Living Lab Fund

Living Labs within the Sustainable Impact Program: Living Labs as a strategic and operational method for jointly addressing complex sustainability issues in everyday university life.

Methodologically, Living Labs are characterised by a systemic approach to open innovation and co-creation. They create spaces where science, organisation, society and practice come together to jointly develop sustainable, practical solutions and test them directly in everyday life.

Living Labs do not take place in isolated laboratory settings, but are characterised by transdisciplinarity, bringing together different perspectives. They promote a constructive learning culture in which trying out new approaches, process orientation and continuous reflection are central. Co-creation on an equal footing enables research and development not only for, but together with stakeholders.

• A total of up to CHF 120,000 per year is available to finance 5-7 Living Lab projects, with each project submitting an application based on its specific needs. Projects with a high budget may be considered in exceptional cases.
• The project budget may include salary costs (according to ZHAW cost rates) and material costs.
• Projects may run for several years.
• Any Living Lab that aims to bring about systemic transformation in the university’s administration or infrastructure must be coordinated with central services, such as F&S, departments, or strategic initiatives.

Sample application form for the Living Lab Fund (PDF 196 kB)

• Impact on sustainable development
• Project design (Real-life-Setting, diversity of stakeholders, focus on co-creation and joint learning processes)
• Interdisciplinarity
• Interface between teaching and research
• Dissemination
• Feasibility and risk management

• The project management is employed by the ZHAW. This means that in the event of a change in management, the role of project manager must be transferable to a permanent employee at the ZHAW.
• Living Labs within the Sustainable Impact Program must involve at least two departments of the ZHAW.
• As part of your Living Lab Fund project, you are also automatically affiliated with the ZKSD, where you are expected to engage with the network and carry out 2–3 activities (meetings, events, workshops, etc.). This allows to make the project more visible and to promote exchange about Living Lab projects between the universities in the Canton of Zurich.

The following points are not mandatory, but are recognised as advantageous in the evaluation process:

• Long-term perspective: The impact of the Living Lab project is designed to continue long after the project has ended.
• Living Labs offer great potential for promoting inclusion and diversity of perspectives. The Board from Sustainable Impact Program  welcomes this potential being exploited and your Living Lab project being set up in such a way that it also offers access to people who are underrepresented in scientific circles. Consider, for example, opportunities for people without an academic background to participate in the design process or for social representation in the respective Living Lab context.

More information on the application process and criteria

Important note: The funds available for 2026 have already been fully allocated. The October deadline only applies to projects with a budget starting in 2027.

• 20 October for projects with budgets from 2027 onwards (Decision announcement: calendar week 47)

Do you have any questions? Milena can help you!

Discover all previously funded projects