Swiss Academies of Arts and Sciences
Aligning Intellectual Property Rights with Open Science
Examining the current patent system in the context of the objectives of open science, a new statement contains several recommendations to reconcile these two apparently contradictory elements of research policy. Key among them is the suggestion to introduce a grace period of at least one year in patent applications to make knowledge open as early as possible. In addition, the authors of the statement by the European Academies’ federation ALLEA conclude that patent income must not be seen as a substitute for public funding and patent activity should be used with great caution as an evaluation metric in assessing the performance of research institutions, projects, and individuals.
Swiss Young Academy SYA
Impact of AI on Early Career Researchers: Challenges, Opportunities and Responsibilities
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is rapidly transforming science and is therefore profoundly reshaping the work of Early Career Researchers. Against this backdrop, the publication Impact of AI on Early Career Researchers: Challenges, Opportunities, and Responsibilities, developed by members of the Swiss Young Academy, namely Emmanuel Senft, Sabrina H. Kessler, Pamela Delgado, Devi Bühler, and Alexandre Bovet, offers a timely interdisciplinary reflection on these changes. The booklet examines both the opportunities and risks of AI across five key areas – research, teaching, science communication, policymaking, and sustainability – while also addressing critical issues such as research integrity, data privacy, misinformation, governance, and environmental impact. It further highlights the responsibilities of Early Career Researchers and higher education institutions in promoting AI literacy, transparency, ethical standards, and responsible use of AI in science.
Swiss Young Academy SYA
Innovative Teaching Formats at the Science-Society Interface: Reflections and Future Directions in Swiss Higher Education
Science-society dialogue is crucial for addressing pressing societal challenges. One important avenue for strengthening this link, in an inter- and transdisciplinary perspective, is teaching formats that encourage students to engage in the public sphere. However, an illustrative collection of best practices in Swiss higher education has been lacking so far. This practice-driven report draws on a non-exhaustive stocktake of existing courses in Switzerland and participatory workshops among lecturers. It features illustrative examples from Swiss higher education institutions and introduces a new typology of science-society teaching formats, offering educators a structured way to design and analyze courses across six dimensions. In addition, the publication discusses both the opportunities and challenges of implementing such teaching formats. To further advance science-society education, the report identifies three priority areas for action.
Swiss Academy of Sciences SCNAT
Strategy for natural history collections in Switzerland
Thirty-seven institutions, take a decisive step towards unlocking the full potential of natural history collections in Switzerland. Together, they publish and endorse a strategy based on 6 pillars and 52 key activities to better preserve collections, ensure their accessibility and promote their use for science and society.