Foundation Purpose

The statutory purpose of the Swiss Finance Institute (SFI), as recorded in the Commercial Register, is defined as follows:

(non-official translation of the German original text)
"The Foundation shall promote, on a competitive basis, institutions of higher education and networks in research and teaching of worldwide renown, thereby strengthening the locational advantages of the Swiss academic and financial center, and generating results of practical relevance for both research and industry."

The pursuit of this purpose is conducted in two principal fields of activity. All activities are subject to clearly defined governance structures and are guided by the highest academic and ethical standards. SFI has no influence on the content of research or teaching.

1. Promotion of International Competitiveness
   Support for partner universities in attracting and retaining researchers and professors who, according to internationally recognized criteria, rank among the foremost experts in the field of banking and finance. This support is provided against the backdrop of significantly higher levels of compensation for top researchers abroad, which place Swiss universities at a disadvantage in both recruitment and retention. SFI’s contributions serve to mitigate these challenges.
    
2. Continuing Education and Knowledge
   Exchange Design and implementation of continuing education programs, as well as platforms fostering dialogue between academia and industry. These initiatives ensure the exchange of knowledge between researchers at partner universities and professionals in the Swiss financial sector.

Since its inception in 2005, SFI reports on all activities in a transparent manner, including through the publicly accessible SFI Activity Reports (https://www.sfi.ch/en/about-us/activity-report).

Collaboration with Partner Universities

The cooperation between SFI and its partner universities is governed by formal agreements, which specify, in particular, the modalities of financial support. These agreements can be accessed at the respective partner universities in accordance with the Freedom of Information Act. For reasons of transparency, professors affiliated with SFI are expected to disclose this relationship openly.

The principal forms of support are as follows:

1. SFI Junior and Senior Chairs
   Partner universities may apply for SFI Junior or Senior Chairs for professors, provided that clearly defined quality criteria are met. These criteria are consistent with established academic practice and with internationally recognized standards for the evaluation of academic research quality—comparable to those applied by the "Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF)" and the "European Research Council". SFI furthermore endorses the DORA principles ("Declaration on Research Assessment"; https://sfdora.org). Compliance with these criteria is verified both at the initial chair appointment and periodically during the support duration by an independent external body composed of highly reputable banking and finance professors based abroad (Scientific Council; https://www.sfi.ch/en/about-us/organization/advisory-boards).
   
   For Junior and Senior Chairs, SFI provides an annual salary supplement of up to CHF 50,000. This support does not entail any obligations in terms of research or teaching. The professors are only required to declare their SFI affiliation in public and scientific publications ("double affiliation" with the respective partner university) and to report annually on their research activities for publication in the SFI Activity Reports.
   
   
2. SFI Faculty Membership
   All professors in the field of banking and finance at partner universities are eligible to become SFI Faculty Members. Admission and withdrawal are possible at any time and without conditions. Faculty Members may request an annual personal research budget of up to CHF 2,000, e.g. for conference travel, database and software licenses, or similar expenses. Membership does not entail any obligations in terms of research or teaching.
    
3. SFI PhD Program
   The SFI PhD Program is academically and operationally managed by the partner universities. Doctoral candidates may apply for up to CHF 1,500 per year to cover conference travel and academic job market expenses.
    
4. SFI Knowledge Exchange Activities
   Professors participating in SFI continuing education activities (e.g. SFI Master Classes) receive compensation of up to CHF 50,000 per year in recognition of the time and effort required for development and delivery. The selection of topics is guided by the needs of the financial industry and determined in close coordination with the participating professors. SFI does not exert any influence on the specific content or messages conveyed.