Global Champion Fund

The Global Champion Fund focuses on large scale collaborations with strong institutional buy in and with the potential for longer term sustainability and global impact.

Specifically, the Global Champion Fund may support projects that advance the objectives of the following key areas of the Global Strategy 2030 through collaboration with the defined Network and Priority Partners and/or a reputable policy organization, policy research institute, or boundary organization:

The World @ UZH
A diverse and culturally rich environment is actively fostered to generate creative and innovative outputs, interesting debates, and an inspiring learning, research and working environment on campus in Zurich.

Internationally Connected
UZH joins forces all around the world with partners, universities and beyond, to conduct impactful research and innovation, offer top-quality education, and tackle complex challenges.

Societal Responsibility
By increasing its engagement as a stakeholder in national and international policy making and diplomacy, the scientific community can bring its values of rationality, transparency and universality and help underpin a better global governance and build trust between nations and societies.

On Stage
 Our excellence in research, innovation and teaching all contribute to the global reputation of UZH. The development of our global reputation is supported by proactive dialogues, events and outreach activities with relevant stakeholders from the ERI (Education, Research, and Innovation) sector and wider society.

The Global Champion Fund is a funding line of the Global Funding Scheme.

Examples of initiatives: The Global Champion Fund supports new and ongoing joint activities, for instance (non-exhaustive list):

• Strategic partnership development, including first-edition symposia, high-level dialogue formats, or the development of joint frameworks with plans for sustained collaboration and impactful follow-up activities
• Preparation of larger-scale collaborations, including the development of teaching, research, and innovation activities with potential for significant third-party funding
• Joint academic and capacity-building / training formats, such as summer schools, advanced workshops, and structured training programmes that strengthen collaboration and build competencies in research, policy engagement, science communication, science advice, or leadership
• Structured policy engagement and science-policy exchange, such as research visits, fellowships, and sustained dialogue with public authorities, international organisations, or multilateral institutions to support research-informed policymaking
• Mobility and talent development, including bilateral placements or exchange programmes for graduate students, doctoral candidates and early-career researchers
• Co-creation, stakeholder engagement, and science and knowledge diplomacy initiatives that foster international cooperation and contribute to addressing complex global challenges

Eligibility Project Lead: Applicants must be UZH researchers of any discipline or professional staff with UZH employment contracts covering the entire period of the project. 

Eligibility Project Co-Lead: All proposals need to include one Project Co-Lead from either:

• A university listed on the Network and Priority Partner list and/or
• A reputable policy organization, policy research institute, or boundary organization with demonstrated experience in science-policy interfacing and international cooperation.
• Partner institutions must be legally established entities with a demonstrated track record in research, policy advisory, international cooperation, or related science and knowledge diplomacy activities.
• By submitting the application, the applicant confirms that the partner institution is formally established and has the administrative capacity to participate in the proposed activities.

Reputable policy organizations, research institutes, or boundary organizations with demonstrated experience in science-policy interfacing and international cooperation include, but are not limited to: 

• Swiss science and innovation network actors (e.g., Swissnex, Swiss Science & Technology Offices, Switzer-land Global Enterprise (SGE), Swiss Permanent Mission to UN bodies)
• Multilateral and intergovernmental organizations active in science, innovation, and global governance (e.g. WHO, UNESCO, OECD, Council of Europe, IPCC, etc.)
• National science academies and publicly recognized policy research institutes in (e.g., Chatham House, German Institute for International and Security Affairs, National Institute for Research Advancement Japan, etc.)
• Boundary organizations, including public or private think tanks and policy research institutes, facilitating science-policy and international knowledge exchange in countries with a proven track record of recipro-cal and rule-based research collaborations (e.g. AAAS, International Network for Governmental Science Advice, Global Young Academy, InterAcademy Partnership, GESDA, etc.)

Selection criteria: The proposals will be evaluated along the following criteria:

• Impact of the project idea to achieve institutionally sustainable progress in an area of the Global Strategy 2030 with eligible partners.
•  Novel and unique idea in terms of internationalization in education, research, innovation, societal out-reach, or professional services delivery
•  Clear and well-structured budget plan
•  Level of matching fund and commitment from the partner university, or other stakeholders where applicable

Co-funding: Some level of UZH internal co-funding as well as co-funding from the Co-Leads institution/organization is required, the closer to matching funds, the better.

Proposal Submission: The Project Lead must submit the documents through the Good Grants Tool. Submission via email will not be accepted. The submission link will be available once the call has opened (see Call Timeline).

• Completed applicaton through the Grant Tool
• Completed budget template
• Complete CVs of project leaders (max. 2 pages)
• Evidence of endorsement and co-funding through the partner institution, in form of a letter, signed by a person with financial authority
• Evidence of UZH endorsement and internal co-funding, in form of a letter, signed by a person with financial authority

Evaluation: The evaluation committee consists of the President, representatives of all UZH Faculties, and UZH Global Affairs. Please use non-expert language.

Project duration: In case funding is granted, the proposed activities should be conducted within three years from the grant confirmation date.