The Swiss National Science Foundation’s temporary substitute for the European Research Council’s Starting Grants has received 145 applications since it was announced on 10 March.
The programme forms part of Switzerland’s back-up measures to support its researchers whilst they cannot apply for ERC funds. Following a referendum in favour of immigration quotas for EU citizens on 9 February, Switzerland’s participation as an associate member in Horizon 2020 and Erasmus+ was suspended.
This has prompted the SNSF to establish substitute funds for the ERC’s Starting Grant and Consolidator Grant programmes, open to both researchers in Switzerland or those looking to secure positions at Swiss institutions. The substitute programmes are using the same deadlines as their ERC counterparts.
The SNSF’s Starting Grant programme closed for applications on 25 March. It received applications from a total of 145 researchers, together requesting 219 million Swiss francs (€180m).
Mathematics, natural sciences and engineering received the highest number of applications, some 68 proposals. Biology and medicine were not far behind, garnering 52 applications. There were 25 proposals submitted in the field of humanities and social sciences.
In an announcement on 27 March, the SNSF said it will now begin to evaluate these proposals, with funding decisions due to be made by the end of 2014.
Meanwhile, the Starting Grants programme that the SNSF initiative is intended to replace has itself been suffering from technical problems. Following issues with its online submission portal, the ERC decided to extend the deadline for Starting Grant proposals by two days, to 27 March.