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Dear Samuel Grütter,
As the year comes to a close, the Grants Office reflects on a successful yet challenging period marked by significant reorganization and transformation. We are proud to have navigated these changes effectively and to have supported you in achieving your research goals.
We extend our heartfelt thanks for your collaboration and trust throughout the year. It has been a privilege to be of service, and we hope our efforts have made a meaningful contribution to your success.
We wish you a joyful holiday season and a wonderful start to the new year!
Please note that our offices will be closed from 23 December 2024 to 3 January 2025. We look forward to continuing our work together in 2025.
The ETH Grants Office Team |
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| internal funding |
| Internal Research Promotion at ETH Zurich: Results from 2024 |
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| Image: Michael Lyrenmann / Gramazio Kohler Research / ETH Zurich |
The ETH Zurich Research Commission fosters young talent at the start of their careers and supports projects that push the boundaries of scientific knowledge. In December, the Commission concluded its second call for proposals in 2024.
Across all of ETH's departments, the following applications were supported in 2024: |
| • | | 34 ETH Grants, with a success rate of 32% |
| • | | 26 ETH Fellowships, with a success rate of 18% |
| • | | 18 ETH Career Seed Awards, with a success rate of 40% |
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We look forward to the exciting results these projects will deliver. A list of the funded proposals can be found on the Grants Office websites for the respective funding instruments.
The next call for proposals will open in spring, with a submission deadline of 1 March 2025. Visit our website dedicated to ETH Zurich Funding Opportunities for more details. |
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| internal funding |
| Collegium Helveticum Early-Career Fellowships – Deadline 15.02.2025 |
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| Image: Collegium Helveticum |
| The Collegium Helveticum is the joint Institute for Advanced Studies (IAS) of ETH Zurich, the University of Zurich and the Zurich University of the Arts, offering a platform for dialogue between the natural sciences, engineering, medicine, the humanities, social sciences and the arts. The application window for the 2025-2026 Early-Career Fellowship year is currently open until 15 February 2025 for researchers at the postdoc level. Applicants require a letter of recommendation from a faculty member at one of the three partner universities who is willing to become an associate fellow and act as an academic partner during the fellowship. Further information can be found at the dedicated website . |
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| internal funding |
| MedLab Fellowship Call - Deadline 01.03.2025 |
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| Image: Adobe Stock |
We are pleased to inform you that ETH Zurich has launched the fifth MedLab Fellowship Call.
The MedLab Fellowship Program at ETH Zurich is aimed at ambitious residents (“Assistenzärztinnen und -ärzte” with Dr. med.) who are interested in research and are on their way to become an FMH specialist. The fellowship provides the opportunity to conduct an independent clinical research project as well as to gain in-depth insights into basic research and research methods. In return, researchers at ETH Zurich are directly confronted with clinical issues, allowing them to pursue concrete and application-oriented development.
The key elements of the fellowship are: |
| • | | Funding: CHF 200,000 |
| • | | Duration: 1 year (full-time) to max. 3 years (part-time) |
| • | | Application: together with a professor of ETH Zurich who agrees to act as mentor |
| • | | Information brochure and guidelines: see the MedLab Fellowships’ webpage |
| • | | Deadline for proposal submission: 01 March 2025 |
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For further questions, please contact us at medlab@ethz.ch
We appreciate active forwarding of this information to eligible clinicians as well as to potential mentors at ETH Zurich. |
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| national funding |
| SNSF changes payment processes for Open Access publications from 1 January 2025 |
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| Image: ETH-Bibliothek Zürich |
Since 2018, the SNSF runs an independent funding instrument to cover “Article Processing Charges” (APC) when publishing the results of SNSF-funded research in pure Open Access journals. From 1 January 2025 the SNSF will only pay APC invoices directly to the publishers. APC invoices that have already been paid for will no longer be reimbursed. If submitted until 31 December 2024, paid APC invoices and accompanying proofs of payment will still be handled for reimbursement by SNSF’s service provider ChronosHub.
Beginning in January 2025, grantees need to submit the unpaid invoice to the SNSF via ChronosHub for funding.
Further details about Open Access funding guidelines of the SNSF and the funding process for SNSF-funded publications for ETH members are provided in the Open Access Wiki of the ETH Library.
The SNSF justifies this adjustment in its funding workflow with significant administrative effort when checking and handling the payments for reimbursements, the risk of unintended double payments to publishers, and complicated monitoring of OA costs. |
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| national funding |
| New SNSF Research Council: Members from ETH Zurich |
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| Image: Adobe Stock |
As part of the major reorganization of the SNSF, its Foundation Council elected the members of the new SNSF Research Council in December. The newly formed council will take office on 1 April 2025, completing the restructuring of the SNSF’s bodies.
The Research Council will be organized into five programme committees and one policy committee. It will be responsible for selecting grant applications, setting evaluation standards, and determining funding schemes and policies.
The following ETH faculty members will serve on the new SNSF Research Council: |
| • | | Academic Board
Prof. Rainer Wallny |
| • | | Programme Committee Projects
Prof. Kirsten Bomblies, D-BIOL
Prof. Manfred Fiebig, D-MATL
Prof. Mark Schimmelfennig, D-GESS
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| • | | Programme Committee Careers
Prof. Gudela Grote, D-MTEC
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| • | | Programme Committee International Cooperation
Prof. Jeffrey Bode, D-CHAB
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| • | | Programme Committee Long-term Research and Infrastructures
Prof. Eleni Chatzi, D-BAUG
Prof. em. Dimos Poulikakos, D-MAVT
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| • | | Programme Committee Thematic and Solution-oriented Research
Prof. Eleni Chatzi, D-BAUG
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| • | | Policy Committee
Prof. Jess Gerrit Snedeker, D-HEST
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The Research Council will be led by the new Academic Board, which replaces the former Presiding Board and begins its duties on 1 January 2025. It consists of six members, including Prof. Rainer Wallny (D-PHYS) from ETH Zurich.
These appointments enhance the Research Council’s expertise in key scientific areas. We extend our best wishes to all members as they continue their valuable contributions in the newly structured Research Council. |
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| national funding |
| SNSF Funding Regulations: Planning ahead for retirement |
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| Image: ETH-Bibliothek Zürich, Kunstinventar |
Researchers nearing retirement or emeritus status may face unexpected challenges when applying for SNSF funding. The SNSF strictly enforces a policy that disqualifies researchers from submitting funding applications once they have retired or attained emeritus status. This rule also applies if retirement or emeritus status is reached during the planned funding period. This will unequivocally result in your application not being considered.
At ETH Zurich, by contrast, doctoral thesis supervisors can continue to serve as examiners in doctoral examinations for up to one year after retiring, becoming emeriti, or leaving the university. They may also supervise doctoral students, subject to approval by their department and the Vice Rector for Doctoral Studies, as outlined in the Rector’s Implementation Provisions for the ETH Zurich Ordinance on the Doctorate.
However, ETH’s rules do not extend to the SNSF: their eligibility rules apply regardless of the flexibility offered by ETH Zurich.
To avoid complications with SNSF funding, it’s crucial to plan ahead. SNSF Project grants can have a duration of 1 to 4 years. Remember that the SNSF review process takes approximately six months, so proposals should be submitted well before your anticipated retirement. Careful timing of the proposed project’s start and end dates is essential to ensure eligibility and avoid unnecessary disappointment. |
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| events |
| Events organized by the Grants Office |
| Our own events are regularly published on our Events webpage. Have a look! |
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