Swiss Academy of Sciences SCNAT
Astronomy Community Roadmap 2024
Update of Swiss Community Needs for Research Infrastructures 2029-2032 and beyond
This document is an update to the Astronomy Community Roadmap published in March 2022. It presents the needs of the Swiss astronomy and astrophysics community in terms of future national and international research infrastructures.
Together with similar Community Roadmaps in other disciplines, it is an element of the four-year process leading to the development of the Swiss Roadmap for Research Infrastructures 2027 to be written by the State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation (SERI) in view of the ERI Dispatch 2029–2032 to the Federal Council. The role of these ‘bottom-up’ inputs is to serve as an important basis for the strategic planning of the higher education institutions on new or major upgrades to national infrastructures and to inform and support SERI during its decision-making process on Swiss participation in international research infrastructure networks and organisations.
Jetzer P, Berdyugina S, Mordasini C, Paltani S, Pepe F, Refregier A et al. (2024)
Astronomy Community Roadmap 2024. Update of Swiss Community Needs for Research Infrastructures 2029-2032 and beyond.
Swiss Academies Reports 19 (10)
Swiss Academy of Sciences SCNAT
Swiss Glaciers. State, projections and significance
The Swiss Alps are characterised by glaciers. Their retreat influences the landscape and tourism, harbours natural hazards, lowers the volume of water available in summer and even has an impact on the ocean. The extent to which the Alpine glaciers are retreating and whether they will eventually disappear depends on climate change and, consequently, global climate protection. The factsheet outlines the level of knowledge concerning glacial melting and its impact on society and, additionally, illustrates available options and courses of action.
Swiss Academy of Humanities and Social Sciences SAHS
All-day childcare and schooling
This report analyses the attitudes of parents in Switzerland regarding all-day childcare, based on data collected from an online panel of 2,161 parents. Providing high-quality childcare is essential for child development, equal educational opportunities, and increasing female participation in the workforce, all of which contribute to Switzerland’s economic sustainability. The analyses presented in this report are based on primary data covering various aspects of general parental attitudes towards all-day schooling, contrasted with specific views on the own family. They differentiated between German- and French-speaking parents to shed more light on potential regional differences.
Duchêne, Cédric, Marieke Heers and Laura Bernardi (2025): All-day childcare and schooling. A survey of parental attitudes in Switzerland, ed. by the Swiss Academy of Humanities and Social Sciences (Swiss Academies Reports 20,1).
Swiss Academies of Arts and Sciences
Ethical problems for research institutions collaborating with commercial entities
This statement by ALLEA, the European Federation of Academies of Sciences and Humanities, calls for safeguards in research collaborations with commercial entities. As part of ALLEA’s longstanding commitment to research integrity, it emphasises the need for policymakers, academic institutions and funding bodies to adopt clear guidelines for collaborations with industry partners. The key considerations concern: preserving academic independence, ensuring transparency and accountability, managing conflicts of interest and aligning research with the public interest.