The declaration was ratified on Friday by Swiss Economics Minister Guy Parmelin during a diplomatic visit to Canada.
According to a press releaseExternal link by Parmelin’s ministry, the two countries want to deepen research relations by “sharing best practices, facilitating greater access to technology, markets and talent, and building linkages between academia, industry and government”.
The Canadian Minister for Innovation, Science and Industry, François-Philippe Champagne, signed on behalf of Ottawa. The text expands on a similar joint statement from 2018.
The following topics in particular will be the focus of partnerships for the period up to 2028, the Swiss Economics Ministry said: climate and sustainability, life sciences and health, quantum science and technologies, and artificial intelligence.
Europe freeze
The agreement with Canada comes after several other research agreements signed with international partners in the past months, including the US and the UK.
After Switzerland in 2021 rejected an overarching framework agreement to govern long-term ties with the European Union, Brussels reacted by downgrading the Alpine Nation to non-associate status in the lucrative Horizon Europe research programme, which organises grants and access to prestigious scientific projects. This has led some Swiss researchers and institutions to fear being left out in the cold when it comes to future cutting-edge projects.
On Saturday, Parmelin told SRF public radio that the cooperation with countries inside and outside the EU was however not to be seen as a replacement for full association with Horizon Europe, which remains the top priority of the Swiss government.
Popular Stories
More
Swiss Politics
Swiss reject plans for bigger motorways and extra rights for landlords
Should raw milk sales be banned or should consumers decide?
Swiss food regulations do not allow raw milk to be sold for direct consumption. However, a loophole allows 400 raw milk vending machines to do just that.
Swiss national among five survivors rescued after tourist yacht sank in Egypt’s Red Sea
This content was published on
Egyptian naval forces rescued five people on Tuesday, including a Swiss citizen, and recovered four bodies, a day after a tourist yacht carrying 44 passengers sank in the Red Sea.
Swiss authorities complete 75% of foreign criminal expulsion orders
This content was published on
Swiss courts ordered the expulsion of 2,250 foreign offenders in 2023. By mid-2024, around 73% of them had left Switzerland, either voluntarily or under police escort.
Initiative launched for tougher environmental rules for Swiss financial industry
This content was published on
An alliance of political parties and business and environmental groups has launched a people's initiative calling for stricter environmental rules for the Swiss finance sector.
Explosion at Geneva apartment building leaves young girl seriously injured
This content was published on
A young girl was seriously injured on November 25 after an explosion in an apartment building in the Grange-Canal district of Geneva, the Office of the Attorney General of Geneva has confirmed.
Thawing permafrost threatens dozens of mountain huts in Switzerland
This content was published on
Over one-third of Swiss Alpine Club (SAC) mountain huts could be unstable in the future due to thawing permafrost, according to a study.
Swiss study finds language distorts ChatGPT information on armed conflicts
This content was published on
Millions of people engage with and seek information from ChatGPT and other large language models. But how are the responses given by these models shaped by the language in which they are asked?
This content was published on
The Swiss public has named the robin as Bird of the Year 2025. With its familiar red breast and distinctive song, the robin is one of the most common bird species in Switzerland, found in gardens and forests.
Authorities underestimated severe weather risks in southern Switzerland
This content was published on
Violent storms hit the Misox valley in southern Switzerland in June, causing severe damage and two fatalities. New analysis, presented on Monday, shows that authorities underestimated some of the dangers.
Switzerland and Italy announce closer police and migration cooperation
This content was published on
Italian Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi and his Swiss counterpart, Beat Jans, met in the border town of Chiasso in southern Switzerland on Monday.
This content was published on
Geneva police carried out a major operation in the east of the city on Monday, following reports that a parcel bomb had exploded in an apartment building and injured one person.
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.
Read more
More
What’s on the horizon for Swiss research in Europe?
This content was published on
After Switzerland’s exclusion from EU research schemes, the government stepped in with transitional grants and is seeking new research partnerships.
Swiss universities warn of ‘serious consequences’ of Horizon Europe exclusion
This content was published on
A joint resolution urges the government to ensure full participation in the EU's Horizon Europe research funding scheme by the end of 2022.
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.