|
Project title
|
Research and Technology for sustainable development in the global South (SDC contribution to ETH4D of ETH Zurich and Tech4Dev of EPFL)
|
SDC priority theme
-
|
|
Project no.
|
7F-10359.01 (single phase)
|
Country or region
Global
|
|
Lead (max. 5 lines)
Many countries struggling with extreme poverty have expending economies, creating new opportunities for innovative approaches to address societal and environmental challenges. SDC supports the new initiatives of the Swiss Federal Institutes of Technology (ETH4D, ETH Zurich and Tech4Impact, EPFL), which encourage Swiss researchers to work together with research and implementing partners from the global South in developing research-based solutions to global challenges.
|
|
Context (general and related to relevant
area):
Despite unprecedented progress in poverty reduction, about one billion people still live on less than two dollars per day. At the same time, many countries struggling with extreme poverty have dynamic economies, creating new opportunities for innovative approaches to address social and environmental challenges. The 2030 Agenda and the Global Sustainable Development Report 2019 encourages science to build bridges and forge partnerships with actors from policy and practice (including the private sector) to co-create solutions to the most pressing global challenges. Technological innovations can contribute to the quest of leaving no one behind if they are made available, accessible, affordable and attractive for users. The ETH Zurich and the EPFL have each launched recently their initiatives to support Swiss-led consortia developing technologies and business models which address concrete global challenges and development needs of people in the global South. These initiatives also contribute to educate future leaders engaging for sustainable development in Switzerland and in partner countries.
|
Overall goal
To improve the lives of women and men in the global South by supporting research, technology development and science-based innovation that respond to sustainable development challenges and needs.
|
|
Key results and insights from previous phases (or baseline for first phase)
SDC’s institutional support to ETH Zurich and EPFL from 1998-2012 and from 2012 until today through the r4d programme and through targeted contributions from SDC’s global programmes has facilited the development of promising solutions to global challenges, e.g:
- Low carbon-emitting Cement (LCC)
- Ethnic Power Relations global database (EPR Dataset)
- Sustainable Yam Cropping (YAMSYS)
- Digital resource impact dashboard to increase transparency in resource extraction
- Improved treatment of hospital wastewaters
|
Outcomes (objectives) of the planned phase
Outcome 1: Technological impact-oriented and need-based solutions addressing global challenges and advancing poverty eradication are available.
Outcome 2: Technological solutions are adapted, implemented and scaled-up through innovative models.
Outcome 3: Sustainable global development is integrated in a global, multi- and interdisciplinary way in the curricula of Swiss and partner countries’ technical universities
|
|
Key outputs of the planned phase
Outcome 1: (i) Relevant and actionable research with a positive social impact in the global South is promoted; (ii) Interdisciplinary and multi-stakeholders partnerships are established based on mutual interests and risk sharing
Outcome 2: (i) Development partners are equipped with technological solutions that address their most important challenges ; (ii) Entrepreneurial concepts and tools that allow for scaling innovative solutions in the global South are developed, disseminated and used
Outcome 3: (i) Future leaders of sustainable development are trained in Switzerland’s universities of technologies and in developing countries; (ii) African partner universities are supported to establish a graduate degree in Development Engineering; (iii) Students exchange are promoted for improved peer learning and network building
|
Target group/s
Swiss researchers at ETH Zurich/EPFL working with partners from developing countries
Research, governmental, non-governmental and business partners in the global South
Beneficiaries (technology users) in partners countries
|
|
Contract partner/s
EPFL (PA 1)
ETH Zurich (PA 2)
|
Coordination and synergies with other projects and actors
KFPE (scnat); ETH NADEL; r4d programme; Swissnex Bangalore; BRIDGE Programme; Ashoka
|
|
Start of phase: from 15.11.2019
|
End of phase: to 31.12.2022
|
|
SDC Budget of phase
CHF 6’000’000.-
|
Total SDC expenses already spent since 1st phase (including opening credit)
-
|
|
Total budget of phase including local partners and external contributions
SDC CHF 6’000’000
EPFL CHF 5’590’000 (including in-kind funding and tentative fundraising)
ETH Zurich CHF 7’038’000 (incl. in-kind funding)
Total: CHF 18’628’000
|
Estimated Swiss/SDC budget for the duration of the whole intervention
CHF 6’000’000 (single phase)
|
