Grants Office Newsletter December 2020
The last issue of our newsletter in this turbulent year informs you about the new Ethics Commission of the University of Basel and the latest developments regarding Horizon Europe and Open Access. We also present the new project QLSI from the Quantum Physics.
Above all we would like to thank you for the great cooperation and wish you relaxing holidays.
Covid-19: What lessons for multilateralism?
In addition to general projects in the field of international studies, SNIS asks in its 2021-call for projects that focus on the consequences of the pandemic on multilateralism, particularly in view of climate change actions. The call offers project grants worth up to CHF 300’000 for pluri-disciplinary teams working on international studies. The deadline for pre-proposals is 21 January 2021. Check the SNIS website for further information.
Horizon Europe: Positive signals from the State Secretariat
In a letter to actors in the Swiss research and innovation landscape from 23 October, State Secretary Martina Hirayama informs about the current situation regarding Switzerland's association with Horizon Europe, Euratom, Digital Europe and ITER. Although negotiations with the EU can only take place in 2021, the SERI encourages researchers to participate in the first calls for proposals as it expects a retroactive association. Also, for Pillar II (Global Challenges), participation of researchers from Switzerland is secured irrespectively of the association status.
As you can see in the event section of this newsletter, there will be a number of online information events on different schemes under Horizon Europe. Further thematic events will follow. The national launch event of Horizon Europe will take place on February 17 – 18. Also, please contact the Grants Office if you are interested in more detailed information about the expected calls under Horizon Europe.
University of Basel Ethics Commission (UEK)
Requirements of journals and funding organizations on ethics and data protection are increasing. Moreover, new technologies and research methods may entail higher ethical risks when working with human participants. In order to support researchers in fulfilling their ethical responsibility, the University of Basel has established an Ethics Commission.
Basel Quantum Physics on the wave of success
Another great success for the Basel Quantum Physics: Together with a consortium of 19 partners from 8 European countries, Dominik Zumbühl and Daniel Loss received 15 million Euros from the FET Flagship on Quantum Technology for their project "QLSI" – Quantum Large Scale Integretion in Silicon. This is already the fifth project within the highly competitive Flagship program in which the Basel Physics are involved. QLSI will ideally complement the NCCR SPIN, of which Uni Basel is Leading House.
Open Access
In March 2021 the European Commission will launch its Open Access publishing platform Open Research Europe. The platform was established to provide Horizon 2020 (and later Horizon Europe) beneficiaries across all disciplines with a rapid and easy possibility to publish EU funded research at no cost and in full compliance with the Commission’s open access policies. The platform offers publication of preprints within days of submission followed by an invited open peer review. Click below for information on the University of Basel Open Access policy and related funding sources.
SNSF Eccellenza Fellowships: Deadline February 1st 2021
The next deadline for SNSF Eccellenza Professorial Fellowships is 1st February 2021. The SNSF requires a detailed letter of support from the Department and a confirmation from the Rectorate. A template for the department letter as well as a budget calculator for the calculation of project costs, can be found in the Grants Tool. In order for the confirmation from the Rectorate to be issued on time, we need to receive the support letter from the department and the grants tool entry by 15th January 2021.
Join the Grants Office on Twitter!
The Grants Office News, which you receive four times a year, has become an important tool to keep you informed about calls, events and anything important related to third-party funding. Additionally you can now follow us on Twitter @BaselGrants for more updates and broader information on topics such as research and innovation policy, and trends and developments in research funding.
More Successes!
The Grants Office would like to congratulate:
- 3 new ERC Consolidator Grants: Nicola Aceto, Médéric Diard, Christof Sparr
- 7 new Eccellenza Fellowships: Karin Hediger, Andreas Keller, Nemiah Ladd, Patrick Potts, Anne-Kathrin Pröbstel, Kataharina Timper, Pascale Vonaesch
- 2 new Eccellenza Grants: Jonathan De Roo, Flavio Donato
- Six Innosuisse Grantees: Melpomeni Fani, Beat Göpfert, Christoph Handschin, Cornelia Palivan, Vesna Petkovic and Manual Spitchan/Christian Cajochen
- Rod Lim and Matthias Briel for their COST Projects
- Torsten Schwede as participant in Horizon 2020 collaborative project LIGATE
