Collaborative grants

Explore the most popular and prestigious funding opportunities for collaborative projects by researchers at EPFL.

For an extensive list, take a look at our Compendium for Collaborations.

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Not sure where to start? Contact the Research Office for personalized advice!

Collaborations in Switzerland

 

BRIDGE Discovery supports experienced researchers for basic and applied research to implement the innovative potential of research findings.

The 2025 edition of the CROSS program calls upon researchers at EPFL and the University of Lausanne to submit proposals for joint projects that bring the natural sciences and engineering together with the social sciences and humanities. Through this annual call, CROSS provides competitive grants to support new seed research endeavors that have the potential to grow into full-scale interdisciplinary research projects. Up to six grants of a maximum of CHF 60,000 per project will be distributed.

The 2025 CROSS call is open to all topics.

Research collaboration between at least two ETH Domain institutions, with possibility of additional external partners.

  • Deadline: call currently closed. Next call, end of 2025.

The Flagship Initiative aims to foster systemic innovation that helps to overcome major challenges for the economy and society and to promote transdisciplinary project collaboration. 

Topic of the Flagship call 2024: Artificial Intelligence in Life Sciences with a Focus on Human Health

Fondation Leenaards supports people and institutions in the fields of culture, aging and biomedical science in the Lake Geneva region. The annual Leenaards Prize for Translational Medical Research is awarded to collaborative projects, which investigate a clinical problem, linking it to a component of advanced basic research.

The National Research Programmes (NRP) support coordinated research projects that contribute to the solution of urgent problems of national importance.

Make your ideas reality with the SNSF! The Project Funding programme now enables Swiss researchers to collaborate with applicants and project partners in Switzerland.

International collaborations

COST Actions (European Cooperation in Science and Technology) is a funding organisation for research and innovation networks.

Eureka is a public network for international cooperation in R&D and innovation, present in over 45 countries. Several calls are open to Switzerland-based researchers:

Eureka webpage

Targeted to a group of two to maximum four Principal Investigators (PIs) – of which one will be designated as the corresponding PI (cPI) – working together and bringing different skills and resources to tackle ambitious research problems. EPFL researchers can apply as co-recipient when the project lead is located in an associated country.

Horizon Europe is the EU funding programme for research and innovation running from 2021 to 2027 with a €100 billion budget. 

Swiss entities are eligible to participate in most Horizon Europe collaborative calls. For more information please check the SERI Factsheet and the Q&A documents.

The International Co-Investigator Scheme provides funding for cross-border projects which include a subproject abroad.

The agreement with Denmark, Norway, Sweden and the Netherlands covers all disciplines, while the agreement with the UK is limited to the humanities and social sciences

The Lead Agency process allows researchers in Switzerland and a partner country (France, USA and others)  to submit a joint research proposal to either of the two national funding organisations. Partnering countries are France, Israel, USA, South Africa, State of Sao Paolo, Province of South Tyrol. At SNSF, application occur through the project funding scheme.

Make your ideas reality with the SNSF! The Project Funding programme now enables Swiss researchers to collaborate with applicants and project partners from abroad.

SPIRIT: the New SNSF programme for international scientific collaboration with countries receiving development assistance.

In the Weave funding scheme, researchers from two to three European countries submit a joint proposal to one of the funding organisations involved. Weave simplifies the submission of joint applications by centralising evaluation at a single agency.

Partnering countries are Belgium, Germany, Croatia, Luxembourg, Austria, Poland, Sweden, Slovenia and Czech Republic. At SNSF, application is integrated into the project funding scheme.

 

Compendium for Collaborations

Extensive presentation of special funding opportunities for collaborations financed by the Swiss National Science Foundation (Part 1), Horizon Europe (Part 2), and International funders (Part 3).

Personalized Grant Writing Services

We offer support to strengthen the clarity and impact of your proposal. We can also coordinate the preparation of large collaborative proposals!

 

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