Annual Report 2001/2002: A landmark in North-South research partnerships

Editorial

2001 will go down as a landmark in the Swiss history of North-South research partnerships. In June, the Swiss Parliament approved longterm funding for the National Centre of Competence in Research (NCCR) North-South. This is a recognition of the high quality and innovative potential of research partnerships with developing countries. It is also an expression of the fact that today these countries are part of the political reality of Switzerland. KFPE was substantially involved in launching the NCCR North-South, and its associated institutions support the plan wherever possible. It is now up to all of us to make it a sustainable success.

Quality assurance and the safeguarding of the interests of all partners are the cornerstones of all the KFPE’s activities. The launch of NCCR North-South will not put us out of work, as this report of our activities shows. To fulfil the criteria of quality, mutual respect and sustainability, research partners should not limit themselves to a single Swiss programme, even if it is very prestigious. Partnerships involve intercultural and institutional cooperation and are a learning process, determined by multifaceted national and international interests. The activities of the KFPE in 2001/02, and in the future, should be seen in this context.

Following the publication of its Guidelines for Research in Partnership with Developing Countries, the KFPE, together with the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) and the Swiss National Science Foundation, undertook to draw up peer review criteria for research proposals for studies of development-related issues. In addition, the KFPE is part of an international alliance that analyses the effects of research partnerships with developing countries. A further important innovation: SDC has entrusted two supporting funds to the KFPE, «Jeunes Chercheurs» and «Echanges Universitaires».

An important change is taking place at the head of the KFPE. Hans Hurni is currently Director of NCCR North-South and has therefore tendered his resignation from the presidency. His successor will be Anne- Christine Clottu Vogel. Until the end of 2001 she was Secretary General of the Swiss Academy of Sciences.
Under her leadership the KFPE, in cooperation with as many actors as possible, aims to strengthen North-South links even more. Ms Clottu Vogel knows that she can already draw on 65 KFPE-associated institutions. As a commission of the Council of Swiss Scientific Academies (CASS), the KFPE can also depend on the active support of the four Academies. Every organisation that shares our goals is warmly invited to explore an association with the KFPE, and to make an application.

Anne-Christine Clottu Vogel and Hans Hurni

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