The Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF) is a federal research funding organisation mandated by the Federal Constitution and the Swiss National Science Foundation Act of 1 January 1966. The SNSF supports all fields of research in Switzerland, both at universities and at institutes of technology, as well as in applied research. In addition to its primary task of promoting scientific research, the SNSF also takes on responsibilities such as evaluating and monitoring the quality of Swiss research, spreading excellent research results, and encouraging young researchers.
The SNSF is governed by an independent Board of Trustees consisting of 12 members: six representatives from academia and six from industry/society. The Board elects the President for a renewable term of four years. The current President is Professor Thomas Hügli.
The SNSF has its headquarters in Bern and employs around 400 people. It is organised into seven Departments: Research Grants and Fellowships; Evaluation; Communication; International Affairs; Human Resources & Finance; Legal Affairs & Institutional Cooperation; Digitalisation & Scientific Information.
The budget for 2020 amounts to CHF 990 million (approx. EUR 860 million). Of this sum, 82% comes from direct federal funding, while 18% is generated through indirect federal contributions such as interest on investments or rebates on value-added tax paid on imports of laboratory equipment.
In line with its internationalisation strategy, the SNSF places great importance on cooperation agreements with other countries. These agreements define common goals and basic conditions for joint activities in specific areas related to science policy or specific disciplinary fields that are important for both partners involved