Swiss Science Council


The Swiss Science Council is an independent scientific advisory body of the Federal Council of Switzerland. Founded on March 26, 1965, the SSC advises the Swiss federal government on all issues relating to science, higher education, research and innovation policy. Between 2000 and 2013, the advisory body was called Swiss Science and Technology Council, and from 2014 to 2017 Swiss Science and Innovation Council . Since 2018, it has resumed the name it had when it was founded.

Organization

The legal form is that of an extra-parliamentary commission, as formulated in Articles 54 and 55 of the Federal Law on the Promotion of Research and Innovation.
A council of 15 members is headed by the president, currently Gerd Folkers. The president is supported by an administrative office. This office is currently headed by Claudia Acklin, and further consists of 6 people working as scientific advisors, 2 in the information service and 2 in the administration at SSC.

Tasks

The SSC advises the federal government on all issues relating to science, higher education, research and innovation policy in Switzerland. The aim of its work is the "continuous optimisation of the framework conditions for the flourishing development of the Swiss education, research and innovation landscape". It regularly publishes reports and studies on current science policy issues.
It issues statements on individual projects or problems in the field of education, research and innovation on behalf of the Federal Council of Switzerland or on its own initiative and also acts as an evaluation body. The Information Service compiles information on topics in the area of ERI in Switzerland and abroad.
The work programme 2016 to 2019 includes overarching topics, political topics, as well as evaluations, reviews and impact assessments.