Shortly after the fall of the Berlin Wall, the SNSF and the SDC began supporting scientists in Eastern Europe by funding research partnerships. Twenty-five years later, Switzerland and its partner countries are still reaping the benefits. At a workshop on 20 January 2015 at the Kursaal in Bern, participants take stock and picture what lies ahead.

Targeted drug delivery and new electronic com- ponents: for five years, the National Research Programme “Smart Materials” (NRP 62) explored the potential of a new generation of materials that react to their environment. The NRP held its final conference in March. For the first time, the SNSF officially collaborated with the Commission for Technology and Inno vation (CTI) to support researchers wishing to develop their lab results into applications.

SwissCore is the Swiss information and liaison office for European research, innovation and education in Brussels. Since 1995, it has provided high-quality information, liaised between Europe and Switzerland in the fields of research, innovation and education and promoted the Swiss knowledge institutions at European level. On 12 May 2015, SwissCore holds its Annual Event 2015. The 20^th anniversary starts with a symposium on the Swiss contribution to a “Europe of knowledge” and is followed by a reception with a dinner to which about 120 representatives of European and national institutions are invited.

The National Research Programme “New Urban Quality” (NRP 65) presents its results at a press conference. If urban sprawl is to be stopped, the use of developed areas needs to be intensified. The results of NRP 65 open the path to urbanise suburban areas.

Every year, the SNSF awards around 35 Marie Heim-Vögtlin grants. They support excellent young women researchers who resume their academic careers after a break due to family commitments. The two winners of the MHV prize 2015 have made a highly successful comeback. Over a period of two years, Anna Nele Meckler continued her postdoctoral studies in paleo-oceanography at the Institute of Geology at ETH Zurich. Armelle Corpet conducted experimental cancer research at the Gynaecology department of University Hospital Zurich.

For the first time, researchers request more than CHF 500 million in a project funding call: for 1 October 2015, they submit a total of 1,152 project proposals to the SNSF requesting overall funding of CHF 524 million. The above figures show that the demand for project grants is for the second time in succession substantially higher than in the previous year. This upward trend in application numbers and re- quested funds is expected to continue.

At their Séance de Réflexion, the members of the National Research Council revisit a topic that they discussed three years ago at the anniversary event of the SNSF: Young researchers: what do they need most? On the second day, the members of the Council focus on academic careers and young researchers. Various academic systems at European and American higher education institutions are presented and discussed in view of the career prospects they afford young researchers. At a round table moderated by Caspar Hirschi, obstacles for young researchers and support measures are discussed.