“We also have the framework conditions that we
are not responsible for. Our location in the middle of western Europe, and the fact that we speak the languages of our neighbours, puts us in a uniquely well-connected position.” These connections, not just with geographical
neighbours but with the rest of the world, are one of the cornerstones of Switzerland’s
continuing success
according to Moruzzi. “We are extremely open in terms of regulation as far as the movement of people
is
concerned. We are not a
member of the EU, but we have over one hundred bilateral agreements with the EU, making us one of the most integrated locations in Europe. “Specifically, being part of the EU
framework programmes has been a high priority for Swiss research policy. It gives us international exposure, which is important for us as we have a fairly small population, and so are lacking the critical mass needed to guarantee quality. We do “lose” a lot of our best researchers to the US and the EU, but we also bring in a lot of people from outside. “More than half of the scientists working in our
research institutions don’t have a Swiss passport. Often, these people will come and work here for three or four years and then move on. Politically, we certainly wish to fill up more positions with our own citizens, but I think that with the way research has become so globalised, we have to accept that mobility is also a guarantee for high level quality, as it ensures that there is enough competition for each position.” Public funding obviously goes a long way to bringing
about success in research and innovation. Although not a member of the EU, Switzerland is one of the only countries in Europe to have met the EU target of 3 percent of GDP spent on R&D. “We have two of the best universities in the world, ETH Zurich and EPFL Lausanne, and their basic infrastructure and wages are almost entirely federally funded,” says Moruzzi. “The federal state has a responsibility for funding public research, which is mostly carried out at universities, and at the moment spends around ten percent of its entire budget on the education, research and innovation sector. “In the Swiss parliament, from the extreme left
through to the extreme right there is no question about the priority of this sector. Most of our neighbours were quite badly affected by the financial crisis, and this has consequently led to some severe budget cuts for research and education. We have been very lucky in that respect, and have not had to make similar sacrifices so far.” Asked if he thinks if the 3 percent EU target is an
important one to reach, Moruzzi says, “I think this mark was set by the EU in order to give a clear and tangible signal of its willingness to prioritize R&D investments in order to remain competitive in a fast
www.projectsmagazine.eu.com
moving environment. There are many indicators that can show whether or not a country is on the way to the ‘knowledge society’ expected to guarantee economic growth, jobs, competitiveness, and also offer solutions to global challenges. This one measures only the input side; we tend to think that indicators on the output side, such as triadic patents per capita, quotation impact and success rate of Switzerland based researchers and institutions in international calls for proposal, are more relevant.” In terms of the future, Moruzzi is keen to stress
that the country must keep moving in order to stay ahead. “Switzerland’s most valuable resource is brain and skills. At the moment, the system works fairly well and our biggest challenge will be to keep our standards high in an increasingly competitive global context. “The world will look different in 20 years, although I
have no doubt that the US and Europe will still remain major players in the field of education, research and innovation (ERI), with some of the BRICS catching up, among them certainly China. As a small country, we have the need to systematically join forces with our - mostly European - partners in matters of costly, pioneer research infrastructures that no state can afford by itself. Our small universities – Federal Institutes of Technology, Cantonal universities, universities of applied sciences- will also have to cooperate more, nationally and internationally, and probably to focus on their strengths, away from the Humboldtian model of the 19th century some still remain attached to. “As I mentioned before, international exposure and
openness will be our best assets to hopefully reach the goal of remaining a leading location for higher education, research and innovation.”
★ 47
“Specifically, being part of the EU framework programmes has been a high priority for Swiss research policy. It gives us international exposure, which is important for us...”
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