Six New National Centres of Competence in Research (NCCRs)
(Swiss National Science Foundation, September 10, 2020)
Despite the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, six new National Centres of Competence in Research (NCCRs) got under way in summer 2020, with the aim of promoting long-term research networks in areas of strategic importance for Swiss science, the Swiss economy and Swiss society. NCCRs are only launched every 5 to 6 years by the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF), which receives this mandate from the State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation (SERI). This fifth series of NCCRs includes 146 research groups at 40 institutions, and encompasses innovative treatment methods (NCCR "AntiResist"), sustainable chemistry (NCCR "Catalysis"), intelligent management (NCCR "Dependable Ubiquitous Automation"), the origin and future of language (NCCR "Evolving Language"), using microorganisms (NCCR "Microbiomes") and the development of quantum computers (NCCR "SPIN").