Grants Office Newsletter September 2023
Dear Researchers of the University of Basel,
September started with some good news for the United Kingdom. Following long discussions, the last stumbling blocks for the UK association to Horizon Europe have been resolved. Although a final approval from all EU Member States is required, full association to Horizon Europe for the UK is likely to be implemented for all Calls under the 2024 Work Programmes. This means that UK research groups can once again fully participate and lead collaborative projects.
For researchers in Switzerland, the situation unfortunately remains the same as before. On the positive side, many of you are participating in proposals and successfully receiving funds for collaborative projects. However, important calls like the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Fellowships and the ERC Individual Grants once again pass-by without the possibility of participation from researchers based in Switzerland. Although the transitional measures implemented by the SNSF are extremely valuable, the international competition provided by full participation in Horizon Europe is essential for the long-term future of research in Switzerland. It is very encouraging to see the support within the European academic community calling for Switzerland to be the next country to associate. Let’s keep our finger crossed for some movement on the political side, for Switzerland.
In this issue we inform you about the latest results and upcoming opportunities from the Transitional Measures and how Innosuisse can support the further development of your research.
Your Grants Office Team
Eve Silfverberg, Gillianne Bowman, Caroline Peneff, Luca Wacker & Julia Wyss
SNSF Live in Basel
On August 25, the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF) visited the University of Basel and gave first-hand insights into the latest changes in the project funding schemes, including the integration of collaborative projects (formerly Sinergia). Additionally, the SNSF presented upcoming transitional measures calls (SNSF Consolidator Grants, Swiss Postdoctoral Fellowships and the four new topics for National Research Programmes. More than 80 researchers from the University of Basel participated in the event and discussed open questions with the SNSF staff members and the Grants Office Team.
More information on the SNSF project funding schemes can be consulted on the SNSF website, the presentation can be downloaded from Grants Office Intrantet.
Successful SNSF Advanced Grants
Prof. Malte Helmert, from the Department of Mathematics and Computer Science and Prof. Hanna Walsdorf, from the Department of Arts, Media, Philosphy ave been awarded one of prestigious SNSF Advanced Grants from the 2022 Call. We congratulate them both and wish them all the best with their projects.
Prof. Walsdorfs project is the first SNSF Advanced Grant within the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences. We asked her to tell us about her new project “The Night Side of Music” (NightMuse) and share her experiences from the application process.
On behalf of the Federal Government, the SNSF will launch a 2023 Advanced Grant Call. Further details are expected very soon. Please contact the Grants Office, if you plan to apply.
European MSCA Doctoral Networks
The call for MSCA Doctoral Networks is currently open with a deadline on the 28th of November. If you are looking to recruit one or two talented doctoral students from abroad, then this call is for you! It’s time to (re-)activate your European research collaborations. Swiss-based institutions can participate and will receive the full funding from the Swiss State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation (SERI) to cover the salary costs of the doctoral candidate(s) during 3 years as well as the associated research, training and management costs. Most importantly, these projects represent a great opportunity for your PhD students in terms of advanced training, interdisciplinary and inter-sectoral mobility, and engagement in international networks.
More information on this funding scheme can be found on the call webpage. How researchers based in Switzerland can participate, is presented in detail here.
Success for the next generation
We would like to congratulate everyone involved in two record breaking results. From the last Swiss Post-Doctoral Fellowship Call, ten researchers from the University of Basel successfully competed with more than 500 applicants. We are very proud to announce that although the Ambizione grant is becoming more competitive, a record of 13 successful applicants has been reached here in Basel this year. We congratulate all the successful grantees and wish them the very best for their independent research project. This will surely boost their careers and help them establish themselves in the competitive arena of their chosen research field of interest.
The deadlines for the 2023 Calls are 1st November (Ambizione) and 1st December (SPF) respectively.
Innosuisse - Swiss Innovation Agency
Innosuisse aims to “accelerate the transfer of knowledge from research to industry and helps innovations and start-ups to achieve breakthrough in the market”. It offers great opportunities to finance research at the university, either with or without implementation partners. It is complementary to the SNSF, as it focuses on promoting science-based innovations in the interest of the economy and society in all scientific disciplines
We have summarized the key features in an easy to read overview.
Horizon Europe Calls for all disciplines
Despite the ongoing non-association to Horizon Europe, researchers in Switzerland are still eligible to apply to many funding schemes, in particular the collaborative projects addressing global challenges.
The European Commission organizes subject specific information and networking days in the coming weeks. Furthermore, the Euresearch network offers specific information, advice and support and offers free proposal reviews under certain conditions. Please contact the Grants Office, if you plan to apply for a Horizon Europe project or you have any questions.
Farewell Susanne
And to finish on a personal note. At the end of August, the Grants Office had to say goodbye to Susanne Daniel, who embarked on a new chapter in her life. We would like to thank her for her enthusiasm, dedication and all she has done for the Grants Office over the past 9 years and wish her all the best for her retirement.
Already in June, Gillianne Bowman joined the team to take over the position as Company Advisor and to support University of Basel researchers with Horizon Europe and Innosuisse projects. We wish her all the best.
More successes!
The Grants Office would like to congratulate:
- Three Investigator Initiated Clinical Trial Grants: Mirjam Christ-Crain, Jehuda Soleman, Ivan Martin
- 10 Swiss Postdoctoral Fellowships
- Yang Yao for her ERC Starting Grant « Art Water » financed by SERI
- Don Gary Benjamin and Michael Hall for a new Innosuisse project
- Three SNSF Postdoc Mobility Grants
- 13 Ambizione 2022 Grants
- Five new Weave/Lead Agency projects
- Jennifer Belus for her SOR4D project
- Amr Abdallah and Markus Lill for their joint project funded by Novartis FreeNovation Foundation
- Francesc Baxauli and Joana Maria Soares Pereira for their grants from the Novartis Foundation for Medical-Biological Research
- Karen Dixon for her NIH grant
Events
Info Event on Food, Bioeconomy, Natural Resources, Agriculture and Environment
Overview of the upcoming Horizon Europe calls and partnering tools for collaborative projects.
4 October, 12.15-13.45, online
Training on EU Health Proposal With Clinical Studies
The webinar series delves into different elements to consider for the submission process.
22 September to 24 November
Horizon Europe Health and IHI - Consortia Building Event
Focus on pitching of project ideas and building of consortia.
Submission deadline for pitches: 6 October
12 October, 10.30-13.30, online
Information Events from the SNSF and Innosuisse
In three events, the SNSF & Innosuisse present their different funding programs (online events)
19 October
3 November
15 November
See the programs of each event and register here.
National EIT and KIC Info Event
Event includes personal meeting with a thematic advisor (Swiss NCP)
19 October, 9.30-12.30, online
Marie Skłodowska-Curie COFUND Call 2023 & Swiss Participation
Online information event
24 October, 14.00-15.00
Marie Skłodowska-Curie Staff Exchange call 2023 & Swiss Participation
Online information event
31 October, 14.00-15.00
Calls
SNSF Starting Grant 2024
SNSF Transitional Measure for researchers up to 8 years post PhD. Call to open in November 2023, with a deadline in early 2024.
PROMYS
Promotion of Young Scientists in Central and Eastern Europe, 2023 call to strenghten research in Bulgaria.
Deadline for preregistration: 29 September
Deadline for submission: 30 November
Swiss Postdoctoral Fellowships 2023
SNSF transitional measure for postdoctoral researchers from any nationality and discipline.
Submission deadline: 1 December
ERC Synergy
For 2-4 PIs, working together on a ground-breaking project. At present, each project can include one PI based in Switzerland as the "global" partner. Please let us know if you plan to apply.
Deadline: 8 November
Swiss Polar Institute
The SPI Exploratory Grants support short-term new ideas, fund additional field work or launch new collaborations.
Submission deadline: 6 October
The SPI Technogrants support Swiss groups developing technologies relevant for research in polar regions.
Submission deadline: 6 October
Interreg Alpine Space
Cooperative projects across borders on Alpine region.
Proposal deadline: 13 October
CIFAR Azrieli Global Scholars
Grants in the research programs Future Flourishing, Gravity & the Extreme universe, Humanity's Urban Future, and The Multiscale Human.
Application deadline: 30 October (11.59 pm PDT)
Biodiversa+
New international call for projects on nature-based solutions.
Submission deadline pre-proposal (mandatory): 10 November.
Submission deadline full proposal: 9 April 2024
Water 4 All
New international call for projects on aquatic ecosystems services.
Deadline pre-proposal: 13 November
Deadline full proposal: 29 April 2024
Driving Urban Transitions
Transnational research and innovation projects addressing urban challenges towards a more sustainable economy and functioning.
Deadline pre-proposal: 21 November
Deadline full proposal: 30 April 2024
Clean Energy Transition Partnership CET
Covers different topics and RDI types and is structure around 12 modules, e.g., carbon capture, utilization, and storage, or hydrogen and renewable fuels.
Deadline pre-proposal: 22 November
Deadline full proposal: 27 March 2024
DKMS John Hansen Research Grant
Focus on blood stem cell transplantation and cell therapy for hematological diseases.
Submission deadline: 30 November
Check out Research Professional for more national and international Calls.