Education, research and innovation as drivers of sustainable development

The Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF) channels funding to research projects relating to sustainable development through National Research Programmes (NRPs). One example is NRP 82 ‘Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services’, which was launched in 2023.

In the period 2025-2028, the Swiss Academies of Arts and Sciences will provide funding for the development of expertise based on the latest scientific findings in areas such as climate, energy, biodiversity or science north/south. 

With the Flagship Initiative, Innosuisse fosters systemic innovation and cross-disciplinary collaboration. The aim is to tackle current or future challenges that are relevant to a large part of the Swiss economy or society. The call for proposals launched in 2023 was devoted to the topic ‘Disruptive solutions for the transition towards a net zero world’. The eight approved flagships focus on such things as the circular economy, smart energy solutions as well as new materials and processes.  

Cantonal universities, the ETH Domain and universities of applied sciences work with both the public (at federal, cantonal and communal levels) and the private sector in the Swiss Energy Research for the Energy Transition (SWEET) funding programme run by the Swiss Federal Office of Energy (SFOE). 

In addition, ETH institutes play an active role in Joint Initiatives. For the strategic area ‘Energy, Climate and Ecological Sustainability’, two projects include ‘Proteins for a Sustainable Future’ or ‘Swiss Center of Excellence on Net-Zero Emissions (SCENE)’.

Switzerland is a member of the European Space Agency (ESA). Space technologies and systems are important tools enabling measurement of progress towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). They also are a source of critical information for policymakers. ESA supports the 17 SDGs of Agenda 2030  and maintains a own complementary catalogue of activities supporting sustainable development as well as a Compendium of Earth Observation contributions to the SDG Targets and Indicators.

The content of vocational and professional education and training programmes (VPET) is periodically reviewed and revised. Sustainable development is also taken into account in this process. SERI assists the professional organisations responsible for stewarding the given VPET programme. Such support includes, for example, conducting sustainability analyses or encouraging dialogue between professionals to ensure that vocational and professional qualifications include the topic of sustainable development. This topic is also woven into SERI's core syllabus for Language, Communication and Society (LCS) and covered in preparatory courses for the federal vocational baccalaureate. As a cross-cutting topic, it also flows into the core syllabus for VET professionals’ training.