GEBERT RÜF STIFTUNG: area of activity <Innovation an Fachhochschulen>

AREA OF ACTIVITY <Innovation an Fachhochschulen>

PROGRAMME MODELLPROJEKTE FACHHOCHSCHULEN

CALL FOR PROJECTS: BREF – BRÜCKENSCHLÄGE MIT ERFOLG/JETER DES PONTS

The area of activity "Modellprojekte Fachhochschulen" initiated by GEBERT RÜF STIFTUNG in collaboration with the Rectors' Conference of the Swiss Universities of Applied Science (KFH) started in spring 2009 and is initially intended to run for five years. Each year, around CHF 1.5 million is to be spent on conducting model projects and disseminating their results. The first annual call for projects is focused on the great potential of the Universities of Applied Science as R&D partners for business and is being organized under the title "BREF – Brückenschläge mit Erfolg/jeter des ponts".
BREF is aimed at personnel of Universities of Applied Science with model project ideas. The closing date for submitting entries was 1 September 2009. Calls are launched in early spring, the deadline for applications is in summer, decisions are taken in autumn.

Programme objectives
The Universities of Applied Science are strong R&D partners for business. 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 for companies and their innovative activities. The aim is to nurture and expand this business-oriented strength in the rapidly changing landscape of Switzerland's Universities of Applied Science, with the emphasis on building mutually beneficial bridges between the latter and business. The 2009 and 2010 calls for projects focus on this theme, the objective being to facilitate projects which serve as models for the development and positioning of the Universities of Applied Science and their bridging function with the world of business. GEBERT RÜF STIFTUNG therefore finances particularly promising model projects and the dissemination of their results.

2010 CALL

To be launched in April 2010

–	At the beginning of April, all Universities of Applied Science, locations and specialist disciplines will be written to jointly by the Rectors' Conference of the Swiss Universities of Applied Science (KFH) and GEBERT RÜF STIFTUNG and provided with the 2010 call documentation (brochures and posters).
–	Project managers interested in participating are recommended, prior to drafting an application, to contact the BREF coordination office and/or the GEBERT RÜF STIFTUNG (see below for details).
–	The deadline for submitting applications is 1 September 2010. Grantmaking decisions will be announced after completion of evaluation and selection at the beginning of November.

Content-related funding criteria
GEBERT RÜF STIFTUNG is looking for selected model projects designed to build successful bridges between Universities of Applied Science and business. Projects should seek to increase knowledge and knowledge transfer by reference to the following themes and should view this as part of the project itself:

–	Increase in R&D cooperation between Universities of Applied Science and business;
–	Improvement in communication between Universities of Applied Science and business 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;
–	Implementation of incentive models, forwarding enquiries from business to colleagues better placed to respond;
–	Promotion of young scientists and careers in R&D;
–	Further development of basic and system knowledge;
–	Better use of existing bridging institutions for R&D and knowledge and technology transfer (KTT).

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 primarily rooted at a University of Applied Science or a committee linking various Universities of Applied Science and should be executed in their interest.
–	Funding is primarily provided for salary costs, consumables and equipment; infrastructure costs are to be funded by the University.
–	Preference is given to projects costing between CHF 200,000 and 300,000 which are intended to run for a maximum of two years.
–	Projects can also be cosponsored by third parties (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 are available to download (see right-hand column), along with additional information.
–	Project applications must be submitted by the project manager with primary responsibility for the project.
–	Project applications should 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 is 1 September 2010.

Project evaluation and project monitoring

–	Project applications will be evaluated by the programme's advisory board, which will be jointly appointed by the Rectors' Conference of the Swiss Universities of Applied Science (KFH) and GEBERT RÜF STIFTUNG. Additional external peer reviews may be obtained.
–	GEBERT RÜF STIFTUNG's board of trustees will decide by early November at the latest which projects are to receive support. All applicants will then be notified of the decision and the list of approved projects will be published on this website.
–	No correspondence will be entered into concerning the grantmaking 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, GEBERT RÜF STIFTUNG, President
–	Prof. Dr. René Dändliker, GEBERT RÜF STIFTUNG, member of the board of trustees
–	Prof. Dr. Franco Gervasoni, Director, Scuola universitaria professionale della Svizzera italiana (SUPSI), KFH
–	Prof. Dr. Werner Inderbitzin, Zurich University of Applied Sciences, KFH
–	Prof. Sabine Jaggy, Director, Lucerne University of Applied Sciences (HSLU), KFH
–	Prof. Dr. Carl August Zehnder, GEBERT RÜF STIFTUNG, member of the board of trustees

Contact

–

BREF coordination office: Dipl. Ing. FH Thomas Bachofner, Secretary-General KFH

thomas.bachofner@kfh.ch, Fon+41 31 300 70 00, mobile+41 78 920 47 59

–

Office GEBERT RÜF STIFTUNG: Dr. Philipp Egger, Director

philipp.egger@grstiftung.ch, Fon41 270 88 22, mobile+41 79 318 66 77

Review of 2009 call: 5 finalistes from 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. Simone Schweikert, 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

>For detailed project information see our database.

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