Seal of Excellence Fund (SELF)

SELF is a matching fund that provides co-financing for a postdoctoral position.

• A one-time contribution of CHF 60’000.
• Co-funding of a minimum 1-year full-time position, complementing the financial contribution provided by the institute/department to employ the SELF Fellow.
• The respective institute/department covers the remaining salary costs.

Further details can be found in the SELF Regulations (see document below).

To be eligible for funding through SELF, the following conditions must be met:

• MSCA-PF proposal: Prospective SELF Fellows must have submitted a Horizon Europe MSCA-PF-2025 proposal with the University of Bern as the host institution.
• Seal of Excellence: An unsuccessful MSCA-PF proposal that received at least 85 points.
• Expression of Interest: Supervisors must submit an Expression of Interest for SELF (one per prospective SELF Fellow) to the Grants Office by 31 December of the MSCA-PF submission year.
• Financial Contribution: The institute/department must have the necessary resources to cover its own contribution for at least one full-time year. The SELF contribution may not replace existing funding.
• Formal Confirmation: After the MSCA-PF results are announced, supervisors must submit the formal confirmation of the Expression of Interest to the Grants Office by email within 4 weeks.
• Employment Conditions: SELF Fellows must begin their employment no later than 1 year after the MSCA-PF results are announced. They will be provided with a workspace and access to research infrastructure and will receive active support in securing competitive third-party funding.

• MSCA-PF Submission: Horizon Europe MSCA-PF proposals are submitted once a year, typically by mid-September. The evaluation results, including the awarding of the Seal of Excellence, are communicated to applicants by the EC in January/February of the following year.
• Supervisors must submit the online SELF Expression of Interest form to the Grants Office by 31 December 2025.
• After the Seal of Excellence has been awarded, the Grants Office will ask whether there is still interest in employment. At this stage, the availability of the required own funds must be confirmed. The minimum employment duration for a SELF Fellow is 1 year (full-time).
• Procedure: The institute/department designates the third-party funding account on which the SELF Fellow will be employed. The Vice-Rectorate for Research and Innovation transfers the lump-sum payment to this account. If the employment does not begin within one year, the allocated amount expires. In cases of early termination, unused funds must be refunded proportionally.
• Reporting obligations: Successfully acquired third-party funding for career development must be reported to the Vice-Rectorate for Research and Innovation (see Regulations, Art. 8). A final report must be submitted to the Grants Office upon completion of the SELF project.

If the SELF funds available at the University of Bern are insufficient to support all applications, priority will be given to those candidates whose MSCA-PF evaluation score is closest to the panel-specific funding threshold.

A report on the completion of a supported SELF project must be submitted within 1 month after the end of the project.

The designated form must be used for the final report. Receipts do not need to be submitted. Please send the completed form to Annette Jäckel. You will receive a confirmation of receipt within 1 week.