Funding for Networking Initiatives

Would you like to create new opportunities for exchange and networking among early/mid-career researchers at HSG? Do you have an idea for an event or format that could support academic exchange, networking or career orientation? The Academic Career Development offers funding for initiatives developed and organised by postdocs, groups of doctoral researchers and doctoral programme management.

Funding

You can apply for up to 3’000 CHF. Funds may be used for the im-plementation of the initiative, e.g.

• Room rental costs for the event
• Catering allowance 
• Travel expenses and accommodation 
• Fee for speaker(s)

The “Spesenreglement” of the University of St. Gallen applies.

Requirements

• You apply as a group of Postdocs, a group of PhD students or as the programme management of a doctoral programme.
• Your initiative creates concrete added value for the career development of PhD students and/or Postdocs.
• Your initiative enables new academic contacts, facilitates access to relevant networks, and/or provides orientation for academic and non-academic career paths.
• The initiative/event takes place between October 2026 and February 2027.
• Possible formats include for example: Brown-bag seminars and informal ex-change formats, research/academic event series, interdisciplinary networking for-mats, career events about academic and non-academic career paths, other innova-tive formats that promote exchange, networking and community building.

Application

Please submit your application in one single PDF file: 

• An application letter that contains:  
  • Your names and affiliation(s) as well as your role in the initiative
  • Objective and target group of the initia-tive
  • Planned format and, if applicable, sched-ule    
  • Expected added value for participants and contribution to networking or career de-velopment
  • Brief budget outline
• For groups of postdocs and doctoral researchers: CVs of each member of the group

Please submit your application no later than September 27, 2026 to Dr. Susanne Tönsmann: susanne.toensmann@unisg.ch.

Please note that scientific events that can be covered by the funding scheme ”Funds for Scientific Events” of HSG’s Research Committee or the SNSF “Scientific Exchanges” scheme will not be considered. 

Applications will be assessed based on whether they address a clear need, create new networking opportunities, and offer sustainable benefits beyond the individual initiative. The pilot project will also help identify promising formats and inform the future development of the funding scheme.

Expenses will be refunded upon completion of the initiative and submission of a summary of all expenses and supporting receipts. Applicants are expected to hand in a short report (max. one page about the success of the initiative) no later than three weeks after completion of the event.