Rapid funding of unconventional ideas

The aim of Spark is to fund the rapid testing or development of new scientific approaches, methods, theories, standards, ideas for application, etc. It is designed for projects that show unconventional thinking and introduce a unique approach. The focus is on promising ideas of high originality, with minimal reliance on preliminary data. Taking risks is very welcome, but not a requirement in itself. The focus is on projects or ideas that are unlikely to be funded under other funding schemes.

Spark is open to any applicant with a doctorate or equivalent qualifications.

Submission deadline

No new call planned as yet

The Swiss Programme for International Research by Scientific Investigation Teams promotes team-oriented cross-border research.

Deadline

2 November

SPF grants are aimed at young researchers up to after their PhD who wish to pursue their research at a Swiss higher education institution for a period of 12-24 months.

This grant was established as a result of Switzerland's non-association to Horizon Europe since 2021, to permit postdoctoral researchers an alternative to the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) individual postdoctoral fellowships when they want to select Switzerland as their country of destination

The grant includes the postdoctoral fellow’s salary with social security contributions, financial contributions to research, and conference costs.

Submission deadline

1st December, 5 PM

Please consult the SPF Regulation to determine your formal eligibility (Chapter 2 of the Regulation).

Contact hosting department as soon as possible as internal deadline may apply.

The bilateral programmes of the Swiss Confederation are aimed at promoting and strengthening scientific cooperation between Switzerland and non-European countries that show high or promising research potential.

You will find more information about the calls, as well as links to the leading houses, on the web pages of the respective countries.

Want to launch a research project with partners abroad? The SNSF has two agreements in place that greatly simplify the submission and evaluation of such proposals: Weave and Lead Agency.

Swiss researchers will need to use either the Weave or the Lead Agency scheme, depending on the country where their research partners are based.