Applied Research Partnership Grants
Applied Research Partnership Grants support the deepening of an existing partnership or the establishment of a new partnership through a joint research project in any scientific discipline, or activities in the field of education.
This Special Call is a one-time only, special call focusing on applied research.
The call is now closed.
Grant sum: max. 25 kCHF
Project duration: up to 12 months
Eligible partners: located in China, Hong Kong, Japan, Macau, South Korea, Taiwan and ASEAN member states.
Goals and objectives
The 2023 Special Call for Applied Research Partnership Grants is a special call that supports applied research projects with collaborating institutions in China, Hong Kong, Japan, Macau, South Korea, Taiwan and ASEAN member states. The collaboration can be based on a new partnership or on an existing partnership between researchers and scientists affiliated to a Swiss institution and researchers affiliated to an Asian institution.
The goal of this instrument is to allow researchers to conduct feasibility studies or pilot projects in order to apply for grants from other funding agencies. Applied Research Partnership Grants can fund the preparation of a joint project proposal for submission to other funding agencies (e.g. national funding agencies or EU funding schemes) or research projects to develop long-term partnerships between two institutions or research groups. Activities to intensify joint teaching or curriculum development are also eligible for this grant.
Eligibility
The call is open to all scientific disciplines and fields of research, including social sciences and humanities. The call aims at strengthening applied research collaborations.
Switzerland-based main applicant:
Professors, senior scientists and postdoctoral researchers of Swiss federal and cantonal universities, universities of applied sciences and universities of teacher education, as well as public research institutes, are eligible to apply. Please check the eligible institutions here. The Switzerland-based scientist is the main applicant.
Note to applicants from UAS/UTE: UAS/UTE staff with research responsibility (group leaders, researchers with 5+ years of experience) and in equivalent functions are eligible to apply. If in doubt or in case you are not sure whether your position is eligible to act as a Principle Investigator (PI), please email .
Asia-based collaborator:
The Asia-based collaborator must be a scientist affiliated with a university or a public research institute from one of the partner countries or territory. The Asia-based co-PI must hold a faculty or senior scientist position or be a researcher with a doctoral degree (Ph.D. or equivalent) with several years of research experience.
Asia-based researchers interested in acting as co-applicants on the Asian side have to contact their Switzerland-based peers.
Applied research vs basic research
According to the external page SR 420.1 - Federal Act of 14 December 2012 on the Promotion of Research and Innovation (RIPA), the definition of 'applied research' is the following:
"Scientific research (research) means the method-based search for new knowledge; it covers in particular:
1. basic research: research, the main goal of which is to gain knowledge,
2. applied research: research, the main goal of which is to contribute solutions to practical problems;"
Application Process
The Switzerland-based applicant must apply to ETH Zurich as the Leading House Asia. The application must be submitted with the following attachments in one single pdf document (English).
The application shall include:
- Completed research plan
- CV of Switzerland-based PI (and any co-applicants), max. 2 pages each
- CV of Asia-based co-applicant (and any additional co-applicants), max. 2 pages each
- Any other supporting document(s)
Applications that do not follow the instructions above will be dismissed.
Interested in getting to know more about the 'Research Partnership Grants' through the lens of former grantees?
→ Discover the LH Asia Research Grantee Stories.