The National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) has issued an alert regarding the 2026 joint funding opportunity with the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF), which supports international collaborative research projects in artificial intelligence applied to healthcare. The program focuses specifically on improving healthcare outcomes for populations with diverse sex, gender, sexual orientation, and other underrepresented groups.
The grant opportunity is open to collaborative teams involving at least one Australia-based researcher and one Switzerland-based partner. It aims to fund projects that develop and apply AI-driven healthcare solutions while addressing gaps in representation within medical datasets and ensuring more inclusive health outcomes.
The minimum data submission deadline for Australian applicants is 28 May 2026 at 17:00 AEST, marking an important early step in the application process. Full applications will follow shortly after, with the final submission deadline set for 18 June 2026 at 17:00 AEST.
The program is designed as a bilateral funding initiative where both NHMRC and SNSF coordinate peer review and selection. Successful projects are expected to run for up to four years, with significant funding support provided for high-impact, scalable research collaborations.
Applicants are required to submit initial application details through NHMRC’s Sapphire system, ensuring that institutional requirements and eligibility checks are completed in advance. The alert emphasizes that failure to meet the minimum data deadline may prevent progression to the full application stage, making early compliance essential for participation in the grant round.
