INNOVATION AN FACHHOCHSCHULEN
Info-Event to Call 2012
Thursday, 26. April 2012, in the afternoon, FHNW, Olten
An information event for potential applicants:
Programme Info-Event
Registration Info-Event
Programme Modellprojekte Fachhochschulen:
BREF – Brückenschläge mit Erfolg
since 2009
16.3.2012 – Call 2012 is launched: Social Innovation
The programme was initiated in 2009 by Gebert Rüf Stiftung in collaboration with the Rectors' Conference of the Swiss Universities of Applied Science (KFH) and is intended to run at least for 5 years. Annually, around CHF 1.5 million is to be spent on conducting projects identified though the call and on disseminating their results: At the centre of interest is the potential of universities of applied science as R&D partners. The target group comprises members of universities of applied science with strong ideas for new and promising cooperation ventures of model character with partners in the field from business and society. Calls are launched in early spring, the deadline for applications is in summer, decisions are taken in autumn.
The call for projects 2012 is focused on the topic of «social innovation».
The programme
Objectives of the programme
Universities of applied science have long been strong and innovative partners for addressing concrete practical issues facing business and society. Being at the cutting edge of actual practice and real-life applications gives them possibilities in research and development (R&D) which make them unique partners both for companies and non-profit organisations and their innovative activities.
This strength is to be preserved and built on. Given the fast pace of developments in our business and social environment, it is essential to maintain a bridgehead that is fruitful to both sides: Where does the potential lie, where are the opportunities, and the gaps?
The aim of the «BREF – Brückenschläge mit Erfolg» calls for submissions is to enable proactive project groups to reach new partners in the field and establish new and promising cooperation ventures. Successful projects can serve as models for developing and positioning universities of applied science in their bridging function toward business and science. This is why Gebert Rüf Stiftung not only supports selected projects, but also the dissemination of their results.
Call for projects 2012: Social innovation
Launch was in March 2012
In light of the rapid pace of social change, not only technical innovations can make future-proof contributions to enhancing "Switzerland as a commercial centre and a place to live" (statement of purpose of Gebert Rüf Stiftung), but also social innovations. The call deliberately leaves open which specialist areas in which cooperation venture can make which contributions to which social innovations. Individual specialist areas are neither specifically addressed nor excluded:
- In the second part of March, all universities of applied science, locations and specialist disciplines will receive a joint communication from the Rectors' Conference of the Swiss Universities of Applied Science (KFH) and Gebert Rüf Stiftung providing them with all the documentation (brochures and posters).
- An information event for potential applicants is being held in Olten on 26 April.
- Project managers interested in participating were recommended, prior to drafting an application, to contact the BREF coordination office and/or the management of Gebert Rüf Stiftung (see below for details).
- The deadline for submitting expires 16 August 2012. Grant-making decisions will be announced after completion of evaluation and selection at the beginning of November.
Required support criteria in terms of content
Under the heading of social innovation, exemplary projects are sought which are designed to establish a novel and successful bridge between university of applied science and partners in the field and which strive to generate new know-how and achieve transfer gains and see this as part of the project itself:
- Increase in R&D cooperation between universities of applied science and those working in the field;
- Improvement in communication between universities of applied science and partners in the field in relation to services offered and demand for those services;
- Expansion of specific R&D competencies;
- Bundling of competencies; formation of focal points;
- Networking of competencies in partnerships with universities of applied science;
- Promotion of young scientists and careers in R&D.
Formal criteria for funding applications
- Funding support can be awarded both to project groups already working on the theme in question and to new project groups.
- The project is rooted primarily at a university of applied science and is explicitly supported by the university management.
- Joint projects with partners from other universities of applied science are possible.
- Funding is primarily provided for salary costs, consumables and equipment; infrastructure costs are to be funded by the University.
- Preference is given to projects with a budget not exceeding CHF 300,000 which are intended to run for a maximum of two years.
- Projects can also be cosponsored by third parties (e.g. Federal government, cantons, foundations, business). However, the object of this programme is not to plug funding gaps.
- Projects should comply with the usual rules applicable to the research and development sector.
Submission of project applications
- Programme-specific requirements for submitting applications were and still are available to download (see right-hand column), along with additional information.
- Project applications had to be submitted by the project manager with primary responsibility for the project.
- Project applications had to be accompanied by a covering letter endorsing the project from the relevant university management or governing committee linking various universities of applied science.
- The deadline for submitting applications expired 16 August 2012.
Project evaluation and project monitoring
- Project applications have been evaluated by the programme's advisory board, which was jointly appointed by the Rectors' Conference of the Swiss Universities of Applied Science (KFH) and Gebert Rüf Stiftung. Additional external peer reviews have been obtained.
- Gebert Rüf Stiftung's board of trustees decides early November 2012 which projects should receive support. All applicants will then be notified of the decisions and the list of approved projects will be published on this website.
- There is no written correspondence has been entered into concerning the grant-making decisions made.
- A support agreement setting out details of the milestones, funding tranches, reporting and monitoring of the project will be negotiated with the project managers whose applications are approved.
- All copyrights will be retained by the participating projects.
Advisory Board
- Prof. Dr. Rudolf Marty, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Gebert Rüf Stiftung
- Prof. Dr. Richard Bührer, Member of the Board of Trustees of Gebert Rüf Stiftung
- Prof. Dr. René Dändliker, Member of the Board of Trustees of Gebert Rüf Stiftung
- Prof. Dr. Franco Gervasoni, Director, Scuola universitaria professionale della Svizzera italiana (SUPSI), Member of KFH
- Prof. Dr. Thomas D. Meier, President, Zürcher Hochschule der Künste (ZFH/ZHdK), Member of KFH
- Prof. Monika Wohler, Vice-Rector, Hochschule für Angewandte Wissenschaften St.Gallen (FHO/FHS St.Gallen)
Contact
- BREF coordination office
Dipl. Ing. FH Thomas Bachofner, Secretary-General KFH, Falkenplatz 9, Postfach 710, 3000 Bern 9
thomas.bachofner@kfh.ch, Fon +41 31 300 70 00, mobile +41 78 920 47 59
- Office Gebert Rüf Stiftung
Dr. Philipp Egger, Director, Bäumleingasse 22/4, 4051 Basel
philipp.egger@grstiftung.ch, Fon +41 61 270 88 22, mobile +41 79 318 66 77
The winner of the calls 2009 – 2011
For detailed project information see our database.Call 2011: 5 finalists out of 38 submissions
- Business Incubator for the Hospitality Industry, Fréderic Delley, Ecole Hôtelière de Lausanne, CHF 300’000
- Competence Center for Complex Digital Forensics, Prof. David Billard, Haute École de Gestion de Genève, CHF 267’000
- MissionFusion Crisis: Kompetenznetzwerk und integrierte Informationssysteme im Krisenfall, Dr. Michael Kaschewsky, Berner Fachhochschule, CHF 292’000
- EEROS: An Easy, Elegant, Reliable, Open and Safe Robotic Software, Prof. Einar P. Nielsen, Interstaatliche Hochschule für Technik Buchs, CHF 300’000
- FabLab Neuchâtel: Co-création entreprises & HES, Dr. Jérôme Mizeret, Haute Ecole Spécialisée de Suisse Occidentale, CHF 300’000
Call 2010: 5 finalists out of 56 submissions
- Inno_Kick; Plateforme transdisciplinaire dédiée à l’innovation pour start-up et PME/PMI, Prof. Nathalie Nyffeler, Haute Ecole Spécialisée de la Suisse Occidentale, HEIG-VD, CHF 285’000
- Kompetenzzentrum für Künstliche Gewebe zur Wirkstoffprüfung und Medikamentenentwicklung, Prof. Dr. Graf-Hausner, Zürcher Hochschule für angewandte Wissenschaft, CHF 300’000
- Kompetenzzentrum Wohnumfeld, Prof. Dr. Joachim Schöffel, Hochschule für Technik Rapperswil, CHF 210’000
- Simple Machine-to Machine Communication Systems, Prof. Dr. Bertrand Hochet, School of Business and Engineering Vaud, CHF 290’000
- SwissSunScreen; In vitro evaluation and standardization of sunscreen products, Prof. Dr. Georgios Imanidis, Fachhochschule Nordwestschweiz, Hochschule für Life Sciences, CHF 299’000
Call 2009: 5 finalists out of 56 submissions
- Design-getriebene Innovationsprojekte mit KMU, Prof. Claudia Acklin, Hochschule Luzern - Design und Kunst, CHF 300’000
- Innovationsförderung in Schweizer Gemeinden, Prof. Dr. Urs Sauter, Berner Fachhochschule, CHF 294’000
- FabLab der Hochschule Luzern, Prof. Dr. Patricia Wolf, Hochschule Luzern - Wirtschaft, CHF 300’000
- VIP – Voucher for Innovation Partnerships, Dr. Giorgio Travaglini, Scuola Universitaria Professionale della Svizzera Italiana (SUPSI), CHF 300’000
- Wissensmanagement für nachhaltige Landwirtschaft, Dr. Jan Hendrik Grenz, Schweizerische Hochschule für Landwirtschaft SHL, CHF 294’550
