National Support Initiatives
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.
Swiss Quantum Initiative
In 2022, the Federal Council launched the Swiss Quantum Initiative (SQI), a national initiative to support quantum science and technology. The SQI aims to consolidate Switzerland’s position in this key scientific field, both in terms of research and innovation.
SPHN Data Coordination Center
The Data Coordination Center (DCC) is consolidating the achievements of the Swiss Personalized Health Network (SPHN) national support initiative. It will continue to coordinate national clinical health data during the 2025 to 2028 funding period. The Confederation launched the SPHN initiative in 2017 to develop personalised medicine in Switzerland; this initial initiative ended in 2024. The SPHN links and analyses large amounts of data so that diagnoses and therapies can be individually adapted to individual patients.
State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation SERI
Anna Brandenburg