Stick to Science - The exclusion of Switzerland from European Research

In this episode of the podcast, ETH researchers and the former Director-General of Research and Innovation at the European Commission talk about Switzerland's exclusion from Horizon Europe.
Robert-Jan Smits, Katharina Gapp and Andreas Wallraff. (Picture: ETH Zurich)

Horizon Europe is the European Union’s multi-​billion-euro research programme. Until a year ago, Switzerland was an associated country. Scientists at Swiss universities could apply for prestigious grants from the European Research Council. Due to political differences, Switzerland is now largely excluded from this programme.

Robert-Jan Smits talks in no uncertain terms in the ETH Podcast. Smits is the former Director-General of Research and Innovation at the European Commission and wants research to reunite. Stick to Science is not only a petition that he and many others signed. He truly believes that this is the only way to advance research. ETH professor Andreas Wallraff and ERC Starting Grant recipient Katharina Gapp also talk about their frustration at the impact that politics is having on their research, namely quantum and neuroscience.

More information

The Stick to Science initiative has been set up by the European research community calling for open and barrier-free collaboration among Europe’s research and innovation (R&I) actors, who all share the same values. The initiative is an active response to the delayed  progression of association agreements with Switzerland and the United Kingdom (UK), which are being held up by political barriers that have nothing to do with science. 

Stick to Science Website