NCCR Guide 2013 - Schweizerischer Nationalfonds (SNF)

National Centres of Competence
in Research (NCCRs)
Goals and Implementation
In the year 2001 the Swiss National Science
Foundation launched the National Centres of
Competence in Research (NCCR). The main
goal of the currently 26 NCCRs is the promotion
of scientific excellence in areas of major
strategic importance for the future of Swiss
research, economy and society. NCCRs are
managed by leading houses institutionally
linked to universities or other distinguished
research institutions (home institutions). In
addition to the research teams at the home
institution, an NCCR sets up a network of
other research teams across Switzerland.
The maximum duration of an NCCR is 12
years. The three underlying principles of
NCCRs are:
• Research: NCCRs carry out research of
excellent quality, spanning basic research to
applications. There is a number of individual
projects doing the actual research work in
each NCCR. The NCCR director ensures the
coherence and integration of the individual
projects.
• Knowledge and technology transfer: NCCRs
develop links with the potential users of their
results, and involve them in project planning
from the outset.
• Training and promotion of women: NCCRs
create the necessary structures and implement
measures required to train young scientists
(doctoral and postdoctoral students).
Particular attention is paid to the advancement
of women in research.
From a research policy point of view, NCCRs
should contribute to a better structuring
of the Swiss research environment, and to
optimised task assignment between research
institutions.
NCCRs are funded by the Swiss National
Science Foundation (SNSF), participating
institutions – in particular the home institutions
– and third parties. The 26 existing
NCCRs receive a total of CHF 55 million in
SNSF funding for 2013.
Calls for submissions to set up NCCRs were
first made in January 1999. Priority was given
to four areas of research: life sciences, social
sciences and humanities, sustainable development
and environment, and information
and communication technologies. A share of
the overall budget was also made available
to projects involving promising topics from
outside these priority areas. The SNSF assessed
the projects in two stages: a pre-proposal
stage, with 82 projects submitted, and a
full-proposal stage, with 34 submissions.
The SNSF presented 18 full proposals of outstanding
merit to the Federal Department of
Home Affairs, which made the final selection
of 14 NCCRs according to federal research
policy in December 2000.
A second call for NCCRs in the field of Social
Sciences and Humanities was launched in
October 2003. After a thorough evaluation of
44 pre-proposals and 17 full proposals 6 new
NCCRs started in autumn 2005.
A third call launched in 2008 was open for
all scientific fields. It resulted in the submission
of 54 pre-proposals in December 2008
and of 28 full proposals in September 2009.
In March 2010 another 8 NCCRs were approved
for funding.
In summer 2009 several NCCRs could profit
from the economic stimulus package decided
by the Swiss government and parliament
in order to fight the economic crisis. 28 out
of 43 projects submitted jointly by NCCRs
and companies were accepted. They run for 2
years and focus on the transfer of results into
practical applications. After a fourth NCCR
call open to all disciplines 63 pre-proposals
were submitted in 2012. In 2013 the SNSF
will evaluate the expected 22 full proposals.
Those which will be funded can start their
work in 2014.
Within the SNSF, Division IV of the National
Research Council is responsible for NCCRs.
An international Review Panel is set up for
each NCCR to assess its progress regularly.
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