On 8 February, the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF) announced the results of its 2022 call for Consolidator Grant applications. Of the 30 grants awarded nationwide, one of them goes to ETH Zurich. ETH physicist Rachel Grange secured funding to develop novel photonic integrated circuits (see project description). A further ETH project proposal is still under review.
Excluded from European competition
Since Institutional Framework Agreement negotiations have failed, the EU treats Switzerland as a non-associated third country. This means that researchers based in Switzerland are no longer able to apply for European Research Council (ERC) grants, a significant source of funding for cutting-edge science.
As an interim solution the Federal Council commissioned the Swiss National Science Foundation to create the SNSF Starting, Consolidator and Advanced Grants. Any researcher working in Switzerland in any discipline is eligible to apply, as are foreign scientists affiliated with Swiss institutions who conduct their projects in Switzerland.
ETH Zurich remains committed to its goal of full association with Horizon Europe and restoring the right of Swiss institutions to apply for prestigious ERC grants.
