Switzerland: a hub of research activity

Switzerland has superior qualities and skills in education, science and technology which are recognised internationally. The competitiveness of Switzerland is due to the considerable investment into research. On a percentage basis, the amount Switzerland spends on research and development in relation to gross domestic product (GDP) puts this country near the top of the list. More than two-thirds of these resources come from the private sector with the major interest coming from the chemical, pharmaceutical, electronics and metallurgical industries.

The federal legislation puts the onus for the promotion of scientific research on the Confederation, which in turn has created various instruments including in particular the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF) and the Innovation Promotion Agency CTI to carry out this task.

• The Swiss National Science Foundation is the most important instrument of the Confederation for the promotion of research and the development of a new generation of scientists. The foundation which was set up in 1952 supports scientific research at Swiss tertiary education institutions and independent research institutes. The main thrust of the foundation's activity is the financial backing of high-quality individual projects in the sphere of general basic research. The promotion of young scientific talent is achieved through grants for future and advanced researchers and exchange programmes with various partner countries. The SNSF is also responsible for carrying out the National Research Programmes (NRP) and for the National Centres of Competence in Research (NCCR).
• The CTI is the Swiss Confederation’s innovation promotion agency. For more than 60 years it has supported the transfer of knowledge and technology between businesses and universities. The CTI promotes the development and application of new technologies. It brings dynamic companies and researchers at universities together by supporting their cooperation in applied R&D. CTI services range from action programmes in the field of informatics to support for setting up high-tech firms. The tools of the CTI can also be used by small and medium-sized enterprises.
   

Basic research, applied research, innovation

Basic research is carried out in Switzerland mainly by universities and the Federal Institutes of Technology. The Universities of Applied Sciences on the other hand concentrate on applied research and development and pursue the establishment of close contacts between their laboratories and those in the private sector.

The cooperation between the Universities of Applied Sciences and the private sector has developed rapidly over the past 10 years. Besides the activities of the CTI, an important instrument for the creation of synergies between the public and private sectors is the so-called European Union Framework Programme for Research and Technological Development. These programmes encourage cooperation on a European level between universities and firms, particularly SMEs. Swiss participation in these programmes is one of the most important priorities of this country's international science policy.

Efforts to integrate Swiss research activities into those taking place internationally began in the early 1950s; since then these efforts have been consistently reinforced through Swiss membership in the most important international research organisations and Swiss participation in the main international research programmes.