Open Research Data (ORD) and FAIR funding
ETH Zurich FAIR Competence Funding
ETH Zurich is testing a new funding scheme as part of a broader initiative to implement the FAIR principles (Findability, Accessibility, Interoperability and Reusability) for digital research assets such as code, data, notes, metadata and images.
These FAIR Competence Funding Grants will be up to 50k CHF for a maximum of 18 months to support the further training of RDM specialists and the expansion of the RDM services they provide.
Who it is for: Research Software Engineers (RSEs), Data Stewards, Digital Curators/Archivists, Technical Personnel, and all Researchers with Research Data Management (RDM) responsibilities.
To submit a proposal: To apply you must demonstrate proven RDM skills, be an ETH employee, and have the support of at least two research units.
Register now: Information and answers to questions will be provided at an online event on 26 January 2026 from 13:00 to 14:00. Register external page here for the event and to receive the application documents by email on the day of publication.
Well-trained RDM specialists who can confidently apply the FAIR principles are essential for research at ETH. FAIR Competence Funding is an initiative of Annette Oxenius, ETH Vice President for Research, as part of the ETH FAIR Coalition project (forthcoming).
ETH Domain Open Research Data Programnme
The external page ETH Domain Open Research Data (ORD) Programme is intended to support the ORD activities of researchers and the development of infrastructures throughout the ETH Domain. Calls under this programme and guidelines on proposal submission are available on the external page website of the ETH-Board.
Different co-financing schemes exist among the ETH-Domain’s institutions. Detailed information on the eligibility requirements for ETH members and further information budgeting requirements, funding and regulations for in-kind or in-cash contributions are given in the call guidelines.
swissuniversities Open Research Data Grants
The programme – Swiss Open Research Data Grants – invites researchers from all disciplines and from all types of higher education and research institutions to submit their project proposals. More information on the evaluation of proposals and the selection process is available on the external page website of swissuniversities.
For funding through swissuniversities, the rules for federal project contributions (PgB) apply. In particular, the matching funds-principle must be complied with. You may refer to the guidelines on PgB-funding for more details (external page German, p. 8–10; external page French, p. 8–9).
Funding tracks
The calls in both programmes are along three different tracks:
Explore projects will allow early phase exploration, testing and prototyping of what an ORD practice could be like. They will enable starting to engage with a community without necessarily building up something definitive. The aim is to help our researchers to explore if ORD practices can be developed and how.
Establish projects will allow to establish ORD practices that are already existing, with a research agenda and a common understanding about ORD practices. It would give the possibility to bring it to the next level, improve its scope, and develop projects that can become the de facto standards in a community and raise the quality level.
Contribute projects will help researchers to contribute to existing open communities built around ORD. They will validate their integration with existing infrastructures (including international ones) and focus on their potential to advance the scientific impact of the field as well as their technical quality.
The ORD programme of the ETH Domain partners with the National ORD action plan, thereby facilitating the creation of synergies and complementarities. Researchers from ETH Zurich can participate in both programmes (see for an external page overview and the timeline below).
Find here a list of recently funded ORD projects with ETH Zurich participation.