Fondo Istituzionale per la Ricerca (FIR)

In order to apply to one of the four calls, please download the relevant documents from the right section of this website (call document, application form, budget form).

Fill out and submit your application form, together with all the necessary attachments in one single PDF file, to [email protected] by the September 1st, 17:00 

USI Doctoral Mobility Grant supports doctoral candidates enrolled at USI in undertaking research stays abroad. The scheme aims to strengthen the international dimension of doctoral training, enhance research collaborations, and promote the development of academic careers. The call is launched twice per year.

For more detailed information, please visit our dedicated webpage

Objectives:

To strengthen doctoral training, particularly by offering courses and other skills development activities for doctoral candidates.

Participants:

Institutes and faculties at USI, possibly in collaboration with institutes from other universities.

Duration and Funding:

Up to 100,000 CHF for a duration of 36 months. Eligible costs include:

• Organization of doctoral courses: fees, travel, and accommodation costs.

• Networking events for doctoral candidates: travel and accommodation costs.

Coordination costs must be covered by the institute managing the school. The participation of external doctoral candidates to USI is possible, but they will need to cover their own expenses.

Objectives:
This call targets researchers who intend to apply for European Research Council (ERC) funding schemes and require dedicated support to develop a competitive proposal. The scheme aims to strengthen high-risk/high-gain research ideas, refine the scientific concept in line with ERC expectations, and support the preparation of key proposal components. It is designed to enhance applicants’ readiness for ERC submission and to increase the overall competitiveness of USI in securing ERC funding.

Participants:
The call is addressed to USI researchers – excluding affiliated institutes (FTL, IOR, IRB, IRSOL) and other institutions (SUPSI, EOC including IRT) - who are conducting their research activities along with any scientific teaching activities to an extent equivalent to at least 50% (0.5 FTE) at USI.

Applicants must:

• Be affiliated with USI at the time of application and for the entire duration of the grant
• Intend to submit a proposal to one of the ERC schemes listed above within 12–24 months from the start of the preparatory grant
• Demonstrate a clear link between the requested preparatory activities and the targeted ERC application

Applicants must comply with the eligibility criteria of the ERC scheme they intend to apply for, as defined in the relevant ERC Work Programme. 

Duration and Funding:

• Maximum funding per project: CHF 100,000
• Project duration: 6-12 months

Eligible costs can include: 

• Salary of personnel:
  • Funds may be used to cover the salary (including social charges) of the personnel hired on the project.
  • The grant does not cover the PI’s salary.
• Infrastructure use, data access, and minor material costs such as licences, software, databases.
• Travel costs, including networking and the organization of workshops.
• Teaching buy-out to free time for research activities.

USI Open Science and Open Research Data grant supports initiatives that promote the adoption and development of OS and ORD practices across teaching and research activities at USI. The call funds one-off projects aimed at strengthening these areas, with the understanding that, where relevant, their continuation and further development may be sustained through the internal resources of the relevant USI unit. Projects should therefore be designed so as not to create structural or recurring costs requiring dedicated funding beyond the ordinary budgets of the responsible unit.

For more detailed information, please visit our dedicated webpage

USI grants specific and limited funding for research activities through FIR.

Potential beneficiaries
Members of the teaching staff and intermediate body (MER and Group leaders) who have a work contract with USI.
Incurred costs can include:

• Purchase of data, software, hardware for specific needs
• Seed money for researchers

The maximum funding is 20.000 CHF and is not repeatable for a period of two years.

Evaluation criteria
Additional value of the funds for the development of research activities and the acquisition of third-party funds.
Absence of other funding possibilities.

Procedure
The motivated application must be submitted to the Research Service (servizio.ricerca@usi.ch) including a motivation for the request, indication of the contribution to the development of research, prospects for acquiring other funds, and the budget.
Applications will be evaluated by a member of the USI Research Commission; based on this, the Vice-Rector for Research will formulate a proposal for a decision for the consideration of the Rectorate.

In 2024, USI received proposal for 11 young researchers and 1 for doctoral schools. Considering the available funds, it was possible to finance the following projects:

Biagiola Matteo, EverTest: Continual Learning for Systemlevel Software Testing; Faculty of Informatics, start date: 01.03.2025, end date: 28.02.2027

Pegoraro Matteo, Using Topological Data Analysis to Understand Microglia Shape Variability in Space and Time; Faculty of Informatics, start date: 01.01.2026, end date: 31.12.2027

Rosà Andrea, Understanding and Mitigating Performance Variability on Managed Runtimes; Faculty of Informatics, start date: 01.04.2025, end date: 01.05.2027

In 2022, USI received 11 proposals for young researchers and 3 proposals for doctoral schools. Considering the available funds, it was possible to finance the following projects:

Support for Young Researchers

Dr. Chuprikov, Safe and Modular Control Plane-aware Programming of the Network Data Plane; Faculty of Informatics, start date: 01.01.2023, end date: 31.12.2025

Dr.ssa Levin, Thermal Communities in Times of Climate Crisis; Berlin as Case Study; Academy of Architecture, start: 01.01.2023, end date: 31.12.2024

Dr. Pizzagalli, A digital biomarker for the responsiveness of the immune system to cell death; Faculty of Informatics, start date: 01.06.2023, end date: 31.05.2025

Dr. Riva, Performance boost for radiative magneto-hydrodynamics simulations in astrophysics; Faculty of Informatics, start date: 01.10.2023, end date: 30.09.2025

Dr.ssa Silchenko, PATHOLOGICAL RESPONSIBILITY FOR DIGITAL WELLBEING Consumer Responsibilisation in Health(ism)-Driven Hyperdigital Marketplace; Faculty of Communication, start date: 01.01.2023, enda date: 31.12.2025

Dr. Zulian, Simulation of creeping flows and structure interaction on Terabyte size data; Faculty of Informatics, start date:  01.01.2023, end date: 30.06.2025

Support for Doctoral Schools

Prof.ssa Mengis, Socio-Cultural Approaches in Business Studies: Theoretical Foundations and Theory-Building; Faculty of Communication, start date: 01.01.2023, end date: 30.09.2025

Prof.ssa Hildebrand e Prof. Roesler, The doctoral school at AAM; Academy of Architecture, start date: 01.01.2023, end date: 31.12.2026