On Thursday, the European Research Council (ERC) offered 26 Consolidator Grants to researchers in Switzerland, each worth around CHF2 million ($2.1 million). But the funding is only available if researchers move away from Switzerland to an EU university.
In January, Swiss researchers also had to reject more millions from the EU’s Horizon Europe programme for the same reason.
This is because Switzerland and the EU cannot agree on a legal basis for future political and economic ties. Negotiations to establish new foundations for bilateral relations foundered in 2021. As a consequence, Switzerland is no longer invited to play a full part in the Horizon Europe research and innovation project.
As the latest round of funding applications were submitted before political talks collapsed, the ERC went ahead with the awards – but with the catch that research must be carried out at an EU university.
This caveat has forced four researchers at the federal technology institute ETH Zurich to turn down their grants. In January, 11 ERC Starting Grants (out of 28 awarded to Switzerland as a whole) worth CHF17 million, also went begging at ETH Zurich.
The ERC has awarded a total €632 million to 313 researchers from 42 different countries, including 26 in Switzerland. Only the two grants awarded to the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN) on the border with France do not require researchers to move out of Switzerland.
The Swiss State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation (SERI) has agreed to substitute the lost funding over the next five years.
But the Horizon Europe programme also allows researchers to collaborate with top scientists and institutions around the EU.
If Switzerland and the EU can’t reach political agreement, Swiss researchers will in future be completely frozen out of the €95 billion Horizon Europe programme unless they join up with EU partners.
“Now, in each case, at least three scientific partners from the EU or an associated country are required for submissions to Horizon Europe. Unfortunately, nothing will be possible alone,” said Detlef Günther, Vice President for Research at ETH Zurich.
Doctors Without Borders demands Swiss Gaza clarification
This content was published on
The NGO Doctors Without Borders (MSF) has challenged Swiss foreign minister Ignazio Cassis to explain his controversial Gaza statements.
Data centres use four times more electricity than average
This content was published on
The power consumption of data centres, used in particular for AI, is four times higher than average, warns the International Telecommunication Union.
One in five bee colonies failed to survive Swiss winter
This content was published on
Almost a fifth of bee colonies in Switzerland failed to survive the winter. Losses have been greater than in previous years.
Switzerland condemns deadly attack on UN convoy in Sudan
This content was published on
Switzerland has strongly condemned the deadly attack on a United Nations humanitarian convoy in Sudan. Five people were killed, wrote the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA) on Platform X.
Most over-65s in Switzerland regularly use the internet
This content was published on
The digital divide is narrowing faster than expected in Switzerland. A study published on Wednesday reveals that nine out of ten over-65s use the internet.
Will Swiss president be forbidden from speaking English to counterparts?
This content was published on
Switzerland's president, Karin Keller-Sutter, should use one of the country's four national languages when communicating with international organisations, and not English, according to a motion that passed on Wednesday.
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.
Read more
More
Switzerland insists on separate bilateral deals with EU
This content was published on
Switzerland has firmly shut the door on a single charter governing relations with the European Union but is prepared to renegotiate a host of existing treaties.
Swiss universities warn of ‘serious consequences’ of Horizon Europe exclusion
This content was published on
A joint resolution urges the government to ensure full participation in the EU's Horizon Europe research funding scheme by the end of 2022.
Horizon Europe: Swiss researchers under pressure to relocate or forgo EU grants
This content was published on
Swiss-based researchers who were awarded Horizon Europe's first research grants will need to do their work outside Switzerland in the absence of an agreement with the EU.
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.