[ SERI | OPPORTUNITY GRANTS WITH CHINA, JAPAN, SOUTH KOREA AND THE ASEAN REGION ]

The State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation (SERI) mandated the ETH Zurich as Leading House for bilateral collaboration with partner institutions in Asia.  In 2021, the Leading House Asia ETH Zurich opened a call for proposals for opportunity grants with China (incl. Hong Kong and Taiwan), Japan, South Korea and the ASEAN member states.

Who can apply:

• Postdoctoral scientists, senior scientists and professors (single or in a consortium) of Swiss federal and cantonal universities, universities of applied sciences, universities of teacher education, as well as public research institutions.
• The main applicant must be employed at one of the aforementioned Swiss institutions.
• The proposal has to include at least one co-applicant from one of the partner countries. Co-applicant(s) will have to provide their own funds (cash and in-kind).

• Support to bottom-​up initiatives of Swiss researchers linked to specific events or incidents in the partner countries (China, incl. Hong Kong and Taiwan, Japan, South Korea, ASEAN).
• Examples of events: large public happenings (such as the Olympic Games, international or national expositions/biennales), major environmental events (such as the implications of a typhoon, earthquake or tsunami), major economic and political developments (such as the geopolitical implications of a presidential visit or a shift of power in a government), launch of a new public policy (such as new impactful agriculture or migration policies).
• Examples of activities: organisation of thematic events for a broader audience or application of a Swiss technology or research results
• Objective: increase the visibility of Swiss science and technology abroad or apply its results to a concrete development or challenge.
• The call is open to all disciplines.

• Application deadline: 18 July 2021
• Decision: early November 2021
• Earliest project start: January 2022