the snsf in 2009 1 - startseite - snf · 2013. 11. 7. · 12 annual report 2009 | swiss national...

1 The SNSF in 2009

2 Annual Report 2009 | Swiss National Science Foundation

Annual Report 2009

The Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF) is the principal Swiss agency promoting scientific research. On behalf of the Swiss Federal government, it supports research projects in all disciplines, from philosophy and biology, to the nanosciences and medicine.

4 Annual Report 2009 | Swiss National Science Foundation 5 The SNSF in 2009

methods. Explorers should prepare themselves as best they

can for their journey into the unknown. Nonetheless, it is in-

evitable that they may sometimes return without tangible

results. Would it therefore be better to restrict ourselves to

only surveying?

Without explorers, people are limited to the knowledge

they already have. Potential knowledge is infinite: at least that

is what our experience tells us. A successful research strat-

egy must aim for the correct combination of craftsmanship, a

feel for relevant issues, and the ability and courage to cross

boundaries. Travelling into the unknown is risky. Discover-

ies may call previous knowledge into question and confront

us with new ethical problems.

Relinquishing the pushing of boundaries would signify

the end of innovative creation. Although the path to know-

ledge is fraught with obstacles, there is no alternative route

for human curiosity. It is the responsibility of society to give

research the ethical framework in which to develop and it is

the responsibility of the SNSF to create the optimum condi-

tions for researchers within this framework. With this in

mind, the SNSF has drawn up its Multi-Year Programme for

the period 2012 – 2016 (see p. 20).

Ladies and gentlemen

The Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF) is consis-

tently confronted with the challenge of supporting more

“useful” research while the success of that research is meas-

ured by its direct economic value. Are we doing something

wrong?

Our statutes of incorporation state, “The SNSF funds

scientific research in Switzerland”. In addition, Article 2

stipulates, “The SNSF is guided mainly by scientific quality

criteria when allocating funds. It also considers the strate-

gic significance of research projects…”

“Abandoning research into the unknown would signify the end of innovation.”

But what do “quality” and “strategy” mean in terms of re-

search? Let us consider the earth in the days when it had

not been explored in as much detail as today. An army of

surveyors set out over vast areas, mapping out the land

which was known. At the same time, explorers crossed

oceans and navigated great rivers to the interior of unchar-

tered continents, often with no real idea of what they might

discover.

Research needs both, surveyors and explorers: a large

part of high-quality research involves extending and deep-

ening knowledge within established areas, i.e. more detailed

surveying in familiar territory. Surveyors should develop

and use the most efficient and modern instruments and

Foreword

Research: surveying the land or voyage of discovery?

Hans Ulrich Stöckling Dieter Imboden Daniel Höchli

From left to right:Dieter Imboden, President of the National Research CouncilDaniel Höchli, Director of the Administrative OfficesHans Ulrich Stöckling, President of the Foundation Council


5 Foreword

10 Demand increasing significantly

14 Knowledge and technology transfer

18 Focus on medical research

19 The first year with overhead funding

20 Multi-Year Programme 2012–2016

22 Dealing with scientific misconduct

24 Important events 2009

28 Research Funding in numbers

29 Funding in overview

34 Project Funding

41 Individual Funding

42 International Co-operation and Networking

44 National Research Programmes

45 National Centres of Competence in Research

46 Bodies of the Swiss National Science Foundation

56 Annual statement 2009

58 Abbreviations and glossary

60 Legal information

61 Some goals for 2010

Table of Contents

StatisticsThe SNSF in 2009 Bodies and Annual statement

The Swiss National Science Foundation …

… funds scientific research in Switzerland

_ Increasing demand (p. 10):

new record for applications submitted

_ Indirect research costs (p. 19):

the first year with overheads

_ Scientific misconduct (p. 22):

sanctions send clear signals

_ Statistics (p. 28 ff): statistics on research funding

_ International co-operation increasingly important (p. 12, p. 42)

_ Knowledge and technology transfer (p. 14):

research and practice moving closer together

_ Medical research (p. 18):

a funding priority of SNSF

_ Multi-Year Programme 2012-2016 (p. 20):

attracting young talent into research

_ Statistics (p. 41):

statistics about funding a career in research

… promotes the international competitive-ness of scientific research as well as the capacity for networking and problem solving

… pays particular attention to funding young scientists

Annual Report 2009 | Swiss National Science Foundation

Hydrology

Underground oil barrier

The Neu-Bois motorway tunnel passes just 50 metres above the underground river of Milandre Cave in the Jura Mountains; a proximity which poses the risk of contamination of the drink-ing water from this underground source. For this reason, hydrologists Pierre-Yves Jeannin (left) and Rémy Wenger from the Swiss Institute of Speleology and Karstology in La Chaux-de-Fonds, test the water quality regularly. In addition they have installed an oil barrier with a unique emergency alarm system, the only one of its kind in the world. Groundwater provides around 80 per cent of total drinking water in Switzerland. For the researchers, it is clear that the sus-tainable management of the resource requires innovative developments, as well as close co-operation with local actors, in this case the Engineering Department of Jura Canton and the Federal Roads Office. The research carried out in Milandre Cave is part of the National Research Programme “Sustainable Water Management” launched by the SNSF in 2009. > www.isska.ch


>

The funding of investigator-driven research is a core function of the SNSF.

In 2009, this was again the area in which researchers made the most ap-

plications.

Steep rise in project fundingSince 2007, a steady increase in the number of applications submitted for

project funding has been observed each year. In 2009, 2,383 applications

requesting a total of 977 million Swiss francs were submitted. This rep-

resents an increase of 5 per cent in the number of applications and 20 per

cent in the monetary amount requested in comparison with the previous

year. Part of the increase, particularly in the monetary amount, can be at-

tributed to the new programme, Sinergia, which the SNSF has been using

since 2008 to support research networks. In 2009, 39 Sinergia applications

were submitted, requesting a total of 49 million Swiss francs. Research-

ers also made substantially more applications (145) than in the previous

year (132) to the DORE programme, which is used by the SNSF to finance

competitive research in humanities and social sciences in Universities

of Applied Sciences and Universities of Teacher Education. A significant

rise was also recorded in standard project applications, particularly in the

fields of medicine, psychology, economics and engineering. The R’Equip

programme, which is used for partial funding of research equipment,

also received many more applications.

Great demand for funding of individual scientistsSince the launch of the Ambizione programme in 2008, the SNSF has

been offering funding for young researchers at all career stages. In 2009,

there was a huge response to this offer. Prospective researchers submit-

ted 127 more grant applications to the university research committees for

university research than in the previous year. The level of applications

for grants for advanced researchers remained the same as in the pre-

vious year. With 146 candidates compared to 89 during the first call for

Project funding figures for 2009

CHF 977 millionAmount requested

CHF 443 millionAmount approved

Total amount requested Total amount approved

Project funding: amounts requested and approved

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

800

900

1,000

2009200820072006200520042003200220012000

20011,736

Applications

20021,762

Applications

20031,885

Applications

20031,998

Applications

20041,945

Applications

20052,048

Applications

20062,105

Applications

20082,273

Applications

20092,383

Applications

Demand increasing significantly

Continued increase in applications by researchers

Project funding figures for 2009

2,383Applications submitted

1,453Applications approved

61 %Success rate

-8 %Change in success rate 2008–2009

In 2009, significantly more applications were submitted by researchers to the SNSF than in the previous year: the monetary amounts involved increased to an even greater extent. As a result the benchmark determining a successful application was also raised. The increase related largely to project funding, but also to the funding of individual scientists and international co-operation.


The staff of the SNSF’s administrative offices manage applications from researchers throughout the evalua-tion process and the funding period. Since the year 2000, the number of applications for project funding has risen by 30 per cent to 2,383. There has been a corresponding rise in the number of experts required to carry out the scientific evaluations. In 2009, such evaluations were requested from over 14,500 research-ers in more than 50 countries.

ApprovedgrantsandpublicationsThe SNSF provides a catalogue of all publications which were published in 2009 by various publishers, with the support of the SNSF. This is available at www.snsf.ch > About us > Publications

A summary of all applications ap-proved in 2009 for research and publi-cation grants, and funding for individ-ual scientists as well as international co-operation can be viewed at www.snsf.ch > About us > Facts & figures > Approved Funding

Evaluationofthefellowship

programmeEach year the SNSF awards about 500 fellowships totalling more than 30 million Swiss francs to talented young scientists to enable them to spend time abroad to conduct their research. A study has been commissioned to evaluate the impact of the fellowship programme. Of particular interest is the degree to which the programme contributes to the funding of young scientists and academics in Switzer-land. The design, organisation and attractiveness of the programme are also evaluated. The study was the subject of a public tendering process, and in June 2009, the SNSF awarded the contract to the group led by Prof J.-Ph. Leresche (Uni-versity of Lausanne). The results are expected in the first half of 2010.

SHARE:qualityoflifeinoldageSince 2009, the SNSF has been in-volved in a major project in the social sciences: looking at how people in European countries age. SHARE is a survey about health, ageing and retire-ment. A Europe-wide interdisciplinary panel is compiling a data set of per-sons aged 50 and over. Researchers from over 15 countries and a variety of disciplines are examining how peo-ple cope with significant events in their lives, such as retirement or the loss of a spouse, and how such events impact on the quality of life of older people.

Inbriefapplications in 2008, demand for Ambizione funding rose very steeply.

This can be attributed to increasing awareness of the programme. More

candidates applied for SNSF professorships than in 2008, some of these

(31) being entries for the recently launched clinical professorships. The

Marie Heim-Vögtlin Programme for funding women in research also saw

strong growth, of 26 per cent.

International co-operation increasingly importantIn most projects funded by SNSF, the applicants co-operate informally

with researchers in other countries. However, the SNSF also offers pro-

grammes to fund formal and/or institution-based international co-oper-

ation, which in 2009, were systematically adapted to meet the needs of re-

searchers and were also in greater demand. For example, 234 applications

were received under the SCOPES programme for cooperation with East-

ern European partners. Furthermore, a greater number of researchers

benefited from the Lead Agency procedure launched by SNSF together

with the “Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft – DFG” (German Research

Foundation) and the “Fonds zur Förderung der wissenschaftlichen For-

schung – FWF” (Austrian Science Fund). Under this procedure, cross-

border projects are assessed by just one institution, the Lead Agency.

Assessment in full swingDespite the increasing number of applications, the SNSF does not want

to compromise on the quality of assessment. The increase means in the

first instance, that the National Research Council, whose membership is

limited to 100, has a greater workload, and in the second, that a consider-

ably larger number of external experts are required to write reports on

SNSF applications. The latter is not easily achieved given the already heav-

ily burdened international expert market. The SNSF therefore intends to

make its assessment system more flexible and more efficient. To this end,

it launched some promising pilot projects in 2009.

Consequences and prospectsThe increased demand for SNSF funding is gratifying, since it demon-

strates that Switzerland is a dynamic centre for research. One of the con-

sequences of high demand however, is increased competition. The finan-

cial approval quota (ratio of total approved/total requested) fell from 55

per cent to 45 per cent compared to the previous year, because the growth

of the SNSF’s budget was significantly lower than the rise in demand for

funding. Because the SNSF had set itself the target in the current multi-

year period of increasing or at least holding the “spending level” (average

approved amount per project and year), the average success rate for

project funding fell for the first time since 2003, from 69 per cent in 2008

to 61 per cent in 2009. The figures for applications received in October

2009 and in March 2010 indicate that the benchmark for the selection of

projects in the future will be even stronger. <

>


Research launched in new programmes

The first projects for two new National Research

Programmes (NRP) were approved in 2009:

the NRP “Sustainable Water Management” is

about scientific principles and methods for the

sensible management of water resources in

Switzerland and the NRP “Smart Materials” is

about developing materials with new properties

and intelligent material combinations. Calls have

been issued for a further four programmes:

“Gender Equality”, “Stem Cells and Regenerative

Medicine”, “Opportunities and Risks of Nano-

materials” and “New Urban Quality”. The first

projects will be approved in 2010.

At the end of 2008, 54 proposals were received

following calls for new NRPs. After the initial round

of assessments, 28 applications were submitted

in autumn 2009. These were scrutinised inten-

sively by international selection committees.

Based on the recommendations of the committees,

the Research Council sent to the State Secretariat

for Education and Research (SER) a list of ten

projects that it can unreservedly recommend. The

resources available are sufficient for six or seven

new NRPs.

The recently begun National Research Programme “Sustainable Water Management” (NRP 61) will work out scientific principles and methods for sustainable manage-ment of Switzerland’s water resources.

Technology transfer in the NCCRsSummary report after eight years

580Joint projects with business

304Prototype developments

286Patents and licences

67CTI projects

46Company start-ups

Materials”, which began its work in 2009. Three years pre-

viously, new ground had been broken with the disserta-

tions, aimed at practical application, which were jointly

financed by the SNSF and CTI under the NRP “Supra-

molecular Functional Materials”.

Knowledge transfer through peopleBesides the above mentioned activities of the National

Research Programme and National Centres of Compe-

tence in Research, the funding of projects and individual

scientists should not go unmentioned. Many application

oriented projects are based on the findings from years of

basic research work in these sectors. Knowledge and tech-

nology transfer (KTT) through people also plays a key

role. The majority of the funds which the SNSF invests

in projects and grants is used to train young researchers.

The private sector is eager to take on these employees

familiar with the latest knowledge and methods. <

Knowledge and technology transfer

Research and practice moving closer togetherIn recent years, SNSF has stepped up its efforts to implement the results of research, for example through more intensive co-operation with the Swiss Innovation Pro- motion Agency (CTI). There is already a long tradition of knowledge and technology transfer (KTT) in National Research Programmes and National Centres of Competence in Research.

The SNSF intends to pay greater attention to knowledge and

technology transfer in the future. In 2009, a working group

examined at length the issue of “research and its benefits”

while engaging in preliminary work on the Multi-Year Pro-

gramme. The SNSF held a KTT conference which brought to-

gether key players and undertook a review of current activ-

ities and future needs.

KTT as a criterion of successThis is not a new issue for the SNSF. The fostering of know-

ledge and technology transfer has always been a central con-

cern of the National Research Programmes (NRP) and Na-

tional Centres of Competence in Research (NCCR). The ap-

plication of research results in practice has long been an

important criterion for assessing success in National Re-

search Programmes. With measures such as the appointment

of implementation officers and more intensive monitoring of

the outputs of research projects beyond the pure acquisition

of knowledge, increasing weight has been accorded to trans-

fer activities over the last few years.

Even at National Centres of Competence in Research

whose main activities are in the area of basic research, KTT

is an integral component of the objectives set. The figures in

the first summary report after eight years, documented con-

siderable successes (see figures). The NCCRs were then in-

volved in the Federation’s package of economic stabilisation

measures, which the Federal Council and Parliament estab-

lished to combat the economic crisis (see below).

Forging links between the SNSF and CTIIn recent years the SNSF has also increased co-ordination

with the Swiss Innovation Promotion Agency (CTI). Such

co-operation is intended to optimise the links between fund-

ing for research and funding for innovation, and to close

gaps in the value chain between research and development,

on the one hand, and market-based implementation, on the

other. It has long been the norm for findings from SNSF

projects to be developed further in CTI projects with a view

to practical application. What is new, however, is the im-

plementation of joint programmes such as the NRP “Smart

UsingtechnologytransfertotacklethefinancialcrisisDue to the successful technology transfer work of the National

Centres of Competence in Research (NCCRs), Parliament prom-

ised the SNSF ten million Swiss francs as part of its economic

stabilisation measures. Thanks to these resources, the SNSF

approved 28 two-year technology transfer projects from nine

different NCCRs in autumn, 2009. The projects were selected

in the hopes that they will provide a short- and medium-

term boost to the economy. Most projects involve develop-

ing equipment, systems or methods positioned at the inter-

face between basic research and practical application, e.g. in

surgery, medical diagnostics or environmental monitoring.

Annual Report 2009 | Swiss National Science Foundation The SNSF in 2009

Medical research

Visualising brain activity

Epilepsy is a common brain disorder which affects nearly 1 per cent of the population, particularly young adults, children and infants. To help improve understanding and treatment of the illness, Margitta Seeck and her team from University Hospitals Geneva are using non-invasive methods to analyse electrical activity in different regions of the human brain. Their aim is the development and application of imaging techniques which will visual-ise both abnormal and normal brain activity. The results of the study could also be of relevance, for example in improving diagnosis or monitoring treatment results, for other chronic brain disorders such as autism and dementia. > http://epilepsie.hug-ge.ch/en/


Overhead figures

CHF 36.7 millionTotal overhead funding for 2009

7.3 %Overhead percentage for 2009

54Institutions entitled to overhead funding in 2009

Indirect research costs

The first year with overhead funding

From 2009, the Federal Councils will annually provide for overhead contributions to subsidise a portion of the indirect research costs incurred by research institutions conducting SNSF-financed projects. In autumn 2009, the SNSF provided funding for overhead costs for the first time.

The funding of overhead costs by the

SNSF introduced a practice to Switzer-

land, which has long been used in other

countries: the offsetting of indirect re-

search costs which research institutions

incur in securing competitively allocat-

ed funding resources.

Calculation of overhead fundingIn addition to its funding resources, the

Federation now allocates to the Swiss

National Science Foundation (SNSF)

a fixed amount for overhead funding.

The allocation and calculation of the

overhead funding is based on the Fed-

eral regulations and the SNSF overhead

regulations. These define what instru-

ments of the SNSF trigger overheads

and what criteria research institutions

must meet to obtain overhead funding.

The annual overhead amount corre-

sponds to a percentage of SNSF subsi-

dies which trigger overheads. Each in-

stitution approved for overhead fund-

ing receives this percentage of the

total of its SNSF funding of the previous

year as overhead.

The result for 2009In 2009, 36.7 million Swiss francs were

available for overhead. This is equiva-

lent to 7.3 per cent of the SNSF’s fund-

ing triggering overhead (about 500 mil-

lion Swiss francs). Around 67 per cent

of the overhead subsidies were paid to

cantonal universities, 25 per cent to the

Swiss Federal Institutes of Technolo-

gy, the remaining eight per cent to uni-

versities of applied sciences, colleges of

education and other research facilities

(see p. 31). The introductory year 2009,

is an exception in that it forms the ba-

sis for calculating overhead payments

for both 2009 and 2010 and in that the

overhead for 2009 was paid out in just

one instalment.

Overhead funding in coming yearsOverhead support will be increased an-

nually until the end of the multi-year

period 2008 – 2011, but will not reach

the statutory upper limit of 20 per cent

of funding triggering overheads. The

basis of calculation will be the previ-

ous year in each case with the amounts

to be paid in instalments in spring and

autumn. <

Whatdoes“overheadfunding”mean?Overheads are used for partial offsetting of indirect research costs

incurred by projects financed by the SNSF. They are paid directly to

the institutions subsidised by the Federation or cantons, where SNSF

funded research is conducted.

Focus of funding

Focus on medical research

Successful medical research requires specialised infrastructure and research networks. In 2009, with the launch of the special programme for university medicine and its contribution to the founding of the Swiss Clinical Trial Organisation, the SNSF made a commitment to promoting medical research.

For the last four years, the SNSF has

been supporting the establishment of

infrastructure for medical research

through a series of initiatives. These

included cohort studies for recording

and analysing data on illnesses over

a long period. In 2009, the SNSF sup-

ported nine such studies with total

funding for the year totalling approx-

imately eleven million Swiss francs.

Specialised centres of competence

for clinical studies, Clinical Trial

Units (CTU), ensure that studies are

carried out to the highest internation-

al standards. In 2009, the SNSF sup-

ported a total of six CTUs at univer-

sity hospitals and the “Kantonspital

St. Gallen” with total funding for the

year of about two million Swiss francs.

Swiss Clinical Trial Organisation In order to achieve statistically sig-

nificant results, most clinical studies

have to be based on data for a large

number of patients, i.e. carried out

in parallel at several centres. In the

future, the Swiss-wide networking

of CTUs is to be guaranteed through

a central co-operation platform: the

Swiss Clinical Trial Organisation

(SCTO). The SCTO was founded in

August 2009 in co-operation with the

Swiss Academy of Medical Sciences

and is supported by the SNSF with

annual funding of half a million Swiss

francs.

Special Programme for University Medicine Through the Special Programme for

University Medicine (SPUM), the

SNSF supports ten translational re-

search networks, each shared by at

least three medical faculties, in the

areas of clinical neurosciences and

cardiovascular research. In August

2009, the SNSF convened the first an-

nual meeting of these networks, at

which guidelines for the future ex-

pansion and the strengthening of re-

search networks between basic re-

search and clinical practice were

drafted. <

ProspectIn the coming years, the SNSF wants to continue to extend its support

of medical research. The focus will be on the next generation of re-

searchers, networks, non-commercially oriented clinical studies and

the networking of data pools such as cohort studies and biobanks.


82 %Share of applications approved


18 %Share of applications approved


At the international level, one of the SNSF’s goals is to

establish simple procedures for cross-border projects

and to take part in more international projects for con-

sortia.

Priority on project funding In its financial planning, the SNSF continues to give a

clear priority to project funding. The instruments for

funding individual scientists will be continued at the

present level so as to provide better resources for the

National Centres of Competence in Research following a

phase of stagnating budgets. Its Multi-Year Programme

can be fully implemented only if the average annual

growth in the size of the Federal contribution for the pe-

riod 2008 – 2011 is maintained in the years 2012 – 2016.

In other words, the SNSF is convinced that education,

research and innovation should continue to enjoy the

highest political priority. <

Challenge: women still underrepresented Award of funds (project funding) by gender 2009

EvolvinginseveralstagesAll SNSF organs were involved in drawing up the Multi-Year

Programme. The most important challenges were identified at

a kick-off meeting in March, 2009. Various committees and

working groups then developed proposals for specific meas-

ures. Where necessary, these were agreed with partner organ-

isations (CRUS, Swiss Academies of Arts and Sciences,

CTI etc.) and discussed in-house, for example at the annual

retreat in November, 2009. Finally, the Foundation Council

adopted the programme on 5 February, 2010.

Multi-Year Programme 2012–2016

Attracting young talent into researchImproving the attractiveness of Switzerland as a centre of research for the next generation, adequately funding various categories of research, presenting a better image of the diverse benefits of research, and improving communication with the public at large: these are some of the priorities the SNSF has set for the coming years.

In 2009, the SNSF invested a great deal of time and en-

ergy in planning its future. Until early 2010, it was, on

behalf of the Confederation, developing its multi-year

plan for 2012 – 2016. This contains the SNSF’s proposals

for the Federal Council’s next dispatches on the promo-

tion of education, research and innovation.

Challenges in the coming yearsThe ultimate aim of SNSF is to strengthen research in

Switzerland in order to secure its leading international

position for the long term. Its task consists essentially in

optimising the environment for researchers and in con-

tributing to their international competitiveness. Specific

challenges facing the SNSF in the coming years include:

> using its funding to create more attractive condi-

tions for young researchers, and particularly for

young women;

> offering suitable funding opportunities for basic

research oriented toward practical applications;

> providing support through its funding instruments,

for individual researchers, teams of researchers

and national and international consortia, according

to their needs;

> communicating the significance of research and its

results more effectively;

> reflecting changes in demand for funding resources

by continuously reviewing its funding priorities.

Broad package of measuresIn its Multi-Year Programme, the SNSF is setting out a

series of new measures to help it meet these and other

challenges. For example, as part of its funding of young

scientists, the SNSF wants to improve the compatibil-

ity of pursuing a research career with having a family,

in order to raise the proportion of women in research,

which is clearly still too low. In order to reduce barri-

ers to mobility, researchers with caregiver responsi-

bilities will, after a two-year foreign grant, receive a

third year for returning to Switzerland. There are also

plans to offset the costs of gender equality measures

tailored to specific needs in each project.

Applications with practical and application-orient-

ed components will in the future be given a special

label so that these elements can be considered during

assessment and the projects can be examined sep-

arately. Alongside existing criteria for scientific excel-

lence, the SNSF will lay down “broader impact” criteria

for applications with this label. The specialist sectors

now funded under the DORE (DO REsearch) special

programme will be supported in this way from 2012

onwards.

Medical research is among the priorities of the

SNSF. Measures here range from the temporary release

of clinicians for research, to the support of longitudinal

studies and incentives for the networking of biobanks. >


must be instilled at university before

researchers reach the stage of submit-

ting applications to the SNSF.

If there is a suspicion of scientific miscon-

duct, when are the universities responsib-

le and when is the SNSF responsible?

The SNSF is responsible if the scientific

misconduct is closely linked to its fund-

ing activity, for example, if it takes place

during the application procedure or in

the drafting of a final report. Other-

wise, misconduct and any related pro-

cedures are primarily the responsibil-

ity of the research institution or the uni-

versity at which the alleged misconduct

took place.

What can the scientific community do so

that the public’s trust in research does not

suffer any lasting damage when serious

cases of scientific misconduct become

known to the public at large?

It is important that the existing regula-

tions are applied consistently and that

the persons involved are not spared

in any way. The disciplinary mecha-

nism within the scientific community

must act to make this clear. The mis-

conduct of an individual is not a seri-

ous problem for the scientific commu-

nity as a whole; it only becomes one if

the offender is not punished. In serious

cases, the punishment should be made

public, to illustrate that the system is

working and can be trusted. An indi-

vidual’s rights to privacy must, how-

ever, always be respected. <

ProfileAstrid Epiney is Vice Chancellor and teaches European Law, International Law

and Swiss Public Law at the University of Fribourg. A lawyer, she is Director of

the Institute for European Law and Vice President of Division IV of the National

Research Council of SNSF. From 2005 to 2008, she presided over the working

group on scientific misconduct set up by the National Research Council.

RoadmapforresearchinfrastructureThe SNSF set out its position on the interim report “Roadmap for research infrastructures in Switzerland” which was drawn up by a working group on behalf of the State Secretariat for Edu-cation and Research (SER). This road-map is for use by the Federal Council and Parliament as a basis for financial decisions to be made within the next dispatch on education, research and innovation. In its position statement, the SNSF acknowledged the potential of infrastructures as a basis for scien-tific breakthroughs and pioneering research projects.

SwitzerlandsuccessfulinBrusselsThe European Research Council (ERC) funds top researchers working in Europe and enables them to compete at the highest international level. This is particularly important for a small country like Switzerland.Switzerland's success rate is far above the European average. In 2008, it stood at 29 per cent for advanced grants (European average: 13 per cent) and, in 2009, at 28 per cent for starting grants (European average: 10 per cent). The number of grant recipients is also an indication of the very good performance of researchers in Switzerland (thus far, 32 of 536 starting grants and 28 of 275 advanced grants). This success can largely be attributed to the attractiveness of Switzerland as a centre for research, which also draws many excellent researchers from abroad. It is important that in the future, these locational advantages be maintained and our own young scientists supported.

Inbrief

“We need clear rules, so that a person under suspicion can be treated fairly.”

easy to detect, to the refined reword-

ing of stolen ideas. I believe, however,

that genuinely good researchers have

no need to engage in misconduct and

that the cases uncovered at the SNSF in

no way represent the tip of an iceberg.

In February 2009, the SNSF issued a rul-

ing on dealing with scientific misconduct.

In your view, has it done enough in this

area?

This ruling provides in the fist instance

an important legal basis. We need clear

rules, so that a person under suspicion

can be treated fairly. There is also a

need to raise people’s awareness of the

problem, something which our Presi-

dent of the National Research Council,

for example, supports very actively. In

my view, the SNSF has taken the right

stance. Correct scientific behaviour is

also a question of education and this

Dealing with scientific misconduct

Consistent sanctions send clear signals

In the past year, the SNSF temporarily

excluded two researchers from applica-

tion delivery for plagiarism. Can such

sanctions deter other researchers from

misconduct?

They can at least help to do so. If pla-

giarism or the like is discovered in the

work of researchers and they are disci-

plined, their scientific reputations may

be called into question. Even though

the procedure in the SNSF is, of course,

handled confidentially, research col-

leagues could find out about it through

other means or channels. This of course,

would be very unpleasant for the person

concerned. The prevention of miscon-

duct, however, requires raising aware-

ness of the importance of correct scien-

tific behaviour. Here, too, consistent

sanctions can send clear signals.

What might cause a researcher to break

the rules of good scientific practice?

On the one hand, there has clearly been

a tangible rise in competitive pressure.

Today, you have not only to be a good re-

searcher, but must also attract external

resources, write applications and pub-

lish as frequently as possible in peer-

reviewed journals. Achieving all of this

simultaneously places high demands

on researchers, and sometimes there is

simply not enough time. This may cer-

tainly encourage some to break the rules

of scientific conduct. On the other hand,

researchers who are not sufficiently fa-

miliar with the rules may also engage

in misconduct through sheer ignorance.

Finally, there are unprincipled people

in science, as in society in general, who

do all they can to advance their careers,

including violating ethical principles.

“Genuinely good researchers have no need to engage in misconduct.”

How badly is the SNSF actually affected

by the problem of scientific misconduct?

Only one hand is needed to count the

number of actual cases at the SNSF.

While it does not seem to be a ma-

jor problem, there are probably cas-

es which go unreported. In addition,

there are degrees of scientific miscon-

duct, from blatant plagiarism which is


24 FebruaryThe National Research Programme

(NRP) on “Right-wing extremism –

causes and countermeasures” pre-

sented its final conclusions to repre-

sentatives from the media. In October,

the NRP on “Musculoskeletal Health –

Chronic Pain” concluded in Berne with

a media conference and a meeting with

stakeholders.

22 – 24 April The two umbrella associations of the

European research funding organisa-

tions met in Berne on the margins of

their biannual meetings. EUROHORCs

is an informal strategic platform of 45

sister organisations. The European Sci-

ence Foundation (ESF) is concerned

with practical aspects of research fund-

ing. The SNSF is an active member of

both organisations. Dieter Imboden, the

President of SNSF’s National Research

Council is also the current chair of the

EUROHORCs board (2009 – 2011).

14 May Concluding with its information events

in Lugano and Lucerne (3 December

2009), the SNSF has now held a Re-

search Day at all universities and at

both institutes of technology. As a re-

sult of the positive feedback, the SNSF

is starting a new round in 2010.

8 –12 June On its USA trip, a delegation of the

SNSF held discussions in Washington

DC with research organisations such as

the National Science Foundation (NSF),

National Institutes of Health (NIH) and

American Association for the Advance-

ment of Science (AAAS) about current

developments and opportunities for co-

operation. The Swissnex offices in Bos-

ton and San Francisco, also organised

meetings with key local players and

SNSF fellowship holders.

5 and 17 JuneThe SNSF organised two national work-

shops – “Investigator-driven Clinical

Research” and “Biobanks” – to discuss

specific needs and concerns of the re-

search community.

24 JuneAt a meeting of experts in Brussels,

SwissCore, the implementing office of

the SNSF in Brussels, and economie-

suisse presented the Swiss and EU in-

novation strategies.

3 SeptemberOn behalf of the Geneva-based Latsis

Foundation, the SNSF awarded the 2009

National Latsis Prize to Doctor Mir-

jam Christ-Crain. The prize, which is

worth 100,000 Swiss francs, was award-

ed for her research into stress hormones

which in cases of pneumonia or stroke

provide early indications of the pro-

gression of the illness.

26 OctoberThe Swiss Science Briefing in Brussels,

which is organised annually by Swiss-

Core and the Swiss Mission to the EU, fo-

cussed on the topics “European Research

Area” and “Lead Agency Procedure”.

5 NovemberThe members of the Commission of the

National Council for Science, Education

and Culture (CSEC) held direct discus-

sions in Lausanne with researchers and

partners of National Centres of Compe-

tence in Research (NCCRs) about the

results and benefits of their research.

10 and 11 NovemberThe annual retreat (“Séance de réflex-

ion”) was dedicated to the Multi-Year

Programme 2012 – 2016. There were in-

tensive discussions both with the Na-

tional Research Council and with rep-

resentatives of the Foundation Council

and the Administrative offices on the

future strategic alignment of the SNSF.

A private opening of an exhibition by

the artist Pierre-Philippe Freymond

entitled “What about Art and Science?”

followed the event.

25 November A meeting of the SNSF, CTI and swiTT

(Swiss Technology Transfer Associa-

tion) dealt with questions about know-

ledge and technology transfer. Moti-

vated partners, a clear framework of

regulatory conditions and mutual trust

have proven to be success factors. The

increasing numbers of examples of co-

operation between SNSF and CTI were

welcomed.

29 June

SNSF awards first MHV prize SNSF awarded the first ever Marie Heim-Vögtlin prize

to oncologist Viviane Hess from the University Hospital

in Basel. She has been conducting research into how the

effectiveness of treatments for pancreatic cancer could

be improved.

In memory of the first Swiss female doctor, Marie

Heim-Vögtlin, the SNSF established the MHV Pro-

gramme in 1991 to award subsidies to women who have

had to interrupt or reduce their research activity because

of having to care for their children. To raise the profile

of the MHV programme and the gender equality mea-

sures, the SNSF is for the first time awarding the MHV

prize, worth 25,000 Swiss francs. This will be given to

MHV grant recipients who have demonstrated outstand-

ing scientific achievement during their funded research.

Events and activities

Important events 2009

1 December

SCIENCEsuisse SNSF opened the travelling exhibition SCIENCEsuisse

with a private view at Berne’s Käfigturm, the political

forum of the Swiss Confederation. The exhibition offers

an overview of Switzerland as a centre for research and

shows what top-level research is currently focused on.

Subjects covered ranged from juvenile violence to cli-

mate studies and from genetics and neuroscience to his-

tory. SCIENCEsuisse portrayed through sound and im-

ages, 25 outstanding researchers who through their work

have made a name for themselves internationally.

To further the dialogue between science and society,

the SNSF will organise an objective and constructive de-

bate on the necessity for animal testing, involving indi-

viduals engaged in the fields of politics and research, and

working in this area.


Football and violence

How militant football fans see things

The militant football fan scene in Switzerland is dominated by the “ultras” – this is the conclusion reached by Thomas Busset, from the University of Neuchâtel’s International Centre for Sports Studies (CIES). He studied the fan culture in Swiss foot-ball as part of the National Research Programme “Right-wing Extremism”, which was completed in 2009. As a general rule, “ultras” are young, well-integrated Swiss citizens, for whom the most important thing is identifying unconditionally with their club and their town. They stress that for them, violence is not an end in itself, but is exercised only when they feel provoked. In comparison with the 1990s, racist and extreme right-wing views are now on the decline in foot-ball stadiums, and the ultras show little interest in the national team.

29 Statistics 2009 | Overview

The distribution between the scientific areas has changed slightly in comparison with the

previous year. Since in 2009 only very limited funds were available for the Special Pro-

gramme University Medicine (SPUM) and the Patient-oriented Clinical Research (PaKliF) in

comparison with 2008, the “Biology and Medicine” portion of the approved funds has been

reduced by 4 per cent.

2009 – Research Funding in numbers

1.1 Funding by science area Amounts in millions CHF

1. Funding in overview

Distribution of the approved amounts

Humanities and Social Sciences

Mathematics, Natural and Engineering Sciences

Biology and Medicine

In 2009 the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF) granted funding to the total value of 707 million Swiss francs, 6 % more than in 2008 (663 million francs). This financing was used to support around 2,900 research undertakings.

The statistics include the applications handled and approved during the financial year and contributions paid out in 2009 in the area of

National Centres of Competence in Research. Additional contributions are not treated as separate applications, but are contained in the approved amounts.

The data in the statistical part of the annual report are not comparable with the figures in the annual statement.

Full version of the statistics: www.snsf.ch > About us > Facts & Figures > Statistics

Approved amount

Humanities and Social Sciences 172.6

Mathematics, Natural and Engineering Sciences 262.8

Biology and Medicine 271.4

Unassignable 0.3

Total 707.1

Women | Men

38%

37%

25%29 %

11%

17 %

18 %

71 %

89 %

83 %

82 %

28 Statistics 2009 | Table of contents

Table of Contents

1. Funding in overview 29

1.1 Funding by science area 29

1.2 Funding by type of funding 30

1.3 Funding by institution and science area 31

1.4 Use of the approved amounts 32

1.5 Personnel in research projects 32

1.6 Success rates 33

2. Project Funding 34

2.1 Funding by science area 34

2.2 Funding by group of disciplines 35

2.3 Interdisciplinary Research and Sinergia 38

2.4 Grants, rejections and reductions 39

2.5 Applications and grants since the year 2000 40

2.6 Requested and approved amounts since the year 2000 40

3. Individual Funding 41

3.1 Funding by funding instrument 41

4. International Co-operation and Networking 42

4.1 Funding by funding instrument 42

4.2 International networking in Project Funding 43

4.3 Host countries with fellowship recipients 43

5. National Research Programmes (NRP) 44

5.1 NRPs in overview 44

6. National Centres of Competence in Research (NCCR) 45

6.1 Current NCCRs in overview 45


1 If no application was presented by the respective institution, this is denoted by a dash. Amounts less than 0.05 million CHF are indicated with a zero.

2 Entitlement to overhead in accordance with overhead regulations3 Research institutes in the ETH Domain (EMPA, EAWAG, PSI, WSL)

Institution Humanities and Social Sciences

Mathematics, Natural and Engineering

Sciences


Unassign-able

Total in mio. CHF

Total in %

Over-head2

Total incl. overhead

Universities 130.5 119.8 204.5 454.8 64 % 25.2 480.0

Berne (BE) 18.5 23.5 24.3 66.3 9 % 3.9 70.2

Basel (BS) 21.5 21.2 40.4 83.1 12 % 4.7 87.8

Fribourg (FE) 8.0 8.8 9.0 25.8 4 % 1.2 27.0

Geneva (GE) 19.9 33.2 40.9 94.0 13 % 5.3 99.3

Lucerne (LU) 4.3 – – 4.3 1 % 0.3 4.6

Lausanne (LS) 14.6 6.3 33.6 54.5 8 % 3.0 57.5

Neuchâtel (NE) 6.5 3.6 8.3 18.4 3 % 0.9 19.3

St. Gallen (SG) 5.3 0.2 0.0 5.5 1 % 0.2 5.7

Ticino (USI TI) 3.5 1.9 0.3 5.7 1 % 0.3 6.0

Zurich 28.4 21.1 47.7 97.2 14 % 5.4 102.6

ETH Domain 8.9 129.9 48.4 187.2 27 % 9.6 196.8

ETH Lausanne (LS) 1.2 46.6 16.3 64.1 9 % 3.3 67.4

ETH Zurich (ZH) 6.8 64.1 27.9 98.8 14 % 5.3 104.1

Research institutes3 0.9 19.2 4.2 24.3 4 % 1.0 25.3

Universities of applied sciences4 11.5 0.0 0.6 12.1 2 % 0.9 13.0

Various5 14.7 10.1 11.7 36.5 5 % 1.0 37.5

Unassignable6 7.0 3.0 6.2 0.3 16.5 2 % 0.0 16.5

Total 172.6 262.8 271.4 0.3 707.1 100 % 36.7 743.8

1.3 Funding by institution and science area Amounts in millions CHF

GE

Universities of applied sciences4

Research institutes3

Various5

GEGGGE

Other:

BE

BS

FR

NE

SG

LU

TI

LS

ZHETHUni

ETHUni

SS

Distribution of the approved amounts (incl. overhead)1

4 BFH, FHNW, FHO, HES-SO, HLU, SUPSI, ZFH, Kalaidos (incl. Universities of Teacher Education)

5 Research centres, museums, libraries, individuals, companies, non-profit- organisations, etc.

6 No institution and/or no discipline can be assigned (e.g. scholarships, annual contributions)


1.2 Funding by type of funding Amounts in millions CHF

Amount Number

Investigator-driven Research 620.0 2,613

Project Funding 441.9 1,287

Individual Funding 161.4 783

Scientific Conferences 1.1 166

Publication Grants 2.3 155

International Co-operation 13.4 222

Targeted Research 87.1 256

National Research Programmes (NRP) 17.2 46

National Centres of Competence in Research (NCCR) 69.9 210

Total 707.1 2,869

As in previous years, Project Funding was at the centre of the SNSF’s activity in 2009.

The proportion of Targeted Research (12.3 %) and Individual Funding (22.8 %) of the overall

approved amount increased slightly in comparison to 2008.


Project Funding

Individual Funding

Scientific Conferences, Publication Grants,

International Co-operation

National Research Programmes (NRP)

National Centres of Competence in Research

(NCCR)

23%

63%

2%2%

10%


Success rate1 Number of applications

submitted

Number of applications

approved

Approved amount

Total Women Men

Project Funding 58% 50% 60% 2,209 1,287 441.9

Individual Funding 57% 56% 57% 1,367 783 161.4

Scientific Conferences 95% 96% 95% 174 166 1.1

Publication Grants 86% 85% 86% 181 155 2.3

International Co-operation2 39% 34% 40% 274 108 11.0

National Research Programmes3 23% 21% 23% 207 48 –

National Centres of Competence in Research4 – – – – – –

1.6 Success rates Amounts in millions CHF

1 Ratio of the number applications approved to the number of applications submitted2 Comprises SCOPES and Research Partnerships North–South3 Relates only to the new series NRP 61, 62 and 63; 2-stage evaluation procedure4 No new NCCR in 2009

Success rates vary according to the type of funding. Since 2008 the SNSF carries out an annual

gender monitoring, which investigates the success rates of both sexes.

It should be noted, that the success rates of the Project and Individual Funding contain both new

applications and applications for continuation.


1.4 Use of the approved amounts

As in previous years, the approved funds were used by the researchers mainly for the cost

of personnel, whether for the financing of individual salaries/scholarships in the context of

funding for individuals or for the appointment of personnel in research projects.

Total amount: 707.1 million CHF

Salaries and scholarships

(incl. social security contributions)

Materials of lasting value

Consumables

Other (travel and field expenses)

1.5 Personnel in research projects

Around 5,000 persons were employed in research projects in 2009. In addition, over 800 were sup-

ported in the context of Individual Funding and 1,400 were employed through the National Research

Programmes and Centres of Competence in Research.

1 Scientific personnel and Post-docs

Funding for research projects primarily benefits the promotion of young scientists in

Switzerland. Thus 79 % of the collaborators are 35 years or younger (96 % in the case of

personnel at doctoral level, 57 % for other scientists).

Total

Scientists1 33 %

Personnel at doctoral level 52 %

Technicians, support staff 15 %

Total 100 %

Women | Men

44 %

63 %

39 %

44 % 56 %

61 %

37 %

56 %

6%

77 %

9%

8%

35 Statistics 2009 | Project Funding

2.2 Funding by group of disciplines Amounts in millions CHF

Number Amount

Philosophy, Psychology, Educational Science and Religious Science 114 19.0

Legal and Social Sciences, Economics 111 25.7

History 51 8.0

Archaeology, Ethnology, Visual Arts and Social Urban Science 45 9.3

Linguistics and Literature 50 7.1

Fields for Universities of Applied Sciences (incl. DORE) 80 9.0

Total1 451 78.1

Division I: Humanities and Social Sciences

1 Special funding is included:

DORE (76 grants; 8.6 million CHF), Research Infrastructure (9 grants; 10.6 million CHF), R’Equip (1 grant; 0.1 million CHF), Scientific Conferences (119 grants; 0.8 million CHF), Summer Schools (115 grants; 0.3 million CHF)

In 2009, the lion’s share of the project contributions (33 per cent) went to the broad

group of disciplines, legal and social sciences and economics. An important emphasis in

the assessment of applications lay in the evaluation and the long-term support of large

research infrastructures. These include mainly social sciences undertakings, which are

newly impacted by an overall European-promoted accumulation of data related to the issue

of the ageing population (see p. 13).

Subdivision of the approved amounts

Philosophy, Psychology, Educational Science

and Religious Science

Legal and Social Sciences, Economics

History

Archaeology, Ethnology, Visual Arts and Social

Urban Science

Linguistics and Literature

Fields for Universities of Applied Sciences

12%

24%9%

10%33%

12%


Amount

Division I: Humanities and Social Sciences 78.1

Division II: Mathematics, Natural and Engineering Sciences 150.8

Division III: Biology and Medicine 153.0

Interdisciplinary Research and Sinergia 61.1

Total 443.0

2.1 Funding by science area1

Amounts in millions CHF

In this funding category, the SNSF supports qualitatively high grade research projects in all disciplines, whose themes are

selected by the respective researchers themselves. The grants include contributions for personnel costs, equipment consumables and

travel expenses.

2. Project Funding





Interdisciplinary Research and Sinergia

1 Incl. Scientific Conferences

14%

34%

17%

35%


1 Special funding included: R’Equip (21 grants, 5.0 million CHF), MD-PhD (7 grants; 1.2 million CHF), SCORE/PROSPER (4 grants; 3.0 million CHF),

ERA-NET EuroNanoMed (2 grants; 0.8 million CHF), EDCTP (1 grant; 0.1 million CHF), EUROCORES (6 grants; 2.6 million CHF), Cohort Studies (1 grant; 3.6 million CHF), Scientific Conferences (26 grants; 0.2 million CHF)

Number Amount

Basic Biological Research 145 59.2

General Biology 50 19.6

Basic Medical Sciences 77 29.8

Experimental Medicine 53 19.8

Clinical Medicine 61 17.5

Preventive Medicine (Epidemiology/Early Diagnosis/Prevention) 9 6.2

Social Medicine 4 0.9

Total1 399 153.0

Division III: Biology and Medicine

In 2009, the division of Biology and Medicine significantly expanded the spectrum of

their contributions to European and international research networks with participation in

many European initiatives, such as the EUROCORES programmes EuroMEMBRANE and

EuroSYNBIO, the ERA-NET EuroNanoMed and the EDCTP programme (European and

Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnership).


Basic Biological Research

General Biology

Basic Medical Sciences

Experimental Medicine

Clinical Medicine

Preventive Medicine

Social Medicine

4% 1%

13%

19%

13%39%

11%

36 Statistics 2009| Project Funding

1 Special funding is included: Research Infrastructure (1 grant; 0.4 million CHF), R’Equip, (69 grants; 13.1 million CHF), FORCE/FINES,

(13 grants; 6.0 million CHF), ERA-ASPERA (2 grants; 0.8 million CHF), EUROCORES (8 grants; 2.3 million CHF), Scientific Conferences (21 grants, 0.09 million CHF)

Number Amount

Mathematics 58 13.4

Astronomy, Astrophysics and Space Sciences 25 9.9

Chemistry 96 30.5

Physics 132 46.5

Engineering Sciences 124 24.8

Environmental Sciences 39 11.2

Earth Sciences 57 14.5

Total1 531 150.8

Division II: Mathematics, Natural and Engineering Sciences

The distribution of the approved amounts within the different groups of disciplines has

changed very little relative to the previous year, with the exception of the engineering

sciences (2007: 19.3 million CHF; 2008: 33.0 million CHF). Support for the purchase and

improvement of laboratory equipment (R’Equip) was further strengthened in 2009 and

the number of approved applications (40) almost doubled in comparison to the previous

year. The SNSF also approved, for the first time, two projects in the context of an ERA-NET

research programme (ASPERA: astroparticle physics).


Mathematics

Astronomy, Astrophysics and Space Sciences

Chemistry

Physics

Engineering Sciences

Environmental Sciences

Earth Sciences

10%

7%

9%

7%

31%

20%16%


Number Per cent Amount Per cent


Applications submitted 806 100 %

195.8 100 %

Grants 451 56 %

78.1 40 %

Reductions in approved applications (345) – 17.2 9 %

Rejections, withdrawals 355 44 % 100.5 51 %



264.3 100 %

Grants 531 77 %

150.8 57 %





338.5 100 %

Grants 399 55 %

153.0 45 %



Interdisciplinary Research and Sinergia


178.3 100 %

Grants 72 46 %

61.1 34 %



Total

Applications submitted 2,383 100 %

976.9 100 %

Grants 1,453 61 %

443.0 45 %

Reductions in approved applications (1,162) – 160.3 17 %


2.4 Grants, rejections and reductions Amounts in millions CHF

Women | Men

9 %

7 %

20 %

20 %

17 %

20 %

18 %

18 %

9 %

6 %

16 %

16 %

13 %

23 %

20 %

29 %

25 %

29 %

22 %

22 %

71 %

71 %

75 %

78 %

91 %

93 %

91 %

94 %

78 %

80 %

80 %

84 %

77 %

80 %

82 %

84 %

80 %

83 %

82 %

87 %


2.3 Interdisciplinary Research and Sinergia

In 2009 the SNSF supported a total of 33 projects with 11.7 million CHF. Both the number of

submitted applications and the approved grants, as well as the requested and approved

funding amounts are higher in comparison with 2008.

Interdisciplinary Research

SinergiaAmounts in millions CHF

Number Amount

Interdisciplinary Research 22 27.7

Disciplinary Research 17 21.7

Total 39 49.4

41 Statistics 2009 | Individual Funding

3.1 Funding by funding instrument Amounts in millions CHF

Number of applications submitted Number of applications approved Approved amount

Total Women Men Total Women Men

Fellowships (prospective) 669 250 419 456 175 281 25.5

Fellowships (advanced) 130 47 83 86 31 55 10.1

Ambizione 146 56 90 53 18 35 23.8

SNSF Professorships1 193 56 137 63 19 44 72.3

Marie Heim-Vögtlin Subsidies (MHV)1 106 106 – 45 45 – 6.5

Total (excl. ProDoc) 1,244 515 729 703 288 415 138.2

ProDoc 123 25 98 80 16 64 23.2

Overall Total (incl. ProDoc) 1,367 540 827 783 304 479 161.4

With a multi-faceted fellowship and grants programme the SNSF provides targeted career support for highly promising young researchers.

1 Incl. extensions

3. Individual Funding

In total in the category of Individual Funding around 200 more

applications were submitted and evaluated than in the previous

year (+17%). In comparison to the previous year in particular, the

number of submitted applications for the fellowships for

prospective researchers (+127 applications), Ambizione

(+57 applications), the MHV Programme (+22 applications) and

ProDoc (+17 applications) increased significantly. For the SNSF

Professorships the applications remained at a level similar to the

previous year, and for the advanced fellowships there was a

slight downturn (-18 applications).

Success rates by instrument2

2 Ratio of the number of applications approved to the number of applications submitted

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70

MHV

SNSF Professorships

Ambizione

Fellowships (advanced)

Fellowships (prospective)68

67

42

66

66

39

36

33

32

70

66

32

34

42

Success rate total

Success rate women

Success rate men


2.5 Applications and grants since the year 2000

2.6 Requested and approved amounts since the year 2000

The number of applications submitted for Project Funding increased

continually from 2005 to 2009. The number of grants also increased

from 2005 to 2008. In 2009 the SNSF approved fewer applications than

in the previous year, with the goal of increasing the financial allocation

for each approved project.

Since 2007 the requested project funding has increased more than the

corresponding budget of the SNSF. For the year 2008, the sum of the

approved funds is comparatively high, since for the Special Programme

University Medicine (SPUM) and the Patient-oriented Clinical Research

(PaKliF) specifically assigned means of approx. 53 million francs were

made available. In 2009 there was only a very restricted scope for grants

for PaKliF.

Number of applications and grants

Amounts in millions CHF

Total of requested and approved amounts

0

250

500

750

1,000

1,250

1,500

1,750

2,000

2,250

2,500

2009200820072006200520042003200220012000

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

800

900

1,000

2009200820072006200520042003200220012000

Number of applications submitted

Number of applications approved

Applications by women

Applications by women approved

Total of requested funding

Total of approved funding

Amount requested by women

Amount granted to women

43 Statistics 2009 | International

4.2 International networking in Project Funding

Number of instances of international collaboration

Nearly 3,400 instances of international collaboration have taken place

in total. The table shows the ten countries with which the most frequent

collaboration has occurred.

4.3 Host countries with fellowship recipients

With 542 fellowships for prospective and advanced researchers,

the SNSF supported a total of 587 work periods abroad. The graph

shows the ten most frequent host countries.

Number of fellowship recipients

0 100 200 300 400 500 600 700

Sweden

Canada

Belgium

Austria

Netherlands

Italy

United Kingdom

France

USA

Germany

0 50 100 150 200 250

Denmark

Netherlands

Spain

Australia

Italy

France

Canada

Germany

United Kingdom

USA

618

590

414

294

213

109

94

93

74

108

15

13

13

8

19

33

41

62

78

238

42 Statistics 2009 | International

4. International co-operation and networking

4.1 Funding by funding instrument Amounts in millions CHF

Amount

International Short Visits 0.7

Bilateral Seminars 0.2

SCOPES Programme 10.9

Research Partnerships with Developing Countries Scheme 0.0

International Programmes (ESF etc.) 1.5

Multilateral Co-operation 0.1

Total 13.4

The international involvement of the SNSF manifests itself principally in the transnational co-operation of researchers within the context of

Project Funding and Individual Funding. This is supplemented by instruments for use in international collaboration.

45 Statistics 2009 | NCCR

6.1 Current NCCRs in overview Amounts in millions CHF

1 Also contains contributions for management, knowledge and technology transfer, promotion of young scientists, etc.2 The NCCR SESAM has a duration of 5 years

With the National Centres of Competence in Research the SNSF promotes long-term research networks in areas of strategic significance for

the future of Swiss science, economy and society.

6. National Centres of Competence in Research (NCCR)

Series 2001 Contribution SNSF 20091

Contribution SNSF for 12 years

Total budget for 12 years

Start Home institution

Financial Valuation and Risk Management (FINRISK) 2.3 28.2 50.4 2001 University of Zurich

Computer Aided and Image Guided Medical Interventions (CO-ME) 5.3 42.7 111.3 2001 ETH Zurich

Frontiers in Genetics 3.5 43.0 106.9 2001 University of Geneva

Interactive Multimodal Information Management (IM2) 4.5 32.8 80.3 2002 Idiap, Martigny

Climate 1.8 26.6 122.5 2001 University of Berne

Materials with Novel Electronic Properties (MaNEP) 5.3 49.6 198.2 2001 University of Geneva

Mobile Information and Communication Systems (MICS) 3.7 37.5 98.3 2001 ETH Lausanne

Molecular Oncology 3.4 43.6 115.2 2001 ETH Lausanne

Nanoscale Science 5.1 49.3 179.2 2001 University of Basel

North–South 3.2 36.4 106.2 2001 University of Berne

Neural Plasticity and Repair (NEURO) 4.7 42.7 228.2 2001 University of Zurich

Quantum Photonics 4.5 44.8 106.2 2001 ETH Lausanne

Molecular Life Sciences 3.6 36.7 92.9 2001 University of Zurich

Plant Survival 2.6 33.4 79.5 2001 University of Neuchâtel

Total 53.5 547.1 1,675.3

Series 2005 Contribution SNSF 20091

Contribution SNSF for 8 years

Total budget for 8 years

Start Home institution

Affective Sciences – Emotion in Individual Behaviour and Social Processes

3.8 20.0 46.2 2005 University of Geneva

Democracy – Challenges to Democracy in the 21st Century 2.8 14.6 31.0 2005 University of Zurich

Iconic Criticism – Power and Importance of Pictures 2.8 14.6 34.4 2005 University of Basel

Mediality – Historical Perspectives 2.2 11.7 17.2 2005 University of Zurich

SESAM – Swiss Etiological Study of Adjustment and Mental Health2 1.2 9.9 17.8 2005 University of Basel

International Trade Regulation – From Fragmentation to Coherence 3.6 19.8 24.5 2005 University of Berne

Total 16.4 90.6 171.1

All NCCRs 69.9 637.7 1,846.4

44 Statistics 2009 | NRP

5.1 NRPs in overview Amounts in millions CHF1

CurrentNRPs

Approved amount 20092

Framework Overall amount approved up to 20093

Duration

Total Total

NRP 53 Musculoskeletal Health – Chronic Pain 0.0 12.0 11.7 2003 –2009

NRP 54 Sustainable Development of the Built Environment 0.7 13.0 10.7 2004 –2010

NRP 56 Language Diversity and Linguistic Competence in Switzerland 0.0 8.0 7.8 2004 –2009

NRP 57 Non-Ionising Radiation – Health and Environment 0.3 5.0 4.6 2006 –2010

NRP 58 Religions, the State and Society 0.9 10.0 8.9 2006 –2010

NRP 59 Benefits and Risks of the Deliberate Release of Genetically Modified Plants 1.3 15.0 11.6 2007 –2011

NRP 61 Sustainable Water Management 8.4 12.0 8.4 2010 –2013

NRP 62 Smart Materials 5.2 11.0 5.2 2010 –2014

NRP 63 Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine 0.1 10.0 0.1 2010 –2014

NewNRPs4

NRP 60 Gender Equality – – – –

NRP 64 Opportunities and Risks of Nanomaterials – – – –

NRP 65 New Urban Quality – – – –

Total 16.9 96.0 69.0

1 Amounts under 0.05 million CHF are indicated by a zero2 Excluding grants for formally terminated programmes (0.3 million CHF)3 These amounts do not take account of repayments, third party funds, etc. 4 Selection process not yet concluded

The National Research Programmes develop scientifically substantiated solutions to urgent problems of national significance.

5. National Research Programmes (NRP)

In 2009 three new NRPs started. In the NRP “Sustainable Water Management” and in the NRP

“Smart Materials” 16 and 21 projects respectively were approved and the research work

commenced. The NRP “Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine” has likewise begun, albeit with

a small budget for the evaluation. For the three further NRPs of the evaluation round of

2007–2008, the research phase will begin during 2010.

The gender balance in the ongoing programmes has barely changed (women 20 %, men 80 %).

46 Annual Report 2009 | Swiss National Science Foundation 47 Bodies of the SNSF

National ResearchCouncil

AdministrativeOffices

12 ResearchCommissions

Presidial Board

Division IHumanities and Social Sciences

Division II Mathematics, Natural and Engineering Sciences

Division IIIBiology and Medicine

Division IVTargeted Research

Specialised CommitteeIndividual Funding Specialised Committee

International Co-operation

Specialised CommitteeInterdisciplinary Research

Foundation Council

Executive Committee of the Foundation Council

Bodies of the Swiss National Sciences Foundation


National Research Council

The National Research Council reviews thousands of applications submitted to the SNSF each year and decides whether and to what extent they merit funding. The Council is composed of researchers, most of whom are employed at Swiss universities. Membership is structured in four divisions: Humanities and Social Sciences; Mathematics, Natural and Engineering Sciences; Biology and Medi-cine as well as Applied Research. There are also three specialised committees: International Co-operation; Individual Funding and Interdisciplinary Research.

Presidial BoardProf. Dieter Imboden (President)

Prof. Meinrad Perrez (President Division I, deputy of the

President of the National Research Council) | Prof. Christian

Leumann (President Division II) | Prof. Hans-Rudolf Lüscher

(President Division III until 30.9.2009), Prof. Stéphanie

Clarke (President Division III from 1.10.2009), Prof. René

Schwarzenbach (President Division IV) | Prof. Isabel Roditi

(President Specialised Committee “Individual Funding”) |

Prof. Ulrike Landfester (President Specialised Committee

“International Co-operation”) | Prof. Bernhard Schmid (Presi-

dent Specialised Committee “Interdisciplinary Research”)

Division I: Humanities and Social Sciences

Prof. Oskar Bätschmann, Prof. Thüring Bräm, Prof.

Dietmar Braun, Prof. Monica Budowski, Prof. Pierre-Luigi

Dubied, Prof. Therese Fuhrer (until 31.3.2009), Prof. Elvira

Glaser (until 31.12.2009), Prof. Andreas Herrmann,

Prof. Ulrike Landfester, Prof. Walter Leimgruber, Prof.

Alessandro Lomi, Prof. Lorenza Mondada, Prof. Agostino

Paravicini (Vice President until 31.12.2009), Prof. Meinrad

Perrez (President), Prof. Pasqualina Perrig-Chiello, Prof.

Eliane Perrin, Prof. Anne Peters, Prof. Thomas Probst, Prof.

Kurt Reusser, Prof. Katia Saporiti, Prof. Paul Schubert, Prof.

Franz Schultheis (until 31.12.2009), Prof. Laurent Tissot,

Prof. Friedrich Wilkening | Expert Commission DORE

Research Councillors: Prof. Pasqualina Perrig-Chiello

(President), Prof. Thüring Bräm, Prof. Eliane Perrin.

Permanent experts: Prof. Jean-Pierre Tabin (Vice President),

Prof. Corina Caduff, Prof. Lucien Criblez, Marianne Daepp

(representative CTI), ad hoc expert: Dr. Cornelia Oertle Bürki

(from 4.11.2009)

Division II: Mathematics, Natural and Engineering SciencesProf. Lukas Baumgartner, Dr. Hans-Ulrich Blaser, Prof.

Harald Brune, Prof. Marc Burger, Dr. Urs Dürig, Prof. Jean-

Pierre Eckmann, Prof. Klaus Ensslin, Prof. Béat Hirsbrunner

(until 31.12.2009), Prof. Gerhard Jäger, Prof. Christian

Leumann (President until 31.12.2009), Prof. Simon Lilly, Dr.

Stephan Murer (until 28.2.2009), Prof. Moira C. Norrie (Vice

President), Prof. Jürg Osterwalder, Prof. Marc Parlange, Prof.

Andreas Pfaltz, Prof. Martin Quack, Prof. Mohammad Amin

Shokrollahi (from 1.3.2009), Prof. Thomas Stocker, Prof.

Andreas Strasser, Prof. Sara van de Geer, Prof. Hubert van

den Bergh (until 31.12.2009), Prof. Jean-Luc Vuilleumier (un-

til 31.12.2009), Prof. Bernhard Wehrli, Dr. Marco Wieland

96Members

20 %Proportion of women

12Meetings per annum

Foundation Council and Executive CommitteeAs the highest body of the SNSF, the Foundation Council (FC) is responsible for making decisions on a strategic level. It ensures that the Foundation stays on mission, defines the position of the SNSF on research policy issues and passes planning documents. The members of the FC are nominated by the Federal Coun-cil which draws candidates from the most important organisations in the Swiss research community and representatives from politics and industry. The responsi-bilities of the Executive Committee include the election of members of the Re-search Council as well as the adoption of the financial budget, the central regula-tions and the service agreement with the Federal Government.

Representatives of scientific organisationsCantonal Universities University of Basel: Prof. Peter J.

Meier-Abt, deputy Prof. Ulrich Druwe | University of Berne:

Prof. Margit Oswald, deputy Prof. Martin Täuber | Universi-

ty of Fribourg: Prof. Fritz Müller, deputy Prof. Jean-Pierre

Montani | University of Geneva: Prof. Theodor Landis, dep-

uty Prof. Howard Riezman | University of Lausanne: Prof.

Jacques Besson, deputy Prof. Alexandrine Schniewind |

University of Lucerne: Prof. Andreas Furrer, deputy Prof.

Valentin Groebner | University of Neuchâtel: Prof. Kilian

Stoffel, deputy Prof. Alain Valette | University of St. Gal-

len: Prof. Bernhard Ehrenzeller, deputy Prof. Heinz Müller |

University of Lugano: Prof. Rico Maggi, deputy Prof. Peter

Schulz | University of Zurich: Prof. Hanspeter Kriesi, depu-

ty Prof. Roger M. Nitsch

Swiss Federal Institutes of Technology EPF Lausanne:

Prof. Martin Vetterli, deputy Prof. Didier Trono | ETH Zu-

rich: Prof. Lucas Bretschger, deputy Prof. Nicholas Spencer

Rectors’ Conference of the Swiss Universities of Applied

Sciences (KFH) Prof. Richard Bührer, deputy Prof. Luca

Crivelli | Prof. Andreas Schächtele (until 31.1.2009), Prof.

Sabine Jaggy (from 1.2.2009), deputy Prof. Nikolaus Wyss

(until 31.8.2009), Prof. Lukas Rohr (from 1.9.2009) | Prof.

Christian Kunze, deputy Prof. Michel Fontaine | Prof. Monika

Wohler, deputy Prof. Ursula Blosser

Rectors’ Conference of the Swiss Universities (CRUS)

Prof. Patrick Aebischer, deputy Dr. Mathias Stauffacher

Swiss Conference of Rectors of Universities of Teacher

Education (COHEP) Prof. Annette Tettenborn, deputy Prof.

Judith Hollenweger

ETH Board Dr. Fritz Schiesser, deputy Adjunct Dr. Kurt

Baltensperger

Swiss Academies of Arts and Sciences SAHS: Prof. Anne-

Claude Berthoud, deputy Dr. Markus Zürcher | SAMS: Prof.

Peter Suter, deputy Prof. Kathrin Mühlemann | SCNAT: Prof.

Denis Monard, deputy Prof. Felix Escher | SATW: Prof. René

Dändliker, deputy Prof. Andreas Zuberbühler

Swiss Lawyers Association Prof. Regula Kägi-Diener,

deputy Prof. Stephen V. Berti

Swiss Society of Economics and Statistics (SSES) Prof.

Klaus Neusser, deputy Prof. Peter Kugler

Government appointed membersJudith Bucher (VPOD), deputy Peter Sigerist (SGB) | Isabelle

Chassot (Government Canton Fribourg), no deputy | Dr.

Ursula Renold (OPET), deputy Dr. Ingrid Kissling (OPET) |

Gabriele Gendotti (Government Canton Ticino), no deputy |

Dr. Barbara Haering (former National Councillor), vacant post

| Dr. René Imhof (F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd.), deputy Dr.

Wolfgang A. Renner (Cytos Biotechnology Ltd.) | Prof.

Luzius Mader (FOJ), deputy Dr. Werner Bussmann (FOJ) |

Anne-Catherine de Perrot (Pro Helvetia) (until 31.3.2009), Dr.

Andreas Langenbacher (from 18.5.2009), deputy Marianne

Burki | Dr. Paul-Erich Zinsli (SER) (until 31.3.2009), Jürg

Burri (from 18.5.2009), deputy Dr. Gregor Haefliger (SER) | Dr.

Andreas Steiner (economiesuisse), deputy Dr. Rudolf Minsch

(economiesuisse) | Hans Ulrich Stöckling (former Govern-

ment Canton St. Gallen), no deputy

Executive CommitteeHans Ulrich Stöckling, former Cantonal Government (Pre-

sident), Prof. Anne-Claude Berthoud (Vice President), Prof.

Patrick Aebischer, Prof. Richard Bührer, Dr. René Imhof,

Prof. Hanspeter Kriesi, Prof. Theodor Landis, Prof. Rico

Maggi, Prof. Peter Meier-Abt, Prof. Fritz Müller, Prof. Margit

Oswald, Dr. Ursula Renold, Dr. Andreas Steiner, Prof. Kilian

Stoffel, Dr. Paul-Erich Zinsli (until 31.3.2009), Jürg Burri

(from 18.5.2009) Status as of 31.12.2009

36 15Members FC | Executive Committee

28 % 20 %Proportion of women on FC | Executive Committee

1–2 4Meetings per year FC | Executive Committee


Research Commissions

The university-based Research Commissions of the SNSF present a local viewpoint by analysing the applications from their own university. The viewpoint may refer to the university’s own infrastructure, academic priorities, and per-sonnel policy. The Research Commissions autonomously evaluate and decide on applications for scholarships submitted by prospective researchers from their home institution.

PresidentsUniversity of Basel: Prof. Primo Schär | University of

Berne: Prof. Chris Bösch | University of Fribourg: Prof.

Barbara Hallensleben | University of Geneva: Prof. Rita

Trigo Trindade | University of Lausanne: Prof. Jean-

Pierre Dauwalder (until 31.12.2009)| University of Lu-

cerne: Prof. Andreas Furrer | University of Neuchâtel:

Prof. Marianne Schmid Mast (from 01.01.2009) | Univer-

sity of St. Gallen: Prof. Oliver Gassmann | University of

Lugano: Prof. Marco Borghi | University of Zurich: Prof.

Heini Murer | EPF Lausanne: Prof. Benoît Deveaud-

Plédran | ETH Zurich: Prof. Nicholas Spencer

Status as of 31.12.2009

12Research Commissions

172Members (total)


Specialised Committee: International Co-operationProf. Kay W. Axhausen (from 1.4.2009), Prof. Thomas

Bernauer, Prof. Denis Duboule (from 1.4.2009), Prof. André

Kléber, Prof. Ulrike Landfester (President), Prof. Moira C.

Norrie (Vice President), Prof. Heinz Richner (until 28.2.2009),

Prof. Andreas Strasser, Dr. Marco Wieland (from 1.4.2009)

Specialised Committee: Interdisciplinary ResearchProf. Jean-Pierre Eckmann (from 24.11.2009), Prof. Gerd

Folkers, Prof. Béat Hirsbrunner (until 31.12.2009), Prof.

Walter Leimgruber, Prof. Alessandro Lomi (from 14.10.2009),

Prof. Agostino Paravicini (Vice President), Prof. Jürg

Schifferli (until 31.12.2009), Prof. Bernhard Schmid (Presi-

dent), Prof. Angelika Steger, Prof. George Thalmann, Prof.

Laurent Tissot (from 14.10.2009), Prof. Bernhard Wehrli


Division III: Biology and MedicineProf. Hans Acha-Orbea, Prof. Stylianos Antonarakis, Prof.

Konrad Basler, Prof. Jürg H. Beer, Prof. Thierry Calandra,

Prof. Stéphanie Clarke (Vice President until 30.9.2009, Presi-

dent from 1.10.2009), Prof. Pierre-Alain Clavien, Prof. Denis

Duboule (Vice President from 1.10.2009), Prof. Urs Frey, Prof.

Stephan Grzesiek, Prof. Michael N. Hall, Prof. Karl-Heinz

Krause (until 31.12.2009), Prof. Hans-Rudolf Lüscher (Presi-

dent until 30.9.2009), Prof. Pierre Magistretti, Prof. Jean-

Pierre Métraux, Prof. Franz Müller-Spahn (until 4.8.2009 †),

Prof. Ernst Niggli, Prof. Fred Paccaud (until 31.12.2009), Prof.

Manuel C. Peitsch, Prof. Heinz Richner, Prof. Eric M. Rouiller,

Prof. Markus Rudin, Prof. Walter Schaffner, Prof. Jürg

Schifferli (until 31.12.2009), Prof. Bernhard Schmid, Prof.

Georg Thalmann, Prof. Gisou van der Goot, Prof. François

Verrey, Prof. Sabine Werner, Prof. Claes B. Wollheim

Division IV: Targeted ResearchProf. Kay W. Axhausen, Prof. Thomas Bernauer, Prof. Nina

Buchmann, Prof. Fabrizio Butera, Prof. Christoph Dehio,

Prof. Astrid Epiney (Vice President), Prof. Gerd Folkers, Prof.

Dominique Foray, Prof. André G. Kléber, Prof. Paul Leiderer,

Prof. Claudia Opitz-Belakhal, Prof. Isabel Roditi, Prof.

Peter Schurtenberger, Prof. René Schwarzenbach (Presi-

dent), Prof. Roland Siegwart, Prof. Angelika Steger, Prof. Jürg

Ulrich Steiger, Prof. Christian Suter, Prof. Frédéric Varone,

Prof. Béatrice Veyrassat (until 31.12.2009)

Specialised Committee: Individual FundingDr. Hans-Ulrich Blaser (Vice President until 31.12.2009),

Prof. Dietmar Braun, Prof. Thierry Calandra (from 1.10.2009),

Prof. Urs Frey (from 1.3.2009), Prof. Elvira Glaser (until

31.12.2009), Prof. Gerhard Jäger, Prof. Karl-Heinz Krause

(until 30.9.2009), Prof. Isabel Roditi (President), Prof. Sara

van de Geer, Prof. François Verrey, Prof. Béatrice Veyrassat

(until 31.12.2009)


National Research Programmes

The National Research Programmes (NRP) contribute scien-tifically substantiated solutions to urgent problems of na-tional significance. The topics are specified by the Federal Council. The debate concerning major present-day problems usually requires an interdisciplinary research approach and practical know-how on the part of researchers. At present twelve NRPs are operating. NRPs last from four to five years and are funded with 5 to 20 million Swiss francs.

Presidents of the steering committees of the NRPsNRP 53, Musculoskeletal Health – Chronic Pain: Prof.

Andreas E. Stuck | NRP 54, Sustainable Development of the

Built Environment: Prof. Eugen Brühwiler | NRP 56, Lan-

guage Diversity and Linguistic Competence in Switzerland:

Prof. Walter Haas | NRP 57, Non-Ionising Radiation – Health

and Environment: Prof. Alexander Borbély | NRP 58, Reli-

gions, the State and Society: Prof. Christoph Bochinger | NRP

59, Benefits and Risks of the Deliberate Release of Genetically

Modified Plants: Prof. Dirk Dobbelaere | NRP 60, Gender

Equality: Prof. Dr. Brigitte Liebig | NRP 61, Sustainable Wa-

ter Management: Prof. em. Christian Leibundgut | NRP 62,

Smart Materials: Prof. Dr. Louis Schlapbach | NRP 63, Stem

Cells and Regenerative Medicine: Prof. Bernard Thorens |

NRP 64, Opportunities and Risks of Nanomaterials: Prof.

Peter Gehr | NRP 65, New Urban Quality: Prof. Dr. Jürg Sulzer


National Centres of Competence in Research

Together with the National Centres of Competence in Re-search (NCCR) the SNSF promotes long-term research projects in areas of vital strategic importance for the devel-opment of science in Switzerland, for the economy of the country, and for Swiss society. The aim of the 20 ongoing NCCRs is improved structuring of the Swiss research com-munity. The NCCRs are financed mainly through Federal funds budgeted by Parliament. These Federal funds are complemented by funds from the universities themselves and by third-party funds .

Directors of the NCCRsNCCR Affective Sciences: Prof. Klaus Scherer | NCCR Climate:

Prof. Thomas Stocker | NCCR CO-ME: Prof. Gábor Székely |

NCCR Democracy: Prof. Hanspeter Kriesi | NCCR FINRISK:

Prof. Michel Habib | NCCR Genetics: Prof. Denis Duboule |

NCCR Iconic Criticism: Prof. Gottfried Boehm | NCCR

IM2: Prof. Hervé Bourlard | NCCR MaNEP: Prof. Øystein

Fischer | NCCR Mediality: Prof. Christian Kiening | NCCR

MICS: Prof. Karl Aberer | NCCR Molecular Oncology: Prof.

Michel Aguet | NCCR Nanoscale Science: Prof. Christian

Schönenberger | NCCR NEURO: Prof. Martin Schwab |

NCCR North–South: Prof. Hans Hurni | NCCR Plant Survival:

Prof. Ted Turlings | NCCR Quantum Photonics: Prof. Benoît

Deveaud-Plédran | NCCR SESAM: Prof. Jürgen Margraf |

NCCR Structural Biology: Prof. Markus Gerhard Grütter |

NCCR Trade Regulation: Prof. Thomas Cottier


Executive ManagementDirector: Dr. Daniel Höchli | Deputy Director: Dr. Angelika

Kalt | Vice Director: Rosemarie Pécaut

Staff ServicesExecutive Staff/Legal Department: Inge Blatter | Press and

Information Office: Philippe Trinchan | Equal Opportunities

in Research Funding: Maya Widmer

Research funding Divisions Division I, Humanities and Social Sciences: Dr. Rudolf

Bolzern | Division II, Mathematics, Natural and Engineering

Sciences: Dr. Paul Burkhard | Division III, Biology and Med-

icine: Dr. Ays.im Yılmaz | Division IV, Targeted Research: Dr.

Beat Butz | Individual funding: Dr. Marcel Kullin | Interdi-

visional Co-ordination and Co-operative Research (CoRe):

Dr. Angelika Kalt | International Co-operation/SwissCore:

Danièle Rod

Central Services and SupportDirection: Rosemarie Pécaut | Information Technology: René

Liechti | Finance: Markus König


Administrative Offices

The administrative offices of the SNSF support and co-ordinate the activities of the Foundation Council, National Research Council and Research Commissions. Here decisions are taken, resolutions are passed and the financial aspects of the research activity are monitored.Among the key tasks performed each year are the commissioning and evalu-ation of several thousand expert opinions from national and international ex-perts concerning research applications. Furthermore they maintain contacts with those bodies responsible for research policy in Switzerland and abroad, represent the SNSF on relevant committees and ensure that the concerns of the Foundation are effectively communicated to the general public.

192Employees


268,000Working hours 2009


Forest ecology

Seedlings tested for drought resistance

Due to the warmer climate, indigenous Scots pine in parts of Valais are succumbing to drought and are failing to regenerate after forest fires. Marcus Schaub, Sarah Richter and Thomas Wohlgemuth (from left to right) of the Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research are now investigating whe-ther pines from Spain would be better suited to the dryer climate of the Valais region. They have planted various pine species in wood-framed raised beds and exposed them to different environmental conditions: the temperature is varied by means of a soil-heating system built into the frames; and automatically controlled sliding roofs allow the quantity of rainfall to be regulated. The results are clear: Spanish pines germinate better and faster. However, when the Valais pines do germinate and sur-vive, they grow faster than their Span-ish relatives and form more biomass above the ground. > http://www.wsl.ch/forschung/forschungsprojekte/

keimungsexperiment/index_EN

56 Annual Report 2009 | Swiss National Science Foundation 57 Annual statement 2009

Balance Sheet

Assets

2009 2008

Cash and cash equivalents 351.3 279.4

Other current assets 0.3 0.3

Fixed assets 10.3 10.7

Financial assets 55.5 50.8

Total 417.4 341.2

Liabilities

2009 2008

Loan capital 307.9 242.0

Miscellaneous short-term liabilities 283.7 226.5

Miscellaneous provisions 24.2 15.5

Earmarked donations and bequests 54.3 49.1

Equity capital 55.2 50.1

Non-earmarked donations and bequests 0.4 0.4

Foundation capital 1.3 1.3

Reserves 48.4 0.0

Unappropriated surplus 5.1 48.4

Total 417.4 341.2

Additional information on the annual statement

Grants approved but not entered for the years 2010 to 2013

As of 31 December 2009, the following liabilities existed which were not listed in the balance sheet:

CHF 557.8 million / EUR 1.6 million / USD 0.1 million

Level of indemnities paid out to the Foundation Council

In 2009, the members of the Foundation Council received fixed remunerations and daily allowances totalling CHF 77,750.00

(2008: CHF 87,000.00).

Transactions with related parties

In 2009, the members of the National Research Council and the members of the Expert commissions used by them were awarded

funding grants totalling CHF 17.8 million, representing 3.1 % of the grants approved. (2008: CHF 22.4 million or 4.1 %). The ceiling set

by the committee of the Foundation Council was not exceeded.

Approval of the annual statement

Following the recommendation of the Swiss Federal Audit Office, which audited the annual statement in its role as external auditor,

the Foundation Council approved the annual statement at its meeting of 26 March 2010.

All amounts are stated in millions of Swiss francs.

Full version of the annual statement: www.snsf.ch > About us > Facts & figures > Annual statement

Financial figures in brief

Annual statement 2009

Income Statement

Income

2009 2008

Federal contributions (ordinary and other) 692.6 623.4

Federal contributions for overhead 36.7 0.0

Returns 16.0 16.9

Accrued income 1.7 76.6

Miscellaneous 1.8 1.9

Total 748,8 718,8

Expenditure

2009 2008

Research funding 661.6 621.0

Project funding 391.3 402.8

Funding for individual researchers 133.1 114.0

Subsidies for conferences, publications and other activities 3.9 4.0

International co-operation 10.3 6.2

National Research Programmes 13.4 11.3

National Centres of Competence in Research 69.9 62.2

Third-party programmes (SystemsX.ch, Nano-Tera.ch) 39.7 20.5

Overhead payments to research institutions 36.7 0.0

Accrued expenses 11.3 18.4

Scientific evaluation & governance 7.6 6.9

Foundation Council 0.1 0.1

National Research Council 5.8 5.5


Public relations work 2.1 1.7

Administrative expenses 24.2 22.1

Personnel expenses 18.8 16.7

Information technology expenses 2.5 2.3


Other expenses 0.2 0.3

Surplus 5.1 48.4

Total 748.7 718.8

58 Annual Report 2009 | Swiss National Science Foundation 59 Abbreviations and glossary

Abbreviations and glossary

AAAS American Association for the Advancement of ScienceAmbizione SNSF programme for young researchers who would like to conduct, manage and

lead an independently planned project Division I of the SNSF Oversees applications in the Humanities and Social Sciences

Division II of the SNSF Oversees applications in Mathematics, Natural and Engineering Sciences Division III of the SNSF Oversees applications in Biology and MedicineDivision IV of the SNSF Responsible for targeted research programmes

CRUS Rectors’ Conference of the Swiss UniversitiesCTI Innovation promotion agency of the federal government of Switzerland

CTU Clinical Trial Units: centres of competence for patient-oriented clinical researchDORE DO REsearch: SNSF’s funding instrument for practical research at universities of

applied sciences and universities of teacher educationEAWAG Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology

economiesuisse Association of Swiss companies: the largest umbrella organisation representing the Swiss economy EMPA Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Testing and Research (within the ETH Domain)

ERA European Research Area as defined by the European CommissionERA-NET Project from the 6th European Union research framework programme for co-ordinating funding activities

ERC European Research CouncilESF European Science Foundation

ETHZ/EPFL Swiss Federal Institutes of Technology (Zurich and Lausanne)EUROCORES Basic research programmes financed by member bodies of the ESF

FINES SER fund for developing instruments for the European Southern Observatory (ESO) FOJ Federal Office of Justice, Switzerland

FORCE Fund for research at CERN (infrastructure) IDIAP Dalle Molle Institute for perceptive artificial intelligence

MD, PhD Doctor of Medicine, Doctor of Philosophy MHV Marie Heim-Vögtlin Programme (SNSF funding for women)

Nano-Tera.ch Swiss Initiative in Engineering Complex Systems for Health, Security and the EnvironmentNCCR National Centre of Competence in Research, Switzerland

NIH National Institutes of Health, USANRP National Research Programme, Switzerland NSF National Science Foundation, USA

OPET Federal Office for Professional Training and Technology, SwitzerlandOverhead Covering of indirect costs of SNSF-funded projects

PaKliF Patient-oriented clinical researchProDoc Post-graduate research programme supported by SNSF and CRUS

PROSPER Programme for Social Medicine, Preventive and Epidemiological Research PSI Paul Scherrer Institute

R’Equip Research Equipment - SNSF funding programme for research equipmentSAHS Swiss Academy of Humanities and Social SciencesSAMS Swiss Academy of Medical SciencesSATW Swiss Academy of Engineering Sciences

SCNAT Swiss Academy of SciencesSCOPES Scientific Co-operation between Eastern Europe and Switzerland (SNSF and SDC programme)

SCORE Swiss Clinicians Opting for Research SDC Swiss Agency for Development and CooperationSER State Secretariat for Education and Research of SwitzerlandSGB Swiss Federation of Trade Unions

Sinergia SNSF programme to facilitate collaborative projects in independent researchSNSF Swiss National Science Foundation

SPUM Special Programme University MedicineSwissCore Swiss Contact Office for European Research, Innovation and Education: serves as the

contact office in Brussels of the SNSF, co-financed by the SER and the OPETSwissnex Switzerland’s Knowledge Network: outposts working for scientific exchanges run by SER

SystemsX.ch Swiss Initiative in Systems BiologyVPOD Association of Swiss Civil Servants

WSL Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research (ETH Domain)


Legalinformation

PublishedbySwiss National Science FoundationWildhainweg 3, P.O. 8232CH-3001 BerneSwitzerlandTelephone: +41 (0)31 308 22 22Fax: +41 (0)31 308 22 65E-mail: [email protected]

EditingandproductionPress and Information Service, Philippe Trinchan (Head of division)Project management: Helen JaisliConcept and content: Stefan Bachmann, Rudolf Bolzern, Paul Burkhard, Daniela Büschlen, Nathalie Cottet, Regine Duda, Daniel Höchli, Helen Jaisli, Angelika Kalt, Alan Knaus, Markus König, Marcel Kullin, Maryline Maillard, Rosemarie Pécaut, Veronika Riesen, Danièle Rod, Elisabeth Schenker, Sandra Schori, Philippe Trinchan, Pascal Walther, Maya Widmer, Ays.im Yılmaz, Marc ZbindenProduction: Veronika Riesen

TranslationRolf Lüthi Translations Ltd., Berne

EnglishEditorKatherine Foster, Communications Consultant, Fribourg

© Visualconcept,layoutandtypesetting Steg3 – Agentur für Kommunikation, Berne

Printing,bindinganddispatchStämpfli Publishing Ltd., Berne

PaperCover: Profibulk matt coated, 300 g/m2

Contents: Profibulk matt coated, 135 g/m2

© 2010 Swiss National Science Foundation, Berne

Number of copies printed: 4,700 in German/2,800 in French/ 2,000 in English

ISSN 1424-0289

Images

PhotographerFranca Pedrazzetti, born in Lucerne in 1977. Trained as a professional photographer and studied photography at MAZ in Lucerne. For the last eight years she has worked as a freelance photographer for Swiss and international magazines and companies. She also participates in and organises exhibits, and co-ordinates her own photographic projects, for which she has received a number of grants. www.pedrazzetti.com

ImagecreditsFranca Pedrazzetti, Luzerne (p. 4, 7, 8–9, 12–13, 16–17, 18, 22–23, 26–27, 54–55)Other images: Lorenz Böckli, Zurich (front page); Andri Pol, Basel (p. 7, 23, 24); Keystone, Zurich (p. 15); Derek Li Wan Po, Zurich (p. 24); “Gentage” (p. 24, photo to be provided); Sarah-Lan Mathez-Stiefel, Lima/Peru (p. 63)

Frontpage:livedatafromtheMatterhornOn the Hörnli ridge of the Matterhorn, 3,500 metres above sea level, Jan Beutel from the Computer Engineering and Networks Laboratory at ETH Zurich carries out maintenance work on a sensor network. This wireless network of sensors, which was installed on the Matterhorn three years ago, is being used by researchers in the PermaSense project to collect data to improve understanding of the impact of climate change on rock falls in per-mafrost zones. This new technology, which was developed under the National Centre of Competence in Research programme “Mobile Information and Communication Systems” (NCCR MICS), is expected to one day, assist with the real-time monitoring of areas where the risk of rock avalanches and land-slides is particularly high.> www.permasense.ch

Some goals for 2010

Funding of communications projectsThe complexity of many research areas is continually rising. Society’s demands for

adequate information about the results of research are also growing. This is why

the SNSF wants to provide better support for researchers’ communication activ-

ities. The first call for the funding of projects on public scientific communication

is scheduled for 2010. The preparatory work for this is underway.

New projects with developing countriesThe “Research Partnerships with Developing Countries” funding programme is

a joint initiative of SNSF and the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation

(SDC). The objective of the programme is to promote quality research aimed at

solving the problems of disadvantaged countries. In 2010, a new round of assess-

ments will take place. The 75 applications submitted at the start of 2010 are evi-

dence of the strong demand for this kind of cooperation.

Extension of electronic applications processingIn 2010, preparations begin for extending the electronic processing of applications

and approved projects. In the future, researchers will be able to manage their

projects via the mySNF platform (e.g. input reports, make personnel changes).

Concurrently, a number of changes for scientific reporting are planned. Firstly,

more data on scientific output (publications, patents, etc.) will be gathered, and

secondly, reporting periods will be extended.

62 Annual Report 2009 | Swiss National Science Foundation

the snsf in 2009 1 - startseite - snf · 2013. 11. 7. · 12 annual report 2009 | swiss national...

Documents