Kommission Forschungsnetzwerke
1. Introduction
The SCNAT supports the establishment and operation of coordination offices of global Research Networks in Switzerland as well as the operation of Networking Institutions. This support aims to strengthen Switzerland's position as a knowledge hub on global, complex and interdisciplinary research issues as well as to facilitate the access of Swiss researchers to the most important networks in their respective fields of knowledge. During 2024, the coordination offices of 4 global research networks – GMBA (Global Mountain Biodiversity Assessment), GSRNet (Global Stress and Resilience Network, EPFL), MRI (Mountain Research Initiative, Geneva), PAGES (Past Global Changes, Bern) and 2 Networking Institutions – IHES (Institut des Hautes Études Scientifiques, Paris) and ISSI (International Space Science Institute, Bern) – were supported.
As a working group of the SCNAT Executive Board, the Commission for Research Networks manages all tasks associated with this funding, from evaluating research network applications to monitoring the activities of the funded networks and research institutions. The Commission is supported by a Scientific unit that is part of the SCNAT General Secretariat.
2. Commission
In 2024, the Commission held meetings in March and December and decided these main issues:
– Continued funding: The application for funding for IHÉS for 2024-26 was approved.
– Reporting: The scientific progress reports and/or financial reports provided by GMBA, MRI, PAGES, IHÉS and ISSI for the ongoing funding were considered and endorsed.
– Funding post-2026: Given the continued constraints on funding from the State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation (SERI) for the fulfilment of the Commission's tasks, high-level consultations with representatives from SERI and Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF) took place that involved members of both the SCNAT Board and the Commission. As the outcome was not satisfactory, at its second meeting in 2024 the Commission adopted a funding model with three principal changes and to be applied from January 2027. This proposal would be put to the SCNAT Board for a final decision in 2025.
In terms of membership, Sonja Wipf stepped down from the Commission by the end of 2024.