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Swiss Academies of Arts and Sciences

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The Swiss Academies of Arts and Sciences (French: Académies suisses des sciences, Italian: Accademie svizzere delle scienze, Romansh: Academias svizras da las scienzas, German: Akademien der Wissenschaften Schweiz) are an association comprising the four academies of arts and sciences in Switzerland.[1] On behalf of the federal government they promote cooperation within and between academic disciplines and are committed to fostering dialogue between science, politics and society.[1]

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The objectives and tasks that the academies carry out on behalf of the Federal Council are set out in Articles 4 and 11 of the Federal Act on the Promotion of Research and Innovation (FIFG).[2]

The network is intended to help link the sciences at regional, national and international levels and to represent the knowledge community independently of institutions and disciplines.[2] Its tasks also include the promotion of academic excellence, scientific integrity and research ethics.[1],[3]

The Association of Academies fosters and promotes dialogue between the scientific community, politics and society.[2] It is also involved in early detection and assessment of the consequences of technology.[2] The academies and their members award various prizes[4],[5] to promote science and support the next generation of scientists.

In accordance with their statutory mandate, the Swiss Academies of Arts and Sciences receive their funding from the federal government, supplemented by other targeted financing, such as external funding.[1]

Organisation

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With over 100,000 members, the Association of Academies is Switzerland’s largest scientific network.[6] It operates on a voluntary basis and comprises more than 160 professional associations, over 100 commissions, working groups and advisory boards, as well as just under 30 cantonal and regional association.[6] These are organised within the Swiss Academies of Arts and Sciences, which comprises four academies and two centres of excellence:[1]

Academies

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  • Swiss Academy of Natural Sciences (SCNAT)
  • Swiss Academy of Medical Sciences (SAMW)
  • Swiss Academy of Humanities and Social Sciences (SAGW)
  • Swiss Academy of Engineering Sciences (SATW)

Centres of excellence

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Tasks and activity

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Strengthening academia

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The academies promote collaboration within and between academic disciplines.[6] They support open-access publications and fund research infrastructures[1] and so-called long-term projects (Année Politique Suisse,[7] Dodis,[8] Historical Dictionary of Switzerland,[9] National Dictionaries of Switzerland,[10] infoclio.ch[11]). They also coordinate national initiatives such as the Swiss Personalised Health Network[12] (sponsored by: SAMW) and the Swiss Quantum Initiative[13] (sponsored by: SCNAT).

Dialogue between science and society

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The academies promote science communication and participatory approaches such as citizen science[14] and transdisciplinary research. They help to develop skills such as data literacy[15] and coordinate initiatives in the field of STEM education.[16]

Political dialogue at national level

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The Swiss Academies of Arts and Sciences maintain dialogue with representatives from the political sphere at national level, in particular through events of varying sizes.[17]

They are also responsible for coordinating the national network for scientific advice.[18] This network brings together Switzerland’s leading scientific organisations, the Federal Chancellery and the Federal Administration.[19] It is intended to facilitate mobilisation of scientific expertise in the field of crisis prevention and management. In the field of science policy, the academies regularly comment on issues relating to science, research and innovation.[19]

Swiss Young Academy

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The Swiss Young Academy is a platform run by the Swiss Academies of Arts and Sciences to support the next generation of scientists. It brings together early-career scientists from various disciplines and universities and promotes inter- and transdisciplinary dialogue within these institutions, as well as engagement with issues at the intersections of science, politics and society.[20]

Publications

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Swiss Academies Series

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The Swiss Academies of Arts and Sciences publish the Swiss Academies Series.[21]

The Swiss Academies Series synthesises socially relevant current research findings and presents them in a manner accessible to a wide audience. The Swiss Academies Series comprises three elements:

  • Swiss Academies Reports: Comprehensive studies, review articles, background reports and conference proceedings
  • Swiss Academies Communications: Policy papers, discussion papers, position papers, statements, recommendations and workshop summaries
  • Swiss Academies Fact Sheets: Easily understandable summaries of current topics presented in an engaging way

Partner organisations

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The Swiss Academies of Arts and Sciences work closely with other institutions in Switzerland’s education, research and innovation sector.[22]

International partner organisations

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See also

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Notes and references

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  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation. "Swiss Academies of Arts and Sciences". Archived from the original on 6 June 2026. Retrieved 29 September 2026.
  2. 1 2 3 4 "Federal Act on the Promotion of Research and Innovation". www.fedlex.admin.ch. Retrieved 29 September 2026.
  3. ↑ Evaluation der Organisation der Akademien der Wissenschaften Schweiz, Evaluationsbericht zuhanden des Staatssekretariats für Bildung, Forschung und Innovation (SBFI), 30. March 2021, p.10, Online: PDF (in German)
  4. ↑ "Prix Média: Das sind die besten Arbeiten". persoenlich.com (in Swiss High German). Retrieved 29 September 2026.
  5. ↑ ZHAW Zürcher Hochschule für Angewandte Wissenschaften (10 July 2023). "Ausschreibung Nationaler Preis für Open Research Data". Blog für Forschung und Entwicklung (in German). Retrieved 29 September 2026.
  6. 1 2 3 Reorganisation des schweizerischen Akademienbereichs abgeschlossen, Swiss government, Press release, 1. June 2018 (in German)
  7. ↑ Année Politique Suisse (ed.). "Partner". année politique suisse (in German). Retrieved 1 October 2026.
  8. ↑ "Partner | Dodis". www.dodis.ch. Retrieved 1 October 2026.
  9. ↑ "Institut". hls-dhs-dss.ch (in German). Retrieved 1 October 2026.
  10. ↑ "Trägerschaft". idiotikon.ch. Retrieved 1 October 2026.
  11. ↑ "About us | infoclio.ch". www.infoclio.ch. Retrieved 1 October 2026.
  12. ↑ "Ohne zentrale Datenplattform keine personalisierte Medizin | Netzwoche". www.netzwoche.ch (in German). 12 September 2021. Retrieved 1 October 2026.
  13. ↑ "Swiss Quantum Initiative". Archived from the original on 6 June 2026. Retrieved 1 October 2026.
  14. ↑ "«Citizen Science» in der Schweiz: Sie sammeln Katzenkot oder zählen Vögel: Laien leisten Grosses für die Wissenschaft". Tages-Anzeiger (in German). 5 February 2025. Retrieved 1 October 2026.
  15. ↑ "Data Literacy Charta". Swiss Data Alliance (in German). Retrieved 1 October 2026.
  16. ↑ State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation SERI (ed.). "STEM support".
  17. ↑ Luterbacher, Celia (7 August 2015). "The pioneers who made science a national concern". SWI swissinfo.ch. Retrieved 1 October 2026.
  18. ↑ Zürich, Universität (18 September 2026). "Zürich: Neuer Beratungscluster soll die Politik in Krisen beraten | Nau.ch". Nau (in German). Retrieved 1 October 2026.
  19. 1 2 Innosuisse. "A national network for scientific advice on crisis prevention and management". Archived from the original on 10 May 2026. Retrieved 1 October 2026.
  20. ↑ "Swiss Young Academy". Gender Campus. Retrieved 1 October 2026.
  21. ↑ "Swiss Academies Series". swiss-academies.ch. 15 September 2026. Retrieved 1 October 2026.
  22. ↑ "Partners". swiss-academies.ch. Retrieved 1 October 2026.
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