Research & Funding

The ReO acts as a transmission belt between research and funding by public institutions and non-profit organisations such as foundations. It supports research teams looking for funding opportunities and assists them in drawing up funding applications and research agreements. It then provides support for these people in the field of administrative management throughout their research projects.

The TTO advises research teams on all matters relating to the management of intellectual property and its exploitation, particularly within the context of collaborations with industry and business. The TTO negotiates and approves research and service contracts with industrial partners. For TTO activities related to the exploitation of research results, see the chapter on “Valorisation & Technology Transfer“.

The ECO supports research teams in securing funding for scientific equipment and in preparing procurement procedures for all scientific equipment over CHF 50,000, particularly for public tenders when the amounts exceed CHF 230,000. It also approves the terms of use for EPFL equipment by third parties.

All research projects, contracts and use of scientific equipment belonging to EPFL must be recorded in the EPFL GrantsDB database.

Research and scientific service contracts and contracts concerning the use of scientific equipment by third parties are subject to the approval of the Vice Presidency for Academic Affairs according to the applicable directives.

When negotiating contract terms, you must ensure that:

• the research results can be published by EPFL (within a reasonable time),
• the allocation of rights on research results is appropriate and compatible with other existing contracts,
• EPFL’s liability is appropriately limited.

Ethical aspects, the generation or use of personal data and issues related to dual-use (civilian and military) technologies should also be reviewed (see chapters on “Research Involving Human Beings”, “Animal Experimentation” and “Export Laws”). In addition, the provision of services must be offered on terms that do not affect free competition.

When persons not employed by EPFL (e.g. students or guest researchers) participate, under EPFL’s responsibility, in a project, in services performed under a contract which foresees obligations or exploitation activities concerning rights on the results and/or confidentiality, such participants must sign an agreement with EPFL to enable the latter to fulfil these obligations or to complete this activity. The TTO and ReO provide templates.

The ReO, respectively TTO, sets the overhead rate according to EPFL directives (LEX 5.1.1), regardless of the contract amount. For public institutions or non-profit organisations which formalise the overhead rate, the maximum rate stated in their directives is applicable.

Fees for the use of scientific equipment belonging to EPFL by third parties are approved by the ECO.

Research contracts must be jointly signed by the Head of Unit concerned and an authorised representative of the Vice Presidency for Academic Affairs in accordance with the relevant directives in force (LEX 3.4.1).

Once the contract is signed by all parties, the Head of Unit is responsible for ensuring that all obligations specified in the contract are met (performance of research or services, ensuring of ethical compliance, respect of confidentiality, data protection, publication of results, granting of rights, acquisition of licences, billing, reporting, etc.).