Funding instruments

National Centres of Competence in Research are a means used by the federal government to promotes high-level research of strategic importance. They are long-term projects that focus on research topics relevant to science, society and the economy.

Through National Research Programmes (NRPs), the Confederation supports research projects that address societal questions and challenges of national importance. The Federal Council periodically decides on the topics and budget allocation of NRPs. Since 1974, 84 NRPs have been launched covering a wide range of topics.

A ‘National Support Initiative’ is an instrument enabling the federal government to coordinate national research and innovation projects. In terms of organisation and funding, these initiatives are large-scale and go beyond the regular remit of research funding institutions (i.e. Swiss National Science Foundation, Swiss Academies of Arts and Sciences and Innosuisse). Examples include the Swiss Quantum Initiative (SQI, since 2022) and the Swiss Personalised Health Network (SPHN, 2017–2024). These two initiatives are being implemented by the Swiss Academies of Arts and Sciences on behalf of the federal government.