Programme Overview

research_for_SD.gifThe NCCR North-South is an innovative research programme in the fields of global change and sustainable development.

Headquartered in Switzerland and encompassing a robust network of over 350 researchers active in more than 40 countries worldwide, it is dedicated to finding sustainable, practicable solutions to specific challenges of global change. Central to all NCCR North-South activities is a commitment to partnership between institutions and individuals in the northern and southern hemispheres. Research is collaboratively conducted with a special emphasis on the needs of developing and transition countries, since they are arguably under the most pressure due to accelerated global processes of environmental, economic, and sociopolitical change.

Originally launched in 2001, the NCCR North-South is one of twenty National Centres of Competence in Research (NCCRs) established by the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF) to promote scientific advancement in vital research areas. It was founded in the belief that increasing our understanding of global change and identifying means of sustainable development are crucially important to Switzerland’s future and that of the world. The programme is jointly funded by SNSF, the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation, and the participating research institutions.

Research Topics

Now in its third four-year phase, the research activities of the NCCR North-South programme are currently organised between three Thematic Nodes grouped around an Integrative Node that bridges them all together.

The Thematic Nodes combine advanced research on

​Each Thematic Node is supported by at least two Swiss Partner Institutions, together with their partners abroad, and comprises four to six Research Projects. The individual projects are co-led by post-doctoral researchers from the South and the North who jointly oversee an international team of post-doctoral and senior researchers, PhD and master’s students. The teams conduct their research in at least two out of nine established Partnership Regions spread across four continents. 

Download «Research Setup» (PDF 83 KB)