Science finds itself today at the heart of geopolitical turmoil. While all countries must confront this new paradigm, Switzerland, one of the most innovative nations in the world, has the opportunity, but also the responsibility, to position itself as a stable and reliable player, and a defender of open science and global collaboration.
Opinion editorial by Simone de Montmollin, Swiss National Councillor, President of the Science, Education and Culture Committee SECC
Research infrastructures enable significant scientific advances
Science has long been a driving force for international cooperation, collective progress, and the common good. SIB is fully aligned with this vision as a provider of high-quality biological databases and computing tools, as well as recognized expertise. The institute thus promotes access to globally relevant knowledge, makes tens of thousands of discoveries possible each year, and places Switzerland in major international research efforts. The recent example of the 2024 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for an AI model that predicts protein structures, which drew on SIB resources, demonstrates the importance of such research infrastructures in enabling significant scientific advances.
Global efforts to address major challenges at risk
Today, however, science finds itself at the heart of geopolitical turmoil. Recent decisions taken by the new US administration (drastic cuts in funding and scientific staff, suppression of critical data, political interference in the direction of research, etc.) are fracturing proven models of scientific cooperation, and risk jeopardizing global efforts to address major challenges such as pandemic preparedness and climate change. Switzerland is not immune, for example with the risk of the NIH withdrawing from ambitious initiatives such as those supported by SIB. But the fundamental point is the signal sent.
Switzerland has an opportunity and responsibility
While all countries must confront this new paradigm, Switzerland, one of the most innovative nations in the world, has the opportunity, but also the responsibility, to position itself as a stable and reliable player, and a defender of open science and global collaboration. This is a way to reaffirm the country’s ambitions in education, research, and innovation, and to uphold its centuries-old tradition within the international community of promoting knowledge as a universal good. Ensuring stable ties with our European neighbors to strengthen our scientific cooperation is all the more vital.
At this pivotal moment, ensuring our sovereignty in the field of life sciences takes on a special significance. Research infrastructures capable of providing the global scientific community with high-value data and expertise, such as those developed by SIB, are more crucial than ever. Switzerland's ability to innovate and maintain its leadership position will depend on its willingness to sustain these.
– Originally published in the SIB Profile 2025
