FORS is the Swiss centre of expertise in the social sciences.

We support social science research by collecting and providing survey data for Swiss and international research projects, building on our expertise in designing and implementing surveys.

We ensure the long-term archiving and open dissemination of research data, and offer methodological, data management, and technical support.

We foster national and international collaborations and actively promote Open Research Data to encourage data sharing and reuse.

FIND & DEPOSIT DATA

STAFF

OPEN POSITIONS

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Events

Love Data Week 2026: Use AI to create a README file

11/02/2026

This online event takes place within the framework of the Love Data Week, an annual international event celebrating research data and research data management. No registration needed.

Data Live: Your monthly Q&A on data management and data sharing

12/02/2026

Do you have questions about managing and sharing your social science research data? We’ve got answers. Every second Thursday of the month from 13:00 to 14:00 online.

FORS-DaSCH webinar on Workflows for Anonymization

26/02/2026

This webinar introduces the foundational principles of data anonymization and its application in the social sciences and humanities. Register now.

All Events

News

Registration is now open for the Swiss Summer School in Social Sciences Methods. The Swiss Summer School in Social Sciences Methods celebrates its 30th Anniversary edition this year, offering 30 specialised 1-week workshops and three preliminary statistics courses. Read more	MOSAiCH Call 2027 – with a thematic focus on Social Networks and Social Resources The MOSAiCH Call 2027 offers researchers a unique opportunity to collect representative data in Switzerland on relevant societal issues at no cost. Read more
Final ESS Round 11 data release The European Social Survey (ESS) has released the final data for Round 11 (2023/24). Data from all 30 participating countries, including Switzerland, is now accessible via the ESS Data Portal. Read more	Participate in the ‘Good Life’ Data Challenge! The LIVES Centre is launching the “Good Life” Data Challenge. Use SHP data to explore what predicts a happy, meaningful, and psychologically rich life. Submit a brief theory-driven proposal by 15 February 2026. Read more