Who we are

The SISKA is a non-profit foundation a private, not-for-profit organisation recognised as being in the public interest.

Its aim is to encourage and showcase speleological work and studies related to the karstic environment.

To achieve its aims, the institute is pursuing a number of objectives in the fields of science, geocomputing, heritage, education and scientific outreach:

• To encourage basic and applied scientific research projects linked to the underground world and the karstic environment.
• Communicating and teaching about the specific features of karst and raise public awareness of the vulnerability of the underground environment.
• Establish links with the various stakeholders and users of the karst (university institutes, public authorities, engineers, politicians, speleologists, local populations).
• To be the reference body in Switzerland for the management and protection of the surface and underground karst environment, in conjunction with the Swiss Speleological Society.
• Propose methods and tools for the sustainable management of karstic environments.
• To promote the Swiss Speleological Society's documentary archives and encourage the continuation of this national archiving work.

The SISKA employs staff in the natural sciences (geology, hydrogeology, geomorphology, archaeozoology, biospeleology), the humanities (geography) and administration (accounting, secretariat and human resources).
Our institute relies on a network of specialists as external contractors: forestry engineer, geologist, graphic designer, IT specialist. Our team is regularly supplemented by civil servants and trainees.

The SISKA regularly takes on civilian staff on long-term assignments, with or without priority. The tasks they are assigned can be very varied, depending on the season, the skills of each individual and the needs of the Institute.

• Remediation of cavities and sinkholes.
• Support for the education sector (excursions).
• Support in the various areas of the institute.

For more information, please contact us.

The specifications (85467 and 63080) for the civil service positions are available online on the e-Zivi portal. Before completing an assignment agreement, please always contact the institute first.

Since its foundation the SISKA has published an annual report on its activities. It contains information on the projects carried out by the Institute in its various areas of activity, the annual accounts and balance sheets, a list of the members of the Foundation Board, and other information on the SISKA's activities and identity.

Since 2016, the annual report has been structured around a focus, highlighting a current theme that is particularly relevant or representative of the year's projects.

In August 1997, the World Congress of Speleology in La Chaux-de-Fonds was a resounding success. With 1650 participants and almost 500 scientific papers, it was the largest speleological event ever held in the world. A significant part of this success was due to the excellent international reputation of Swiss speleologists, particularly in the fields of underground topography, archiving, inventories and scientific observations.

The members of the Swiss Speleological Society (SSS) observe, document and archive everything to do with caves in Switzerland. Before the creation of the SISKA, this research was carried out entirely on a voluntary basis and was not supported by any official structure with a professional basis. As a result, the vast amount of information collected by the SSS remained generally unknown and under-exploited, by both government departments and academic circles as well as private offices and the general public. The SISKA was born to establish a link between cavers and these circles.

The SSS has become aware of the public interest role it can and must play in all matters relating to the underground environment (science, documentation, safety, protection, education, etc.). By creating the Swiss Institute of Speleology and Karstology (SISKA), the SSS has given itself the means to achieve this objective by placing its knowledge and skills at the service of the authorities and the public.

The SISKA was founded on 4 February 2000 by 7 founding members. The founding capital was CHF 120'000. Its registered office is in La Chaux-de-Fonds.