The NRDI Office is the programme operator for the Research Programme under the second contribution period of the Swiss–Hungarian Cooperation Programme. Within this framework, the MAPS (Multilateral Academic Projects) call was launched, in which Hungary participated as an active and successful contributor.
The aim of the MAPS programme is to support research projects of high social and economic added value, implemented by international consortia. Besides Hungary and Switzerland, the programme also includes Bulgaria, Croatia, Poland and Romania.
On 24–25 April 2025, the first MAPS programme Steering Committee meeting was held in Budapest at the NRDI Office. The event was attended on the Swiss side by staff from the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF) and the Swiss Agency for Development and Coordination (SDC), and on the Hungarian side by representatives of the National Development Centre (NFK), the NRDI Office and the Széchenyi Programme Office (SZPI), as well as delegates from the participating countries.
During the committee meeting, participants reviewed the full “lifecycle” of the MAPS call, from the launch of the call to the conclusion of the evaluation process. Nearly 350 submitted research project proposals underwent a multi-stage evaluation over several months. The professional assessments were conducted by independent experts and thematic international evaluation panels. Based on the final decision, seven outstanding scientific projects with Hungarian participation received funding. Each of the funded projects is coordinated by a Swiss institution, and the consortia include recognised research institutes from two or three participating countries – thus fostering deeper multilateral scientific cooperation.
More information on the winning Hungarian projects: Seven consortia involving Hungarian participants have been granted aid under the research call of the Swiss-Hungarian Cooperation Programme
More information on the Swiss–Hungarian Cooperation Programme: https://svajcialap.hu/en
