[ SERI Seed Grants with Russia & CIS Region | 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 & CIS Region (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Mongolia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine and Uzbekistan).

This call is designed to provide seed funding for projects in any disciplines between academic actors in Switzerland and the abovementioned countries.

Projects will be funded that:

• Build on mutual areas of excellence in both countries and in the institutions involved;
• Establish a foundation for collaboration beyond the funded term, with potential to receive external support;
• Emphasize mobility and contacts between young talents in Switzerland and the partner country and contribute to building and reinforcing networks in Science & Technology between Switzerland and the target region;
• Benefit from joint funding from the participating institution or other sources in the partner country (may also be in-kind contributions).

• 2 applicants holding a PhD: the PI must be from a Swiss university or research institution and the co-applicant from a university or research institution of the partner country.
• Applications by doctoral students must be submitted by their supervisors.

• Eligible costs in CH and the partner country: traveling, accommodation or workshop logistics, and/or other expenses if duly justified. However, regular salary costs for project participants will not be considered. Mobility can take place towards or from Switzerland.

• 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. It is recommended that the foreign partner make a financial contribution.