Swiss research community

Basic research is primarily carried out by universities and the Federal Institute of Technology Zurich (ETHZ) and the Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale Lausanne (EPFL). Universities of Applied Sciences (UAS) concentrate on applied research and development, with a view to forging closer links between industry and the world of academe.

Swiss researchers are involved in many programmes both in Europe and the rest of the world. Switzerland is also an active player in a large number of research programmes. Working on behalf of the federal government, both the State Secretariat for Education and Research (SER) and the Federal Office for Professional Education and Technology (OPET) facilitate the smooth transfer of knowledge within international research networks.

The Swiss Academies of Arts and Sciences are an association of the Swiss Academy of Natural Sciences (SCNAT), the Swiss Academy of Humanities and Social Sciences (SAHS), the Swiss Academy of Medical Sciences (SAMS), and the Swiss Academy of Technical Sciences (SATS). These four academies pool their respective strengths and coordinate their efforts to ensure the best possible outcomes. The centre of excellence for technology assessment (TA-SWISS) and the “Science et Cité” Foundation are also part of this association. As well as bringing science and the public close together, the academies oversee medium- and longer-term projects, such as the Historical Dictionary of Switzerland.

International and private institutions are also heavily involved in research. For example, there is the European laboratory of the American high-tech company IBM in Rüschlikon, near Zurich. At the other end of Switzerland, on the outskirts of Geneva, is the headquarters of the European Organisation for Nuclear Research (CERN).