[ SERI – Joint Research Preparation Grants with Russia | Research funding ]

The University of Geneva (UNIGE) has been mandated by the Swiss State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation (SERI) as Leading House for cooperation in Science and Technology between Switzerland and Russia.

In this role, UNIGE has launched a Call for joint Research Preparation Grants (RPG) between Switzerland and Russia in all disciplines.

Research Preparation Grants are intended to allow first contacts and interactions between teams of Russian and Swiss researchers, leading up to joint applications for calls to be launched by the SNSF with its Russian counterparts, or other funding options.

Given the COVID-19 situation, maximum flexibility will be given in relation to the project’s implementation.

Who can apply:

• The PI must be from a Swiss institution and the collaborating partner from a Russian institution.
• Applications by doctoral students and postdoctoral scientists must be submitted by their supervisors.
• Collaborating partners must be affiliated with a university or a public research institute from the partner country. The collaborating partner must hold a faculty or senior scientist position or a doctoral degree (Ph.D. or equivalent) with several years of research experience.
• To make sure the exchanges are not limited to individuals and to warrant mid-term perspectives, applications by teams of at least two persons per country, including young researchers, are encouraged.

• Eligible costs: travel and accommodation costs for program coordinators and participants, catering, meals, material or venue hire, consumables and publication costs. Consumables and publication costs cannot constitute more than 20% of the budget.
• Does not cover: conference registration fees, salaries, scholarships, fees related to student exchanges, fees related to the participation of third parties, internet and telephone costs, and overheads.
• In-kind contributions: both the Swiss applicant and the Russian partner are required to make in-kind (e.g. work hours, usage of office or laboratory equipment, field visits, etc.) contributions.