Torsten Schwede, the new President of the Scientific Council of the SNSF, visits Brussels – at a crucial time for European research policy.
Many voices are being heard in Brussels at the moment, as we are in a decisive phase of policymaking for the European research and innovation sector in the coming years. The interim evaluation of the current Framework Programme, Horizon Europe, is expected soon, as is the proposal for the next EU Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF), which will set the budget and structure for the next Framework Programme, FP10 (2028–2034). The European Commission’s proposal for this programme is expected in the second half of 2025. How FP10 will be designed, and how it should be designed, is a key issue of debate at this crucial juncture. A fitting moment for the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF) to engage with key stakeholders in Brussels and to ensure the perspective of Swiss research funding is part of the discussion.
SwissCore had the pleasure of welcoming Torsten Schwede, the new President of the SNSF Research Council, and Laure Ognois, Head of International Cooperation at SNSF, to Brussels. During their visit, our colleagues from Switzerland engaged with key EU institutions, including the European Commission, representatives of the Polish Presidency of the EU Council, and members of the European Parliament. They also had fruitful discussions with the European Research Council (ERC), independent expert groups, and representatives of various science and research organisations. The visit also provided an opportunity for productive working meetings with Science Europe and with Science Business, as the SNSF is an active member in both organisations. Furthermore, the SNSF delegation met with the Minister of Science and Research from the State of Baden-Württemberg to underline the strong value of cross-border collaboration in research and to thank the German colleagues for their continued support in getting Switzerland back in Horizon Europe.
The many exchanges made it clear that there is a great need to highlight the importance of fundamental research. This is particularly true in an EU context that is currently focused on crisis response and centred on political goals aimed at boosting Europe’s competitiveness.
Finally, President Schwede also used the opportunity to visit the SwissCore team and get to know the colleagues and their work, as SwissCore is also an outpost of the SNSF in Brussels.