.

    Does the applicant's salary count as part of the eligible costs?

    No. As a rule, the applicant’s salary only counts as part of the eligible costs in SNSF career funding schemes.

    Can I submit an application to the SNSF if I am already working as an employee in an SNSF-funded research project?

    No. Grant recipients cannot simultaneously be working as an employee in an SNSF-funded project. These two roles are incompatible, and the SNSF does not accept applications where the two roles are intended to run in parallel. Project employees may submit their own applications for the period after their work on the project has ended.

    I don't have a doctorate because I graduated from a university of applied sciences or a university of teacher education. What conditions must I meet in order to apply for project funding?

    At least three years of research work as the main source of income since obtaining a higher education degree is generally regarded as equivalent to a doctorate, and a further four years of additional research experience is required after that. If you have obtained an independent research post before the end of the four-year period (e.g. as an assistant professor or group leader), you can submit an application for project funding as of that date.

    What is the difference between an applicant and a project partner?

    As the applicant, you are academically and administratively responsible for the application submitted and the funding awarded and you make a substantial contribution to the project. You were the originator of the research idea and research plan, and you are entitled to list your contribution as your own achievement on your CV. You are also responsible for the progress of the project and for the staff employed, as well as for the results and output. Project partners make an important contribution to the research project. However, they are not academically or administratively responsible for the research application or project, and are therefore not entitled to declare the contribution to the project as their own achievement.

    Can I have other applicants in my project?

    Several applicants are of course possible if the project objectives so require. All applicants bear equal responsibility for the project and make a substantial contribution. The status of project partner is intended for cases in which there is collaboration without project responsibility.

    What is a project partner?

    A project partner makes a smaller contribution to a research project. He or she is not the guiding spirit and has no responsibility for the progress of the project. Project partners can be researchers in the academic discipline or individuals from the public or non-profit sector in Switzerland or abroad. They may benefit from the project funds, but may not be employed on the project. Project partners from abroad as well as project partners from universities are admitted as they do not have to fulfil the eligibility criteria.

    What sort of costs are eligible?

    Generally speaking, the following costs are eligible: costs for staff, social security contributions, equipment and materials, use of infrastructure, open access publications, conferences and workshops, collaboration, career measures and gender equality measures. Costs must be justified.

    Which of the project partners’ costs are eligible?

    Project partners’ costs are eligible to the extent of their contribution to the research project and in accordance with the rules of the SNSF. By contrast, salaries of project partners are not eligible. The costs for services provided by project partners and subcontractors generally account for a maximum of 20% of the grant.

    Can I apply for supplementary measures such as mobility grants in projects, the flexibility grant, media training and the gender equality grant?

    Yes. The same conditions apply as for project funding.

    If my application in the first call was declined, can I participate in the second call “Projects on Health Research and Wellbeing”?

    Yes. Re-submitted applications are accepted.

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