The Croatian Science Foundation formally presented 11 exceptional research projects selected under the public call of the MAPS – Multilateral Academic Projects programme, an international initiative aimed at strengthening top-level research through multilateral cooperation. The programme supports scientific teams from Switzerland, Croatia, Bulgaria, Hungary, Poland and Romania who jointly work on innovative and interdisciplinary projects, with financial support of up to CHF 350,000 for Croatian research groups. The MAPS programme is implemented within the Research Programme of the Second Swiss Contribution to selected EU Member States to reduce economic and social inequalities within the European Union, with a total allocation of 8 million Swiss francs.
Prof. Ozren Polašek, PhD, Director of the Croatian Science Foundation, welcomed the participants, emphasizing the importance of continuous investment in scientific excellence and strengthening international research links. Welcome addresses were also delivered by H.E. Mrs. Beatrice Schaer, Ambassador of the Swiss Confederation to the Republic of Croatia, who highlighted that Switzerland, as a global leader in innovation, is committed to supporting projects addressing key societal challenges and enhancing competitiveness, and Domagoj Mikulić, State Secretary at the Ministry of Regional Development and EU Funds, who underscored the continuity of successful cooperation within the first Swiss Contribution, which resulted in strengthening Croatian research capacities. In the introductory presentation, Dr. Milan Čanković, Head of the Office for Public Policies in Innovation, Research and Development at the Croatian Science Foundation, presented the programme’s progress to date and highlighted the strategic value of the MAPS programme for the Croatian research landscape.
The total value of the funded projects in Croatia amounts to CHF 3,271,452 (EUR 3,500,242), of which 85% is financed through the Second Swiss Contribution and 15% from national funds.
The MAPS programme was designed to foster excellence, interdisciplinarity and global networking among researchers, while at the same time systematically building the capacity and visibility of Croatian science at the international level.
The funded projects encompass innovative and interdisciplinary research in the fields of social sciences and humanities, life sciences, as well as natural sciences and technology. Their aim is to address key societal and environmental challenges such as climate change, mental health, sustainable resource management and advanced technological solutions. Special emphasis is placed on cooperation between Croatian institutions and leading Swiss research centres and partners from the EU, thereby encouraging knowledge transfer, the development of new methodologies and the strengthening of the international scientific network.