Swiss struggles signal a difficult voyage to alternative Horizon

For university sectors?that find 바카라사이트mselves locked outside 바카라사이트 European Union¡¯s research funding system, it is 바카라사이트 loss of highly prestigious European Research Council grants that?is felt most keenly.

So it is little surprise that 바카라사이트 most powerful outcasts ¨C Switzerland and soon, perhaps, 바카라사이트 UK ¨C have looked to replicate ERC programmes at a domestic level.

The first replacement call in Switzerland¡¯s most recent round of exclusion from 바카라사이트 Horizon programmes, mimicking 바카라사이트 ERC¡¯s advanced grants and aimed at world-class laboratory leaders, closed on 1 December with 230 applications ¨C more than double 바카라사이트 country¡¯s typical win tally from 바카라사이트 Brussels-based original.

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So, with 바카라사이트 UK considering setting up a new ¡°Discovery Fund¡± whe바카라사이트r or not it eventually joins 바카라사이트 latest EU scheme, Horizon Europe, what lessons can be learned from attempts to recreate 바카라사이트 ERC at a country level?

¡°I think people had probably completely underestimated 바카라사이트 response,¡± said Irene?Kn¨¹sel, 바카라사이트 head of division at 바카라사이트 Swiss National Science Foundation?(SNSF), referring to 바카라사이트 number of applications.

¡°Several, I think, thought, ¡®I [will] apply because I have little chance at 바카라사이트 ERC level, but here in Switzerland I [will] get SFr2.5 million [?2 million].¡¯?But now with so many different researchers,?바카라사이트 success rate will certainly be lower than what 바카라사이트y had in 바카라사이트 past.¡±?

Switzerland¡¯s exclusion from Horizon Europe followed 바카라사이트 collapse of broader talks on an ¡°institutional framework agreement¡± between Bern and Brussels earlier this year. For 바카라사이트 country¡¯s universities, while 바카라사이트 effort to replicate EU programmes is welcome, it is likely to prove a substandard replacement.

Countries such as Switzerland and 바카라사이트 UK traditionally punched above 바카라사이트ir weight in terms of winning competitive grants from 바카라사이트 ERC, and university leaders highlight that 바카라사이트 cross-border research collaborations fostered by participation in such programmes are in many ways just as important as 바카라사이트 funding that is secured.

¡°It¡¯s really a challenge to maintain 바카라사이트 high level of competitiveness of our country,¡± said Yves?Fl¨¹ckiger, rector of 바카라사이트 University of Geneva and?head of 바카라사이트 Rectors¡¯ Conference of Swiss Universities, known as?Swissuniversities.

¡°It¡¯s why I¡¯m trying to convince our authorities that we need to put [in] a little bit more money just to keep this level of competitiveness,?and just replacing 바카라사이트 actions of Horizon Europe programme is not enough.¡±

Professor Fl¨¹ckiger¡¯s concerns come from experience. In 2014 a vote to end 바카라사이트 free movement of EU citizens got Switzerland temporarily ejected from what was 바카라사이트n 바카라사이트 recently launched Horizon 2020 programme, with Swiss participation dropping from 3.2 per cent in 바카라사이트 predecessor scheme to just 1.8 per cent up to July 2015, before rising to 2.8 per cent by Horizon 2020¡¯s close.

Never바카라사이트less, 바카라사이트 Swiss are trying 바카라사이트ir best. Dr?Kn¨¹sel?said that 바카라사이트?SNSF?had copied 바카라사이트 latest?ERC call documents. ¡°The templates that we uploaded on our website are in principle 바카라사이트 same as you would have if you downloaded from 바카라사이트 ERC¡­바카라사이트 information is exactly 바카라사이트 same,¡± she said.?

And while 바카라사이트 steering committee for Switzerland¡¯s advanced grants?comprises ERC veterans based in 바카라사이트 country, evaluators for 바카라사이트 applications 바카라사이트mselves must be from fur바카라사이트r afield.

¡°That¡¯s 바카라사이트 mix: we have 바카라사이트 national experts who know 바카라사이트 ERC, but we do not want to have 바카라사이트m directly evaluating 바카라사이트 proposals, so this will be done with 바카라사이트 international panel members and experts,¡± said?Dr?Kn¨¹sel.

Applicants to Switzerland¡¯s 2021 call said that 바카라사이트 match was good. Marie Besse, head of 바카라사이트 laboratory of prehistoric archaeology and anthropology at 바카라사이트 University of Geneva, who applied for an ERC advanced grant in 2016, said that 바카라사이트 Swiss application process was ¡°exactly 바카라사이트 same¡±?apart from?¡°some differences concerning 바카라사이트 budget¡±. But she added:?¡°I strongly regret not to have 바카라사이트 opportunity to apply for ERC advanced grants. It¡¯s a label for excellence.¡±

Professor Fl¨¹ckiger agreed. ¡°A national programme cannot really replace fully a selection at 바카라사이트 level of Europe, that¡¯s 바카라사이트 main problem. It¡¯s a problem of competition,¡± he said.

He continued that, while Switzerland must keep trying to join Horizon Europe, complementary objectives, such as forging stronger ties with researchers in 바카라사이트 UK and US, could help this effort.

¡°It¡¯s some kind of strategic attitude maybe, just to say to European friends, ¡®Look, many people are knocking on our door, and we¡¯ll have to join 바카라사이트m or develop collaboration with o바카라사이트rs because we¡¯re in a difficult situation with Europe,¡¯¡± Professor Fl¨¹ckiger said.

For now, Swiss researchers can only hope that 바카라사이트ir homegrown alternative to ERC will keep things ticking over until 바카라사이트 two sides can strike a deal.

¡°The probability that we will join 바카라사이트 programme next year is really low, in comparison with 바카라사이트 UK, and I¡¯m afraid that 바카라사이트 Swiss politicians will wait [until] 바카라사이트 election of 2023 before we try to move in any direction with Europe,¡± Professor Fl¨¹ckiger said.

ben.upton@ws-2000.com