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Swiss-Indian scientific cooperation

Indo-Swiss Joint Research Programme
A formal framework agreement in the field of science and technology, which eventually led to the initiation of the Indo-Swiss Joint Research Programme (ISJRP), was signed in 2003. This programme was initiated by the Swiss State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation (SERI) in Switzerland, and the Department of Science and Technology (DST) on the Indian side. Started as a pilot programme, it has since developed into a competitive research funding programme. The Swiss National Science Foundation is responsible for the management of calls for the joint research projects.

The Swiss National Foundation (SNSF) has a mandate to implement the bilateral programmes of the Swiss Confederation, which are aimed at promoting and strengthening scientific cooperation between Switzerland and non-European countries, including India. This is done thorough calls for Joint Research Projects, which enable researchers from Switzerland to address specific research questions together with researchers from the above-mentioned partner countries.

To date, the Swiss side has provided some CHF 19 M for the programme, which has been matched by the Indian side. It has funded joint research projects in fields such as information and communication technologies; the life sciences; materials science and nanotechnologies; human health sciences and medical sciences; sustainable urban development and renewable energy sources.

For more information: 

Swissnex in India
Swissnex is the Swiss global network connecting the dots in education, research, and innovation. Its mission is to support the outreach and active engagement of our partners in the international exchange of knowledge, ideas and talent. The six main Swissnex locations are established in some of the world’s most innovative regions. Together with some twenty Science and Technology Offices (STO) and Counsellors (STC) based in Swiss Embassies, they contribute to strengthen Switzerland’s profile as a world-leading innovation hotspot.

The Swissnex network has a presence in the USA (Boston and San Francisco), Brazil, China, India, and Japan. An initiative of the Swiss State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation (SERI) in association with the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs, Swissnex in India is part of the Consulate General of Switzerland in Bangalore.

Swissnex in India connects Swiss and Indian players across disciplines with a focus on health (from antimicrobial resistance, digital health, gene therapy, to rare and neglected tropical diseases), sustainability (with a focus on biodiversity, decarbonisation and renewable energy), and digital transformation.

For more information: https://swissnex.org/india/ 

Swissnex in India is the ‘go-to’ partner for cooperation with Switzerland in the areas of:

  • University Partnerships: Connecting Swiss and Indian universities at department, faculty, researcher and student levels; enabling the exchange of ideas and catalysing collaborations.
  • Start-up Partnerships: Serves as a launchpad for Swiss start-ups to expand into the Indian market.
  • Corporate Innovation: Enabling corporates to map the opportunities and find solutions from the right start up partners, and across industries

The Indo-Swiss Innovation Platform, a joint initiative of Swissnex in India, the Embassy of Switzerland in India and the Swiss Business Hub India was launched on October 2023 to give the Indo-Swiss collaboration a more strategic and systemic dimension, moving beyond ad hoc-only collaborations. The Platform aims to contribute towards achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Health, sustainability and digital transformation are initial priority areas and activities under the platform have already been initiated.

For more information: https://swissnex.org/india/indo-swiss-innovation-platform/ 
 

Leading House for India
 The Zurich University of Applied Sciences (ZHAW) is the Leading House for research collaboration with partner institutions in South Asia and Iran. Mandated by the Swiss State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation (SERI), the ZHAW promotes and fosters scientific cooperation with key institutions in South Asia and Iran. The South Asia region includes Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, the Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka, with Iran as an additional country.

For more information: https://www.zhaw.ch/en/research/leading-house-south-asia-and-iran/ 

To subscribe to the Leading House mailing list to be informed of upcoming opportunities:  https://www.zhaw.ch/en/research/leading-house-south-asia-and-iran/registration-form-leading-house-south-asia-and-iran/ 


Swiss National Science Foundation
The Swiss Funding schemes from the SNSF that provide opportunities for international partners to participate include the following:

Project funding: While applicants for funding from the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF) have to be employed in a Swiss research institution or university, in principle, they can spend up to 20% of the project funding that they receive from the SNSF for non-Swiss partners (research costs only).

For more information: https://www.snf.ch/en/WAvYcY7awAUGolST/funding/projects/projects-in-all-disciplines 

Ambizione: Ambizione grants are aimed at young researchers who wish to conduct, manage and lead an independent project at a Swiss higher education institution. The funding scheme would like to promote researchers from Switzerland as well from abroad. In addition, researchers working as non-professorial teaching staff at higher education institutions are entitled to apply for project funds under Ambizione. An Ambizione grant comprises the salary of the grantee and project funds, whereas, an Ambizione project grant contains only project funds. The grants are awarded for a maximum of four years.

For more information: https://www.snf.ch/en/N18L3oGWomTSSGkF/funding/careers/ambizione   

SNSF Starting Grants: This scheme, to lead an independent project and team in Switzerland, is targeted at applicants who intended to apply for an ERC Starting Grant or an Eccellenza or PRIMA grant to work in Switzerland. The scheme is open to all disciplines and topics and researchers of any nationality may apply. Applicants can request a budget of up to CHF 1.8 million for a period of five years.

For more information: https://www.snf.ch/en/w728UqT1Yw256Mz2/funding/snsf-starting-grants

Scientific Exchanges: Scientific Exchanges are aimed at researchers who want to host their own scientific event in Switzerland, invite colleagues from abroad for a research visit to Switzerland, or visit their colleagues in another country. Scientific conferences and workshops are the two types of events covered by the scheme. Research visits by Swiss researchers to other countries or by researchers from abroad to Switzerland are funded for a period of 1 to 6 months. For scientific events, the travel expenses and food and board costs of participants from abroad are covered, for research visits those of travelling guests

For more information:  https://www.snf.ch/en/wSd33rwrhn7Q16jI/funding/science-communication/scientific-exchanges 

For complete list of funding schemes see: https://www.snf.ch/en/A7fep1IPxz1XezVS/page/find-funding-scheme 


Studying in Switzerland and scholarship information
Information on the Swiss education landscape
Discover the Swiss education landscape and get information on Swiss universities, studying there, scholarships, visas and other practical information on moving to and living in Switzerland.
https://www.studyinswitzerland.plus/ 

Find the degree programme best adapted to your needs
This searchable database lists all the courses offered by the Swiss universities, the Universities of Applied Sciences and Arts, the Universities of Teacher Education and university level institutions.
https://studyprogrammes.ch/en/start 

Swiss Government Excellence Scholarships
Each year the Swiss Confederation awards Government Excellence Scholarships to promote international exchange and research cooperation between Switzerland and over 180 other countries. The Swiss Government Excellence Scholarships are aimed at young researchers from abroad who have completed a master’s degree or PhD. Three types of scholarships are awarded – Research, PhD and post doc. India is a priority country of the attribution of these scholarships. There are no predefined fields for these scholarships.
For more information: http://www.sbfi.admin.ch/scholarships_eng 

Send an email to newdelhi.scholarship@eda.admin.ch to receive the application package, when available. The package can also be downloaded from the website, when available.

Short term Research scholarships
ThinkSwiss Research Scholarships: These scholarships open doors for students from India, Australia and Singapore to the world of Swiss academia that combines high quality curriculum with innovative thinking. Master’s students or undergraduate students who have completed their 2nd year and are currently enrolled in an Indian university or institution are eligible to apply. It is open to students from all fields, with an acceptance letter from a professor at a Swiss university or institution for a research stay in his/her group. The scholarships can be availed for a duration of three months between April and December. 

For more information and application: https://swissnex.org/india/thinkswiss/ 

Scholarships from Swiss universities
Scholarship opportunities from Swiss universities and Swiss research organisations are listed at https://www.studyinswitzerland.plus/scholarships/ 

Scholarship and Job opportunities in Switzerland
ETH Get Hired is an ETH Zurich online job platform which aims to reach and connect students and employers - companies as well as universities - in Switzerland. Funded positions in academia and jobs in industry are advertised here.
For more information: https://eth-gethired.ch/en/ 

myScience is the career and information portal for scientists, specialists and engineers in Switzerland. myScience.ch gives an overview of science and research in Switzerland, and includes a job listing. myScience.ch is intended for researchers, scientists, engineers, academics, and everyone interested in science.
For more information: https://www.myscience.ch/en/jobs

 

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Last update 16.04.2024