The Swiss Network for International Studies (SNIS) offers project grants for pluri-disciplinary research teams. The project grants run for two years and range from 100,000 to 300,000 Swiss Francs. The call for projects for 2019 is open until 16 January. 

Swiss institutions of higher education and research are invited to submit project proposals in the pluri-disciplinary field of international studies or relating to the special topic: What options for climate change mitigation without multilateralism? To apply, research teams must submit a pre-proposal that contains the description of the project (approx. 4-5 pages) as well as information on the submitting research team members. The SNIS Scientific Committee will then decide which applicants are invited to submit a full proposal.

Eligible Swiss institutions can submit project proposals that qualify as:

1. International studies: Projects carry out research on global issues that are either relevant in the international arena or at least concern multiple countries simultaneously. The SNIS considers that International Studies deal not only with the analysis of international relations, but also with political, economic, social, environmental, legal, health, scientific and development issues.

2. Pluri-disciplinary studies: Projects are pluri-disciplinary and they can include disciplines from the social and natural sciences. 

In addition to the above criteria, the SNIS strongly encourages collaborations with International Organizations and NGOs.

Thematically, submissions can be made in one of the following two sections:

1. General call: In any area of International Studies as defined above.
2. Special theme 2019: What options for climate change mitigation without multilateralism?

APPLICATION: FIRST ROUND
The application in the first round consists of a concise project description of 10,000 characters maximum, that has to be submitted in English and which should include the following points:

• Literature review
• Demonstration of the research gap
• Research question / hypothesis
• Methodology
• Research tasks, milestones
• Expected results and their relevance to scientific and practical advancements
• Bibliography

In addition to the project description the coordinator must indicate details on participating members.

Deadline for submission: 16 January 2019

Teams receiving an affirmative response for their pre-proposal will be invited to submit a full proposal. Details of this second round will be communicated to those teams.

CRITERIA FOR PROJECT SELECTION
Please note that all formal criteria and all primary evaluation criteria have to be met. Meeting one or more of the additional evaluation criteria is not strictly necessary, but considered as important assets.

Formal Criteria
At least one Swiss university or other Swiss institution of tertiary education or research must be involved as the leading institution in the project. The list of qualifying institutions can be found here. 

The project coordinator must be :

1. A full-time professor or full-time post-doctoral academic staff member employed on a multiple-year contract. In this case the SNIS will not fund the salary of the coordinator, but the coordinator’s contribution is considered as ‘in kind’ financing by the hosting institution;

OR (the coordinator must be)

2. A post-doctoral scientist employed at least 40% by an eligible Swiss academic institution for the duration of the project. In this case, up to 60% of the post-doctorate salary can be funded by the SNIS.

IMPORTANT: The coordinator of the project must not be working as a coordinator of an unfinished SNIS project at the moment of submission of the pre-proposal.

Primary Criteria
1. Projects must carry out research on global issues that are either relevant in the international arena or at least concern multiple countries simultaneously. Projects where a Swiss research team investigates a research question in a single foreign country without at least comparing these insights with data collected (on the same question) in Switzerland will not be funded.

2. Research questions and teams must be at least pluri-disciplinary and can include disciplines from the social and natural sciences The applicants must demonstrate the value added of the pluri-disciplinary approach and the team must be composed of experts from different academic backgrounds. 

3. The project must demonstrate: 

• Academic rigour
• Originality and value added against the corpus of established literature.
• The team has the necessary skills and experience to answer the research question.
• The team has the infrastructure and equipment necessary for carrying out the project.

Additional Criteria
1. Cooperation / joint research with international organisations and/or NGOs.
2. Policy relevance.
3. Involvement of two or more universities in Switzerland.
4. Involvement of researchers from abroad.
5. Interdisciplinary approach (which goes beyond the required pluri-/multi-disciplinarity).
6. Co-funding from other sources.
7. Involvement of PhD students and post-docs.
8. Involvement of local partners / researchers for case / field studies.
9. Use of SNIS

Full details of this call can be found on the SNIS website.