Today (9th December 2024), science and tech experts from the UK and Switzerland have agreed to update their science and technology research agreement, focusing on today’s most pressing issues, from improving public health and shifting to green energy.
The UK and Switzerland are both industry giants when it comes to innovation, and so the partnership makes prefect sense. Together, the two countries are home to 10 of Europe’s top 20 research universities, and today Innovate UK and the Swiss innovation authority Innosuisse have granted £8 million towards 11 UK-Swiss research projects.
These cutting-edge projects range from work on new antibacterial coatings that could prevent infections during hip and knee replacements, to using quantum tech in developing new sensors prevent counterfeiting and improving manufacturing quality control. This partnerships builds on previous UK-Switzerland Collaborative R&D funding which has supported monumental work that encompasses a wide range of fields, such as capturing CO2 emission and developing robot surgeons for stroke treatment.
Both countries are global players in life sciences: the UK’s life science sector is worth £108 billion, and Switzerland is home to major companies like Roche and Novartis. A new £8 million joint funding call will support UK-Swiss clinical trials, which could deliver new treatments and diagnoses for a range of diseases affecting patients across both nations. This work will be overseen by the UK’s National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), the research delivery section of the Department of Health and Social Care, and the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF).
UK science minister Lord Vallance met the Swiss state secretary for education, research, and innovation Martina Hirayama today in Berne, where they signed an update to the UK-Swiss Memorandum of Understanding, at a Joint Committee Meeting bringing together science and reasearch figures from both nations.
UK science minister Lord Vallance said: “Sometimes the biggest breakthroughs happen simply by bringing big thinkers and innovators together. To unleash science as a force for good in the world, it is critical that we build deeper and broader ties with research powerhouses like Switzerland.
“Science is fundamentally international, and by working together, the UK and Switzerlands researchers, academics, and businesses will be able to aim higher and achieve more.”
UK health minister Baroness Gillian Merron said: “This partnership marks a significant milestone in our mission to transform the UK into a life sciences superpower.
“By combining our expertise in clinical trials and life sciences with world-class researchers, we can accelerate the development of groundbreaking treatments that will benefit patients across both nations.
“As part of our 10 Year Health Plan, we will ensure the NHS is at the forefront of the medical technology revolution, turning scientific potential into real-world treatments for patients.”
