Research

We contribute geographical expertise to UZH’s core research themes and address local and global challenges related to a just, peaceful, sustainable and biodiverse world. Our research is inclusive and addresses environmental and societal perspectives. We collaborate internally, nationally and internationally to harness the full breadth of disciplinary, inter- and transdisciplinary expertise necessary to achieve our research goals. In a competitive third-party funding environment, we share experiences and support one another in writing excellent grant applications and diversifying the funding options we target.

Strategic planning

Aim

We will use the UZH Development and Finance Plan for long-term development of professorships and groups contributing to core research themes, to engage with novel and emerging research topics and to maintain strengths across geography

Measures

• We will introduce an annual one-day Department Assembly strategy workshop to discuss the UZH Development and Finance Plan and review alignment with MNF and UZH strategies
• We will use the UZH 5-year Development and Finance Plan to anticipate and respond to the development of new research topics in geography and identify potential new research foci
• We will take advantage of our research clusters to facilitate research exchange between thematic areas, to showcase results and to enable effective transfer to practice and policy partners

Third-party research funding

Aim

We will support both individual and project-based research funding to allow us to maintain and expand breadth, novelty and excellence across geography

Measures

• We will select and mentor early and mid-career researchers and support their applications for individual funding to programs including SNSF Mobility, Ambizione, SNSF Starting Grants and ERC Starting Grants and other opportunities
• We will document and share successes in third-party project-based funding acquisition to leverage knowledge within the department and reduce reliance on informal networks
• We will hold grant writing workshops for staff at all career levels and monitor their effectiveness