Austria – Land of Research
Austria – Land of Research Quantum physics and molecular biology, applied mathematics and sustainability research, visualisation and materials technologies: The outstanding achievements of researchers across a broad spectrum of disciplines prove that Austria is a land of research and technology development that has earned a place among the European front-runners.
Table of Contents
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Research Landscapes: Players and Institutions
32 A Research Landscape of Flourishing Diversity 33 Who Researches Where and on What? 2
Imprint
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Austria – Land of Research
34 Complex Competence Structures 35 Research in the Federal System 36 New Structures in Research Funding 37 A Differentiated Portfolio
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The European Context: Competition and Integration
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On the Road to Lisbon
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Moving to the Top of the League Tables
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Key Factor Human Resources
38 Dual Responsibility of the Universities 14
The Public Policy Framework: Goals and Fields of Action
16 The Discovery of Technology Policy
39 Transfer of Knowledge from the Universities 40 The Performance of the Universities of Applied Sciences
17 Resolving a Paradox 9
41 Companies as Research Heavyweights
Universities in International Competition 18 Moving onto the Fast Track
10 Business Enterprises with Innovative Momentum 11 Firmly Positioned in European Research 12 Responsibility for the New Framework Programme 13 Membership of European Networks of Knowledge
42 The New Culture of Co-operation 19 Institutional Reform 20 Commited to Emerging Thematic Areas of Research
43 Non-University Research Institutes Liven up the Scene 44 Interfaces with International Networks
21 Building Bridges Between Science and Industry 45
Research in Austria: Contacts and Addresses
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Abbreviations
22 Theme Leadership in Emerging Areas of Research 23 Accelerating Structural Change 24 Focus on Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises 25 More Women in Research 26 Fostering Mobility 27 Overcoming Borders 28 Organising Public Discussion 29 Strategies for the Future
Imprint
Owned and Published by:
Project Management:
Österreichische Forschungsförderungsgesellschaft mbH
Concept and Text: doppio espresso – partner für kommunikation Dr. Johannes Steiner, Dr. Roman Tronner Translation/Proof-Reading: Christine Young/Mark Wilch
Graphic and Production: Nofrontiere Design GmbH
Photos: page 6: Climatic Wind Tunnel (ARC) page 9, 32, 42: BMVIT page 0: Coin Sorting Device Dagobert (ARC) page : Doping Control (ARC) page 2: Institute of X-ray structure Research, Austrian Academy of Sciences, ÖAW ) page 5, 3, U: Plansinn in the context of >node< page 6, 23: Bartenbach Lichtlabor page 7, 26, 39: Sonnblick-Observatory of the Central Institute for Meteorology and Geodynamics page 8 left: Center for Nanobiotechnology, BOKU University of Natural Resources and Applied Life Sciences ) page 8 right: Research Institute for Electron Microscopy and Fine Structure Research, Graz University of Technology in co-operation with the Centre for Electron Microscopy, ZFE Graz ) page 2, 36: GALILEO Satellite (Source: ESA) page 25: ARC page 33: Conrad Observatory of the Central Institute for Meteorology and Geodynamics page 35: Institute of Physical Chemistry, University of Innsbruck ) page 44: FFG provided to the Austrian NANO Initiative
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Austria –
Land of Research
The lithium atoms that had been melted to form a giant mol ecule remained in the aggregate state of a Bose-Einstein condensate for a whole 20 seconds: a global sensation in quantum physics – and it took place at an institute in Innsbruck. On the basis of Kurt Gödel’s sobering insight into the incompleteness of mathematics, research ers are working at the limits of logic seeking new axioms that could contribute to solving at least all meaningful mathematical questions – and they are doing this work at the University of Vienna. At the Olym pic Games in Athens in 2004 a new method of analysis that detects the performance-enhancing hormone EPO was used – a method developed in laboratories in Seibersdorf. And over half the mobile tele phones in use throughout the world are fitted with mini-loudspeakers that come from the Vienna-based development department of a multi national corporation. These four examples of cutting-edge research and technol ogy development from Austria stand for a plethora of outstanding achievements in a wide range of disciplines and research areas: from research into the ageing process to quantum physics, from nano technologies to cell analysis. Austria is a land of research and tech nology development. It is a country that also owes its prosperity and leading economic position among the industrialised nations to its achievements in science and research, its innovative capability and its technological know-how.
with expertise in industrial markets. It is reflected in new initiatives and impulse programmes to encourage emerging thematic areas, from genomic research to sustainability research and security re search. And it is demonstrated in a strong commitment to integration within the European Research Area. Thus in recent years a new tableau of research and develop ment has developed in Austria that depicts a lively, diverse scene. In this dynamic climate, new knowledge is generated and translated into innovations on the market through the interplay of science and entrepreneurial spirit. This interplay is widely disseminated through the provinces and has far-reaching international links while benefiting from the strategic direction provided by public sector funding. This brochure is an attempt to outline this portrait of Austria as a land of research. It maps out Austria’s position in the European Research Area, describes the main fields of action and program matic approaches to research and technology policy and identifies the most important players and institutions in the research land scape. Parallel to this, an A to Z of research highlights cutting-edge Austrian research projects, innovative funding programmes, and new means of communicating science.
What is the basis for these outstanding achievements? They are rooted in a rich tradition of academic research and industrial in novation. However, above all, they are derived from the insight that in a globalised economy no country can rest on its past achievements, content with maintaining its current status. Continuous efforts must be made to optimise the innovation system, to reduce the time it takes to translate new knowledge into innovations. It is therefore only natural that research, technology and innovation policy has become a central area of political action. Not only, but also in Austria. This is reflected in the increased level of spending on research and technol ogy development to which Austria owes its prospect of reaching the Lisbon target of a three percent research quota by 200. However, this new weighting is also manifested in new policy approaches, which have in the meantime become international role models, such as the Competence Centres, where scientific excellence is combined
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The European Context:
Competition and Integration
The European Research Area as a political programme aims to overcome frontiers in research and development. For the researchers and the institutions at which they work this means greater competi tion and pressure to organise on internationally visible scales. At the same time, however, it opens up new opportunities for co-operation, for networking and for exploiting synergies. In a rapid catching-up process, Austria has put itself in a very good position to meet these challenges, with a research quota that is well above the European Union average. The high degree of participation in research projects at the European level also proves Austria’s determination to use the opportunities presented by international co-operation. Austria’s researchers, research managers and policymakers are active par ticipants in and shapers of EU Research Framework Programmes. In its capacity as president of the European Council, Austria bears a special responsibility for the preparation and successful start of the next Seventh Framework Programme.
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On the Road to Lisbon Moving to the Top of the League Tables
Universities in Competition Innovative Companies
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On the Road to Lisbon Since the European Council started the Lisbon process in 2000, a European Research Area has begun to emerge, strategically steered by the member states together with the European Commission. Austria is making great efforts to integrate itself in this process and actively shape it, and can boast considerable success.
The goal of the European Research Area is to improve the co-ordination of activities at the community, national and regional level with the aim of strengthening Europe’s performance in research and development. The European Union is pressing ahead with the co-ordination and opening of national and regional policies and fund ing programmes, mainly through the ERA-NET scheme that was developed under the Sixth Framework Programme. The opening of national and regional research programmes through ERA-NET plus and the application of Article 69 should be stepped up even further under the forthcoming Seventh Framework Programme. The play ers in Austrian research policy – in particular, the ministries and other organisations that handle programmes – have shown a high level of commitment in this area. As a result, during the Sixth Framework Programme Austria has been one of the most active and successful countries in the cross-border co-ordination of funding programmes. Overall, though, the progress of the Lisbon process has been disappointing so far, and both growth and productivity gains in Europe have lagged behind expectations. In March 2005, the European Council therefore tried to give new impetus to the strat egy by shifting the focus to growth and employment in Europe. To this end, the mobilisation of all suitable national and community resources is to be stepped up in the three dimensions covered by the strategy (economy, society, environment) and the exploitation of synergies improved.
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This is the European challenge facing all EU member states. Austria has outlined its strategies for the future in its National Reform Programme that builds upon work carried out in the past. The Min istry for Education, Science and Culture (BMBWK) and the Ministry for Transport, Innovation and Technology (BMVIT) have contributed research and technology policy strategies, the National Action Plan for Innovation has been drawn up under the auspices of the Minis try for Economic Affairs and Labour (BMWA), and the Austrian Coun cil for Research and Technology Development has recently published its position paper Strategy 200. The National Reform Plan focuses upon greater investments in the future to strengthen knowledge and innovation as engines of sustainable growth and to increase Austria’s attractiveness for investors and employees. This goal is translated in seven Action programmes in the areas of research, strengthening small and medium-sized enterprises, improving administrative pro cedures, internationalisation, information and communications infra structure, in particular increased access to broadband, and growth and employment in the regions.
Development of the Research Quota 990-2005
Moving to the Top of the League Tables In recent years Austria has rapidly closed the gap in research and technology policy, stepping up its deployment of resources, structural reforms and new programme initiatives. As a result Austria has the prospect of catching up with the top European performers such as Finland and Sweden.
Spending on research and development has grown extremely dynamically in Austria since the middle of the 990s. In 2005 approx imately EUR 5.8 billion was invested in R&D. Compared to 998 this represents an increase of 70 percent, and a massive 50 percent leap since 993. The research quota has now reached 2.35 percent, putting Austria considerably ahead of the EU average. Austria is also one of the few EU countries that are on target to achieve the goal of a three percent research quota by 200, as Wim Kok ascertained in his Mid Term Report on the Lisbon process.
strengths in the dissemination and adaptation of new knowledge. Austria performed particularly well with regard to the innovation intensity of small and medium-sized enterprises, with scores well above the EU average. Weaknesses, however, were evident in the generation of knowledge, manifesting themselves in the lower than average numbers of science and engineering graduates and high tech patent applications submitted to international patent offices. The lack of venture capital for high-tech start-ups also represents a bottleneck in the innovation system.
Austria now therefore has the chance to position itself among the top European performers in research and technology develop ment. It can take up this challenge from a position of strength, not withstanding the need to overcome a number of weaknesses in the innovation system. The European Innovation Scoreboard, an EU-wide com parative analysis based on 26 indicators, provides pointers to the strengths and weaknesses of the Austrian innovation system. The most recent scoreboard, for example, attests that Austria has clear
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Key Factor Human Resources
The steep rate of growth in R&D spending required by the Lisbon process will also strengthen demand for scientists. Meeting this demand will become a crucial factor for increasing economic growth and competitiveness.
Ageing Research
It’s all in the Genes
The ageing process happens naturally, whether we like it or not. However, the research carried out at the Institute for Biomedical Ageing
In recent years Austria has also redressed its shortage of human resources in research and development. In 998 the number of researchers per ,000 gainfully employed persons was still con siderably lower than the EU average at around 4.8. By 2002 this ratio had increased to 6. in line with the average figure in the EU. The number of those employed in R&D in the corporate sector (cal culated as full-time equivalents) also rose sharply in this period from some 20,400 to approximately 26,700. This is the equivalent of an increase of 3 percent. Remarkably, this growth was recorded above all in the segment of highly qualified scientific personnel.
Research (IBA) in Innsbruck will hopefully ensure that functional impairments are kept to a mini mum. In 2030 one third of the Austrian popula tion will be over 60 years of age. In comparison, in 200 this figure was only 20 percent. In 992 the Austrian Academy of Sciences took projects in the fields of gerontology and geriatrics from all over Austria and put them under a single roof at the IBA. Since then, researchers have been stud ying how organs and cells actually age, because only if we understand this process, can we pre vent, diagnose and heal. The Institute’s scientists are seeking the
These developments are a testimonial to Austria’s educational system in general. Compared internationally, however, the latter dis plays weaknesses as well as strengths. If, for example, one takes the educational level of the population as an indicator of the quality of a country’s human resources, the proportion of university gradu ates in Austria at 5 percent (in 2003) is lower than the OECD aver age. However, this picture is distorted because it does not take into account the plethora of vocational training courses in the secondary sector in Austria. Furthermore, the mostly lengthy degree courses in Austria also depress the percentage of university graduates. How ever, the introduction of Bachelor’s degrees should soon lead to upward adjustments in this area.
gene that makes people age, using an in-vitro model with cells from skin and blood. To find can didate genes – in other words, those that cause wrinkles and calcification – scientists identify the genes that are active in the division of the cells and examine the degree to which tissue ages dur
In contrast, the school sector demonstrates a number of strengths. In Austria 79 percent of 25 to 64 year olds hold qualifi cations attained after the statutory school leaving age, i.e. a high school leaving certificate or apprenticeship. The average figure in the OECD is only 66 percent.
ing the renewal process. Basic research in the areas of endocrinology, immunology, and molec ular and cellular biology will, it is hoped, help combat age-related diseases such as infections, tumours, Alzheimer’s, calcified arteries and also prevent impairments such as failing eyesight and
The output of the Austrian educational system will not, how ever, suffice alone to meet the demand. Greater inclusion of women in science and research is essential if these challenges are to be overcome. The percentage of women participating in research and development in Austria is still below the EU average.
muscle wastage. The 70-year-old Schindler Villa built by Hermann Muthesius in which the Institute is housed is a perfect illustration of what the Insti tute’s work is all about: With plenty of tender lov ing care and the necessary adjustments a pulsat ing life is possible within old walls.
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Ultimately, the aim is also to transform the brain drain into a brain gain. The brainpower austria initiative aims to generate greater interest in research activities in Austria among Austrian researchers working abroad, to draw their attention to career perspectives in Aus tria and support networking with the Austrian scientific community.
Universities in
International Competition
At the start of the 2st century Austrian universities, universities of applied sciences and academies are in competition with other European providers. An exclusively national perspective is outdated. The challenge is now to strengthen the competitiveness of Austrian educational institutions in Europe.
The Lisbon process aims to make Europe the most competi tive and dynamic knowledge-based economic area in the world. The modernisation and reciprocal opening of educational systems that are necessary for this purpose will result in far-reaching changes to the European education landscape. Increasing the mobility of stu dents, teaching and research personnel is the basic prerequisite for the necessary transfer of knowledge. The diversity of educational systems in Europe has shown that mobility also demands compati bility. The European ministers of education have responded to this by initiating the Bologna process.
Bose-Einstein Condensate
A Quantum Leap into the Grim Cold
20 seconds is a pretty feeble time for a 00-metre sprint or acceleration from 0 to 00 km/h. In November 2003, however, this time span caused a sensation in the world of quantum
The objectives of the Bologna process, which now has to be implemented in 45 participating states by 200, essentially include the creation of comprehensible and comparable qualifications (Diploma Supplement), the introduction of a 3-cycle tertiary educa tion system (Bachelor, Master, Doctorate), the establishment of the European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (ECTS) and efforts to foster mobility among students, teachers, scientists and administrative personnel. The paramount goal is the creation of the European Higher Education Area and its incorporation into the Euro pean Research Area. One means of achieving this goal is to ensure that more doctoral students decide to pursue a research career in the European Higher Education Area.
physics, further reinforcing Austria’s reputation as a country of quantum leaps. The research team under Rudolf Grimm at the Institute of Experimen tal Physics in Innsbruck succeeded in convert ing a gas cloud of lithium molecules into a BoseEinstein condensate (BEC) with a lifespan of 20 seconds – longer than ever before. In this spe cial aggregate condition just above absolute zero (-273.5 C°) all atoms are in a state of thermal equilibrium. In the meantime, physicists at the Institute for Quantum Optics and Quantum Infor mation (IQOQI) of the Academy of Sciences have been able to produce this ultra-cold quantum
The Bologna process has given new impetus to those efforts to achieve greater internationalisation within the Austrian higher edu cation sector that already existed when the process was launched. The Universities Act 2002 has established the legal basis for the implementation of the key goals of the Bologna process and initiated one of the most comprehensive reform processes in the history of the universities. Autonomy and changed decision-making structures will open up new possibilities for Austria to successfully hold its own in international competition.
material as a standard procedure and have con ducted experiments to discover more about the forces that are active inside it. Renowned scien tists such as Hans Briegel in Innsbruck and Rainer Blatt, Peter Zoller (who was recently awarded Germany’s most prestigious prize, the Max Planck medal), Anton Zeilinger and Markus Arndt at the University of Vienna, are developing the basis for possible uses of quantum physics in information technology. Potential applications include super high-speed quantum computers that are not lim ited to the binary digits of zero and one, as well as the ultra-secure encryption of data. It took sev enty-one years for the prediction of the aggregate state by Albert Einstein and Satyendra Nath Bose to be realised in the form of the Bose-Einstein condensate – and it has been well worth the wait.
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Business Enterprises with
Innovative Momentum
Research, development and innovation are now crucial determin ing factors for corporate productivity and consequently for overall economic prosperity. In recent years Austria’s business enterprises have significantly increased their R&D activities and are among the European leaders in their commitment to innovation.
CIR-CE
Building Technological Bridges
The aim of the European Research Area is to overcome borders. However, this kind of cross-border co-operation can take some practice, especially in areas where for decades demarcations also divided different political and
In 2005 business enterprises operating in Austria spent approximately EUR 3.6 billion on research and development, some 60 percent more than five years earlier. It is above all due to the R&D dynamism of its companies that Austria is now well on the way to achieving the three percent research quota. Today, the corporate sector accounts for a good 63 percent of all R&D spending in Aus tria. Of course, this figure also includes the 20 percent of research investments that are made by foreign corporations in Austria – one of the highest figures in Europe. As a result, Austria has a realistic chance of achieving the second objective of the Lisbon process, namely a financing ratio for research investments in which industry provides two thirds and the public purse one third.
economic systems. Funding programmes such as the scheme developed by the BMWA under the name of CIR-CE which focuses on Central, Eastern and South East Europe are taking up the challenge of encouraging trans-national network ing. Here CIR-CE is a follow-up to the pilot project STRAPAMO, which backed 2 projects in the period up to 2004. CIR-CE promotes the development of networks across national borders by consortia of business enterprises and intermediaries such
This development is all the more remarkable given the pre dominance of small and medium-sized enterprises in Austria’s economic structure. Their innovative strength was for a long time underestimated. It was only the EU-wide Community Innovation Survey that put the innovation performance of SMEs into proper perspective. According to this report almost half of Austrian small and medium-sized enterprises have an innovation rate that clearly exceeds the EU average. Moreover, Austrian SMEs are also far ahead of the EU average when it comes to the percentage of turnover generated by new products and market innovations.
as technology parks, clusters and competence centres (network projects) or by corporate part nerships that are planning co-operative product developments or new transfer models (innova tion models). The binding principle of the projects is the involvement of several partners from Aus tria and at least the same number from Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Estonia, Croatia, Latvia, Lithuania, Macedonia, Poland, Romania, Serbia-Montenegro, Slovakia, Slovenia, the Czech Republic or Hungary. A scheme funded as part of the STRAPAMO project provides a good illus tration of what can be achieved: In co-operation with the Slovak Republic the competence centre Virtual Reality and Visualisation (VRVis) has devel oped a 3D-visualisation system (MetropoVis) that displays data with urban relevance such as air quality and traffic volumes in graphical form.
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Austria also performs well in an EU-wide comparison of gen eral patent statistics, scoring better than the EU average. However, it continues to lag behind with regard to the number of high-tech pat ent applications. Although their number has increased rapidly in the last decade, Austria still has some way to go before it closes the gap on the European front-runners, especially in the fields of Information and Communications Technologies (ICT) and biotechnology.
Firmly Positioned
in European Research
Austrian participation in the EU Research Framework Programmes is rising sharply. While Austrian researchers were only involved in three projects in the First Research Framework Programme, in the second half of the Sixth Research Framework Programme they are already participating in 945 EU-financed research projects.
Austrian researchers have also adjusted well to the new instruments. Fifty percent of all Networks of Excellence and one in three Integrated Projects include participants from Austria. The country also plays a successful role in managing EU projects, pro viding just over three percent of all co-ordinators. Austrian research institutes manage some 40 projects, 57 of which are specific targeted-research projects, 6 integrated projects and three Net works of Excellence. Austria is also highly active in the ERA-NETs, which aim at the joint implementation and opening of national and regional research activities. Sixteen bodies, mainly government ministries, promotion funds and funding agencies as well as university and non-university research institutes are working in a total of 37 ERA-NETs on various themes. Four ERA-NETS are co-ordinated by Austrian institutions.
Doping
Hunting Olympic Doping Offenders
Magic mushrooms, bulls’ testicles and
As a key instrument for the development of the European Research Area, the EU Research Framework Programmes have in the past made an important contribution to the internationalisation of Austrian research, the transfer of knowledge and the opening up of new markets. Austria’s accession to the European Community in 995 sparked a dramatic increase in the country’s level of participa tion. Scientists in Austria were working on ,444 projects within the Fourth EC Research Framework Programme that was running at that time. In the Fifth Research Framework Programme (998 – 2002) there were just under 2,000 Austrian participations in some ,380 EU projects. Over 260 of these projects were co-ordinated by Aus trian organisations.
even lions’ hearts were the preferred doping agents of Olympic wrestlers in antiquity. Two thou sand years later, methods to enhance perform ance are being constantly refined. Which is why equally sophisticated methods are needed to detect and analyse illegal substances in athletes’ blood or urine. The doping control laboratory of the Aus trian Research Centers (ARC) plays an important role in the cat-and-mouse game between offend ers and investigators. Every year, scientists from the Chemical Analysis department in Seibersdorf near Vienna examine thousands of blood and
The Sixth Research Framework Programme, which is funded with a total of EUR 9.2 billion and will run until the end of 2006, is also proving very successful. Just over halfway through the Sixth Research Framework Programme, Austrian researchers are involved in 5.6 percent of all successful project proposals, i.e. a total of 945. Most of Austria’s receipts come from the two programmes IST (Information Society Technologies) and Genomics and Biotechnology for Health.
urine samples. They have been able to win the race against doping using their specially devel oped EPO-Cam. This analysis device displays EPO (erythropoietin), a naturally occurring hor mone which is extremely difficult to detect, in dig ital images. A special camera is used to photo graph the urine sample and a laptop connected to the camera uses software to convert the pho tograph into a digital image. It is immediately clear
Austrian scientists are working with particular success in the areas of energy, space and hydrogen technology, and also in the pol icy-oriented ERA-NET programme. Aside from research institutes and universities, small and medium-sized enterprises (defined in Austria as those with fewer than 250 employees) are also successfully engaged in research. Austria also has a higher than average SME participation rate in the Sixth Research Framework Programme of 5 percent.
if the doping agent has been taken and if so, how much. The doping laboratory plays an inter national role as one of the officially accredited laboratories of the International Olympic Commit tee (IOC) and was also responsible for detecting offenders at the Olympic Games in Athens.
Responsibility for the New Framework Programme The Seventh EU Research Framework Programme will reinforce what the Sixth Framework Programme has started. It aims to be both the backbone and catalyst for the European Research Area. In order for it to follow the Sixth Framework Programme according to plan it must be approved by autumn 2006. This places a very special burden of responsibility upon Austria during its EU presidency.
Embedded Systems
No More False Alarms
It is a problem most of us have at least heard of. The electronics system in the car reports a fault, the owner takes the vehicle to the garage for a check-up and it turns out to have been a false alarm. The vehicle’s electronic system has played a joke on its owner. As Embedded Sys tems, as they are known in trade jargon, are now used everywhere, they may often be behind such problems. Sometimes this is due to imperfect sys tem integration. Austria can now boast a community of researchers and technology developers that has
In June 2004 the European Commission launched an open discussion process on the Seventh Research Framework Pro gramme. For the first time an EU Framework Programme will include a separate budget for basic research. For this purpose a Euro pean Research Council will be established. The concept of the Joint Technology Initiatives is another innovation. These are designed to bring together business enterprises, research institutes, the financial world and authorities at the European level in order to define a joint research programme with critical resource volumes in specific areas of major European public interest. The Seventh Research Framework Programme will continue to fund trans-national projects, and co-ordi nation of national research programmes will be further strengthened with the help of the ERA-Networks. New research infrastructures to serve European interests in research areas with a medium and long term focus are also to be created. Other proposals put forward by the Commission include simpler and faster administrative procedures and improving the dissemination of research results. The Research Framework Programmes, and especially the forthcoming Seventh Research Framework Programme, are impor tant points of reference for Austrian research. Austria therefore broadly welcomes many aspects of the European Commission’s pro posal. However, given the specific characteristics of its economy and research, Austria hopes that more money will be made available for small-scale research projects and that SMEs will be able to partici pate more easily and profit to a greater extent from the instruments than in the past. Existing instruments should be retained, but should become more manageable as is the case in the Integrated Projects and Networks of Excellence. Austria attaches as much priority to the continuation of thematic areas in the field of “Co-operation” sup plemented by new areas of research such as security research as it does to improving links between industry and research, expanding the ERA-networks and comprehensive measures to promote women in science.
acquired an excellent international reputation in the field of Embedded Systems applications. Sci entists from the company Decomsys, the Insti tute of Computer Engineering at the Vienna Uni versity of Technology and the Technikum Wien are trying to provide assistance with system inte gration as part of the STEACS project funded by the BMVIT’s FIT-IT initiative. They are developing test and diagnostic concepts for the distributed communications systems in cars based on the new communications protocol FlexRay, which is designed to guarantee the reliable transfer of data between the electronic and mechatronic compo nents of a car. This means that false alarms could become a thing of the past.
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In April 2005 the European Commission created the Com petitiveness and Innovation Programme (CIP) to complement the Framework Programmes. As an element of the new Lisbon strategy, CIP merges diverse initiatives such as the Entrepreneurship and Innovation Programme to promote entrepreneurial spirit and innova tion, the ICT Policy Support Programme to promote the use of infor mation and communications technologies and the Intelligent Energy Programme to form an integrated approach.
Membership of European
Networks of Knowledge
Austria is currently participating in twelve European research institu tions which focus upon the areas of space exploration, particle and nuclear physics, molecular biology, and the mechanical and social sciences.
Flood Forecasting Systems
Living with Natural Hazards
Floods are a consequence of meteorolog ical events. They are part of the hydrological cycle and have a natural cause. Austria’s geographical location in the Alpine range and its Central Euro
In 2002 Austria spent .73 percent of its total R&D expendi ture and 3.5 percent of its public research expenditure on member ship of European research institutions. The main benefit from these memberships is access to tools at the “frontier of knowledge”, the opportunity to conduct research at the cutting edge and the ability to keep up with world-class research even as a small country. How ever, beside new knowledge, advantages also include the training of young scientists to international standards. Equally important is the financial return generated in the form of orders for Austrian industry and service providers.
Austria joined the international organisation CERN, the Centre Européenne pour la Recherche Nucleaire, near Geneva as early as 959. Austria is also a member of the Centre International des Sciences Mécaniques CISM that was founded in 968. Austria was also a founding member of the European Molecular Biology Conference EMBC. This organisation, which was founded in 970, provides the funding for the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL).
pean climate means that extreme rainfall with the resulting flooding can occur at any time. Severe storms can also devastate areas where floods are
In 975 Austria started participating in European Space Agency programmes, becoming a full member of ESA in 987.
not expected. Without flood protection measures patterns of settlement in Austria would be vastly different. In 2002 Austria was hit by a major flood disaster. But researchers and technology devel
Austria has been a member of EUMETSAT, the European Organisa tion for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites, since the latter was founded in 986.
opers have been called upon to minimise the dan gers with innovative early warning systems for much longer.
Since 990 Austria has been an associate partner in the Institut Max von Laue – Paul Langevin, a source of neutrons.
The Innsbruck Kplus Competence Centre for Natural Hazard Management alpS, for exam ple, is developing a system that is fed with the latest meteorological and hydrological data and
As a member state of the European Union, Austria signed the Euro pean Fusion Development Agreement EFDA that came into force in 999. The nuclear fusion reactor ITER is an EFDA project.
weather forecasts. With the help of Europe-wide grant programmes it should also be possible to co-ordinate flood early warning systems across
Austria has been a member of the Italian synchrotron research cen tre ELETTRA since 996 through the Austrian Academy of Sciences.
national borders: One example is the CRUE net work that was set up as part of the European Re search Network Programme ERA-NET. Partners in this project include the Austrian Ministry of Life
Since 200 Austria has been a scientific partner of the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility ESRF where it is represented by the Academy of Sciences.
and ministries and funding agencies from Germa ny, Finland, France, Italy, Poland, Scotland, Spain, Hungary and the Netherlands.
Austria’s status in European space research was significantly enhanced in 2002 when Vienna was chosen as the home of the European Space Policy Institute (ESPI), of which it was a founding member. The Austrian Council for Research and Technology Development and the Austrian Science Board have recommended that Austria join the European Southern Observatory.
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The Public Policy Framework:
Goals and Fields of Action
Research and technology policy have only recently started to claim priority in the policy fi eld hierarchy in the industrialised nations. How ever, in globalised economic systems its importance for safeguarding the momentum of economic growth and social development in the long term is undisputed. Since the 990s Austria has been making massive efforts to close the gap on the leading European countries. This new mood has been marked by a greater deployment of resources by all players and institutional reforms on both the stra tegic and operational levels. A focus on the key fi elds of action to overcome structural defi cits and strengthen research and develop ment activities in emerging thematic areas of strategic importance determine the direction of policy.
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Resolving a Paradox Moving onto the Fast Track
Institutional Reforms Strategic Milestones
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The Discovery of
Technology Policy
Research, technology development and innovation are today uni versally recognised as key drivers of economic growth and social development. However, it was not until the final decades of the 20th century that they became a focus of public policy, and this is not just true of Austria.
Genomic Research
Genes with Character
When biophysicists and researchers from the Department of Molecular Immunology at
The adoption of the Research Promotion Act on 25 October 967 marks the birth of institutionalised research and technology policy in Austria. This law established the two funding agencies that for almost forty years dominated the funding landscape in Austria: the Austrian Industrial Research Promotion Fund (FFF) and the Austrian Science Fund (FWF). While one was designed to support market-oriented research and development projects by companies, the remit of the other was to promote basic research at scientific institutes.
the Medical University of Vienna, and fuzzy logic experts from the University of Linz build high resolution microscopes, it is because they want to watch individual molecules at work, both in real time and in slow motion. The results then show which tasks are carried out by the individual cells and how they communicate. This is just one of the projects being carried out within the scope of the GEN-AU programme. The Austrian Genome Research Pro gramme GEN-AU (GENome Research in AUstria) focuses above all upon medical issues. Developed and financed by the BMBWK, the programme targets funding to projects that advance Austrian
These Funds that were strictly committed to the bottom-up principle, i.e. non-theme-specific funding, were only gradually in the 970s and to a greater extent in the 980s supplemented by instru ments targeted at specific key areas. The year 987 saw the found ing of the Austrian Innovation and Technology Fund (ITF), which for the first time was explicitly committed to targeted funding in emerg ing thematic areas of technology. The Fund also served as a platform for an inter-ministerial exchange of opinions in what even then was a structure characterised by a complex distribution of competences. The discourse also produced a stronger awareness of for research policy at the ministries. This was reflected in increasing efforts by those ministries responsible for research and technology to identify problem fields and develop new funding programmes to solve them.
research in the field of genomic research. In some projects, scientists are studying the role played by genes in both a healthy subject and a person suffering from cancer. The new proteomics plat form APP is working on ultra-sensitive methods to identify the properties of genes and proteins, and on chip-based diagnostics. Another project is tackling the problem of obesity by trying to dis cover and explain the function of the genes and proteins that are involved in the absorption of lipids (fats) by cells. However, GEN-AU’s activities are not limited to funding research. The programme also aims to market relevant research results in part nership with the private sector.
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Against the background of Austria’s accession to the EU and the globalisation debate, research and technology development were definitively established as a high priority policy area in the 990s. In 997, at a time when Austria invested a mere .7 percent of its GDP in research, the government proclaimed a 2.5 percent research quota target. This was followed by the first two “technology billions” (albeit in Austrian schillings) and the first, although unsuccessful, attempts to reform the structure of research and technology funding by streamlining competences and redistributing tasks between the political-strategic and the operational-instrumental levels. However, the eagerness for reform remained undiminished.
Resolving a Paradox The technology policy debates of the 990s led to the insight that Austria would have to follow a new technology development path. Instead of continuing to rely on the rapid and efficient adaptation of imported technology trends, the country would have to rely more on its own technological developments and innovations.
In the course of the technology policy debate the phenome non of the “Austrian Performance Paradox” appeared in the 990s. This was based on the discrepancy between demonstrable structural deficiencies in the Austrian innovation system and its nonetheless above-average overall economic performance. Various aspects such as low levels of research spending, little patent activity, weak export performance in the high-tech sector pointed to the existence of a technology gap. Austrian industry was characterised by a predom inance of traditional companies, which at best, were active in the mid-tech segment. Structural deficits such as these generally have a negative impact on growth prospects, but had evidently done little to impair overall economic development in Austria. On the contrary, and this was the paradox, until the mid 990s income levels, employment and growth had developed very favourably on international compari son. New insights from innovation research provided the solution to the puzzle. Austrian industries were by no means reluctant to inno vate, they were in fact among the most innovative in Europe. But they followed a specific innovation pattern. Companies preferred to make small but continuous improvements to their products than to engage in riskier further developments. They also tended to make use of technology trends developed elsewhere rather than investing in generating new knowledge and thus in advances to new levels of technology themselves.
However, there was another reason why this paradox became obsolete. From the mid 990s onwards, the lead in terms of growth that Austria traditionally enjoyed compared with the EU shrank and then disappeared. This led to a broad the emergence of a broad social consensus that the pathway to technological devel opment pursued successfully by Austria in the past with the rapid adoption of innovations developed elsewhere no longer represented a sustainable model. The clever adaptation of imported technologies cannot spare Austria the painful path of permanent structural change if it wishes to close the gap on the European front-runners. And this is the only way to safeguard its prosperity. This, however, requires continuous work on technological advances and the courage to engage in high-risk, research-inten sive innovation. This in turn requires a constant improvement in the structure of industry through new enterprises. This again presupposes more money for research and development, but also to provide the human resources that are needed with an adequate education. And this implies a competitive orientation toward open markets that will not obstruct structural change. In the late 990s Austria set off down this path.
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Moving onto the Fast Track
The increased importance of research and technology policy in Austria can be seen from the volume of funds deployed in this policy area. Spending on R&D has risen by 70 percent since 998, and by 50 percent since 993. The research quota has increased from .35 percent in the late 980s to 2.35 percent in 2005.
Some EUR 5.8 billion were invested in research and develop ment in Austria in 2005. The public sector accounted for 36 percent of this investment, Austrian companies for just under 43 percent. Approximately 20 percent was attributable to research contracts from abroad, the vast majority of which were awarded by foreign corporations to their Austrian subsidies. All financing sectors have grown dynamically in the last ten years and have thus contributed to putting Austria on the fast track in research and development. In terms of the percentage of GDP spent on research, Austria already far exceeds the EU average. The increase in R&D investment in Austria financed by for eign companies is especially impressive, having increased sixfold between 995 and 2005. However, Austrian industry has also dou bled its R&D spending in the last ten years. In 2005 business spent just under EUR 2.5 billion on research. This rapid increase in private sector activity would not, how ever, have been possible on this scale if the public sector had not also substantially increased its spending on research infrastructure and on research funding. In 2005 the public sector spent EUR 2. billion on R&D, 65 percent more than in 995.
This is reflected above all in the substantial increases in federal spending on technology offensives that were financed by additional funding outside the scope of the ordinary ministry budgets, but also in rising levels of spending by the provinces:
The first step was taken with the “Technology Billions” in 997 and 999. Although the billion here refers to Austrian schillings, the schemes had a total funding volume of approximately EUR 50 million. In 200 the federal government initiated a special funding programme for research, technology and innovation. Under this scheme, more than EUR . billion in additional funding has been made available for R&D in two Action Programmes for the years 200 to 2006. In 2005 the government announced a further “research billion” to be distributed in the period up to 200. Improvements to indirect research funding have also created incen tives to increase investments in R&D. With tax allowances of 25 and 30 percent for research and an eight percent research bonus, the system is one of the most generous in Europe. Finally, the establishment of the National Foundation for Research, Technology and Development has created a new instrument for financing research. Since 2004 the Foundation has distributed EUR 25 million for R&D annually, securing long-term planning perspectives for programmes and initiatives.
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Hydrogen Engines
Tomorrow’s Horsepower
An environmentally-friendly engine that is more powerful than a traditional petrol-operated motor? Vehicle manufacturers praise engines powered by hydrogen fuel cells to the skies, but their function is in fact pretty down to earth. A fuel cell is an electrochemical system that directly con verts the chemical energy from oxidation process
Institutional Reform
es into electricity. This is very similar to a battery, but differs in that the energy is stored in an exter nal tank instead of in electrodes. So much for the environmentally-friendly aspect of this technology.
Austria owes its position on the research and development fast track not just to increased levels of funding. A series of institutional reforms has also contributed to this success. These include the establishment of the Austrian Council for Research and Technology Development, the reorganisation of the research funding system and the creation of a National Foundation for Research, Technology and Development.
However, a number of questions still have to be resolved before mass production can begin. For example, where to obtain hydrogen, which does not occur naturally but can be produced through electrolysis? How much space will be available in car fuel tanks? These questions are also being discussed within the framework of the Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Initiative set up by the BMVIT in 2005 as part of the A3 Technology Programme Advanced Automotive Technology. A total funding budget of EUR 5 million will be released in 2005 and 2006 to promote the development of alternative engine
In 2000 the Austrian Council for Research and Technology Development was established as a strategic advisory body to the federal government on all issues of research, technology and inno vation policy. It is the Austrian Council’s task, in close dialogue with the key political players, to provide a strategic orientation for RTI pol icy in Austria, to identify emerging thematic areas of research and to propose appropriate assistance for them. These priorities are also reflected in the Austrian Council’s recommendations for use of the special funds from the technology offensives.
types. Other work on fuel cells is being carried out by the Alternative Propulsion Systems Council (APSC), which includes university institutes, uni versities of applied sciences, competence centres, non-university research institutes, the hydrogen centre HyCentA in Graz, the automo bile cluster and companies such as AVL, Magna, OMV, Jenbacher and Plansee.
The funding landscape has been reorganised through the most far-reaching reforms since the 960s. The FFF, which was founded in this period, has been merged with three other institutions to form the Austrian Research Promotion Agency (FFG) in which funding for application-oriented research and development has been brought together. The internal structure of its counterpart from the 960s, the Austrian Science Fund (FWF), has also been reformed and this organisation is now the most important sponsor of scientific research in Austria. In summer 2006 both institutions will relocate to the House of Research, which will bring together the most important funding agencies at a shared address. Prior to this, enterprise-related business funding had been integrated under a single umbrella through the establishment of the Austria Wirtschaftservice Gesellschaft (AWS).
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Commited to Emerging
Thematic Areas of
Research
The discourse on research, technology and development that has been strengthened as a result of both the Lisbon process and increased national efforts has also resulted in a stronger strategic focus in this policy area. Problem areas and structural deficits have been identified and analysed. The tools to overcome them have been sharpened.
Intelligent Traffic Systems
Beating the Jam
It is actually possible to measure the flow of traffic. On a motorway such as the A 0 Tauern autobahn for example, on sections of the road
In 2002 the Austrian Council published the National Research and Innovation Plan, which became a key point of reference for RTI policy. It summarised the status of the discussion on RTI in Austria at a very early stage of the Lisbon process. The ten fields of action defined in the Plan reflect the dominant themes of RTI policy in Austria:
Greater integration of science and industry is emphasised as an essential goal for strengthening the innovation system. The instru ments to strengthen co-operation between the two sectors – such as the Competence Centres programme that was set up in the late 990s – will be made more effective. Thematic key areas that steer funding toward the development of specific technologies or applications are an important element of the EU Research Framework Programmes. Austria, with its strong tradition of bottom-up funding, has deficits in this area. Policymak ers have responded with initiatives to support strategic emerging thematic areas such as the life sciences, nano-sciences, information and communications technologies, space and aviation and traffic technologies. Austria’s industrial structure has deficits in the high-tech segment, which in the long-term stunt competitiveness and lead to the loss of growth opportunities. Providing support to high-tech start-ups on the one hand, and anchoring corporate headquarters in Austria on the other hand are both regarded as suitable instruments for accelerating structural change.
that are subject to frequent congestion. The high tech company Frequentis, arsenal research and mobile communications provider Mobilkom Aus tria, have jointly developed one such measuring system and now offer real-time information about traffic flows to drivers and mobile phone users.
The size pattern of the Austrian economy requires that particu lar attention be given to the needs and problems of small and medium-sized enterprises. Specific forms of research funding aim to strengthen their innovative capability and in particular to encourage them to pursue more radical innovations.
The volume of road traffic in tunnels is recorded by the cameras and sensors of the motorway operator Asfinag, and information is supplied in the form of an MMS before the driver has even reached the tunnel. There is evidently a need for such solu
Women are grossly underrepresented in science and research. This is not only a waste of valuable human resources, in more general terms, it also represents an obstacle to the development of RTI. Programmes to improve the integration of women will therefore be expanded in future.
tions. According to a study carried out by the automobile club ADAC, European drivers spend an average of 65 hours per year in traffic jams. The word traffic telematics thus describes every thing involving vehicles, their passengers, the
The European goal of developing a European Research Area requires Austria to have clear strategies for the internationalisation of its RTI policy. Small countries like Austria benefit from integration in interna tional knowledge networks to a particular degree.
transmission, receipt, processing and display of data in a vehicle. As the volume of traffic has grown, so has the importance of telematics. In Austria large numbers of traffic telematic applications such as the “congestion reporter” are being developed by institutions such as arsenal research. The BMVIT has created a funding line, I2 – Intelligent Infrastructure, to aid the development of information and communica tions technology applications for traffic manage ment. Researchers and technology developers have joined forces to form the Austrian Traffic Telematics Cluster.
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To the extent that RTI is becoming a focus of increasing political attention and reaping the gains from increased allocations of tax revenue, RTI policy is also called upon to seek and organise public dialogue. This dialogue with the public will become an indispensable element of RTI policy.
Joining Research and Experience: TRAFO
The Research Process as the Subject
of Research
The programme Transdisciplinary Research in the Humanities, Social and Cultural Sciences (TRAFO) was launched by the BMBWK in response to challenges that society cannot solve by science or practical experience alone and supports mixed teams of researchers and practi tioners. The Institute for Science Research of the
Building Bridges Between
Science and Industry
University of Vienna, for example, focuses upon the interface between biomedicine and society, namely the relationship between doctor and pa tient. Specifically, the issue is “informed consent”, i.e. providing patients with information and advice to enable them to make informed decisions about
For many years the answer to the question about the specific bottleneck in the Austrian innovation system remained unchanged: there is little integration and co-operation between industry and science in Austria. Research, technology and innovation policy has and will continue to give special attention to this deficiency and has developed a large number of programmes and instruments to redress it.
what happens to them during treatment. The participants in this research project are doctors and nursing staff at Vienna’s General Hospital, patients, who are supposed to sign declarations of consent for their treatment, and experts from the fields of medicine, law, ethics and the social sciences. In order to qualify for TRAFO funding, a project must be able to demonstrate the gender equality of the project team and that the research process is itself the subject of research. The level of knowledge, any new methods that are devel oped and joint insights are documented in detail
For a long time Austria’s innovation system was characterised by two large areas that were relatively independent of each other: the corporate sector on the one hand, and the public sector and the universities on the other. This is still reflected in the flow of funds within the innovation system today. The corporate sector essentially finances its research work itself. Own funds and cash flows from abroad cover 94 percent of its R&D activities. Research at universi ties is almost exclusively financed by the public sector. A lack of networking between science and industry, however, means that the generation of knowledge is poorly linked to the appli cation of knowledge. New knowledge rarely finds its way to inno vations on the market. Policymakers have therefore been working intensively for many years to achieve better integration within the innovation system. And the most recent surveys on corporate inno vation patterns show that this division of the innovation system is gradually being overcome. Business enterprises now fund just under four percent of university research. By reorganising the legal framework in which universities operate, the Universities Act 2002 has made it possible to remove obstacles to co-operation. But even before this, new programme approaches had established a new “culture of co-operation”. In the mid 990s the Christian Doppler Research Association (CDG) played a pioneering role in this respect. This Association funds the estab lishment of laboratories at universities in which application-oriented basic research on themes defined by industry is carried out, and
and the results published in an easily comprehen sible form. In this specific case, the project partic ipants are compiling a joint online research diary. Between 2004 and 2006 EUR 3.4 million will be available for TRAFO projects.
provides industry with effective access to new knowledge. The next milestone was reached in the late 990s with the creation of the Competence Centres programme, in which partners from science and industry collaborate at research centres set up for a specific period of time. It is acknowledged that they have established a new culture of co-operation and today they enjoy an international reputa tion as best practice models (see page 42). A second line of programmes takes another approach to the transfer of knowledge from the universities. The spin-off pro gramme AplusB supports new high-tech enterprises started at uni versities, while uni:invent promotes the commercialisation of univer sity research results. Finally, another group of programmes aims to strengthen the networking capability of small and medium-sized enterprises, which as a result are better able to dock onto knowledge nodes in the innovation system and use them for their own innovations.
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Theme Leadership in Emerging Areas of Research The restructuring in the European Research Area, rapid shifts in global technology trends and the need to make efficient use of resources require clarity about which research themes are worth concentrating on. With an eye on European and global developments, Austrian research policy has in recent years increasingly defined a new framework for research on the basis of thematic key areas, thus reinforcing existing scientific strengths.
KIRAS
Security Has Priority
Be it a matter of fighting terrorism with biometrics, reactor security, safety in healthcare or Internet security to prevent the increasing number of virus attacks on corporate networks, security research and the development of innovative securi ty technologies head the list of research policy pri orities. Security will therefore be a key area of the EU’s Seventh Research Framework Programme. Austria is also bundling its national re sources in order to generate new knowledge that can contribute to achieving security policy goals with a new inter-ministerial programme named KIRAS (from the Greek words kirkos “research” and asphaleia “security”). The start-up phase of the programme that is funded by the BMVIT and
Life sciences and biotechnology, the humanities and social sciences, nano-technology and as a consequence the material sci ences, information and communications technologies, space and aviation, mobility, energy and environmental sustainability are areas in which traditional competences and new, emerging fields of Austrian research come together. In order to guide research to success in these key areas, the responsible government ministries have in the past decade created comprehensive programmes extending over several years that pos sess critical mass. By providing the requisite agenda and finance for this research, the ministries are providing a framework within which it will be possible not only to develop fundamental new insights and technologies across individual disciplines, but also to improve com patibility with European and international research. The process of focussing and concentrating funds has been given new impetus by the Austrian Council for Research and Technology Development which was established in 2000. As an advisory body to the Austrian government its recommendations have contributed to the incorpo ration of existing programmes in a coherent research strategy, which in turn is advanced by other initiatives recommended by the Austrian Council, most recently in Strategy 200.
handled by the FFG will focus on protection for critical infrastructure. In 2007 it will be possible to widen the scope to include other thematic areas. One project in the field of security re search is already underway in Austria under the management of the Academy of Sciences’ Insti tute of Technology Assessment. PRISE – Priva cy Enhancing Shaping of Security Research and Technology aims to draw up a catalogue of princi ples designed to ensure that the development of new security technologies does not lead to the vi olation of fundamental rights such as data protec tion and privacy.
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In the case of the life sciences these are programmes such as GEN-AU, the Austrian Genome Research Programme, or LISA, which supports high-tech start-ups in the life sciences. In the area of environmental and sustainability research the programme proVISION focuses upon the thematic area “provision for nature and society”. The priority programme GSK for example, or the NODE programme, which examines the process of European integration and the options and possibilities for the development of democracy, bring research in the humanities, social and cultural sciences to life by providing a wealth of new aspects. Materials research and materials sciences are important areas of research for Austria, and the Nano Initiative provides new incentives to implement the emerging thematic area of nano-technologies. Materials sciences also play a role in trans port, space and aviation research. Programmes such as the Austrian Space Programme, A3, or TAKE-OFF have contributed to strength ening the relevant industries and clusters. The information technol ogies also make a contribution to traffic research through telemat ics. Other applications target the Internet economy, for example in the programme Digital Economy/ICT. FIT-IT on the other hand, funds work in areas such as Embedded Systems.
Accelerating Structural Change In the race to join the European front-runners Austrian industry must overcome a number of structural deficits: Its enterprises are too firmly rooted in the low-tech and mid-tech sectors. Many research-intensive industries in Austria contribute substantially less to value added than is the case in those countries that are leaders in the fields of research and technology. Hightech industries need to catch up.
In many niches Austrian enterprises have advanced to take the technological lead on world markets. However, the ground breaking technological leaps that open up new market potential and growth opportunities were made elsewhere. It is therefore essential to accelerate the pace of structural change in order to overcome the risk of ending up as a world champion, but on shrinking markets. The motto is: Out of the lower-tech sectors and into the high-tech area. Two programmatic approaches are needed here. Structural change requires a dynamic start-up culture in the high-tech sector. However, it must also be supported by a promotion policy designed to anchor the headquarters of large corporations in Austria. The lat ter is being achieved by the Headquarters’ Strategy, which assists Austrian and foreign companies wishing to establish their central research units in Austria.
companies a custom-tailored consulting package. The seed financing programme steps into the breach as an initial financer for high-tech business founders in situations where the market would not provide adequate start-up capital because the business risk is too high for private lenders. This programme has helped to create approximately ,700 jobs in high-tech companies since the early 990s. The AplusB programme targets the academic segment of the start-up sector. Special start-up centres at the universities offer a comprehensive consulting service that provides potential entre preneurs with guidance on all aspects of the start-up process, from the initial idea to market maturity. In the third year of its existence the programme can point to 50 new businesses that were founded after it showed them the short cut to the market.
An entire series of programme lines is committed to increas ing the pace at which new enterprises are founded. Besides addi tional project financing, the support measures for start-ups in the General Programmes of the FFG offer young technology-oriented
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Given Austria’s economic structure, increasing the innovative Focus on Small and
capability of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) has always Medium-Sized Enterprises been a constant objective of technology policy measures. SMEs were the most important target group for the non-theme-specific The small and medium-sized structure of Austrian industry is frequently regarded as an impediment to innovative strength and competitiveness. But as EU-wide surveys of innovation patterns show, this is not necessarily the case. Austria’s small and medium sized enterprises are among the European innovation champions. However, they usually innovate in small steps involving little risk. Policymakers hope to encourage them to take bolder and more radical steps.
bottom-up funding provided by the FFG. Ultimately, 82 percent of the projects that received funding from the General Programmes were submitted by SMEs. More than half the funding awarded went to these projects. Indirect research funding with tax incentives is also a major element of support for SME research activities, because it reaches small companies that are outside the focus of direct funding instru ments. In addition to research tax allowances of 25 and 35 percent, an eight percent research bonus provides incentives to invest in R&D, especially for new businesses with startup losses. Since 2004 preferential treatment has also been given to investments in out sourced research work. Above and beyond this, an entire group of relatively recent programmes aims at strengthening the innovative capability of SMEs by funding regional networks and supporting decentralised research facilities as development partners for SMEs:
LISA
Life Sciences Made in Austria
REGplus supports regional co-operation projects that are developed and supported by Impulse Centres.
Life sciences are a synthesis of several tra ditional scientific disciplines and newer more spe cialised areas of study. LISA is an equally exciting Austrian initiative to bring together scientists from
The programme line protec2002+ aims to motivate SMEs to develop new products themselves and at the same time seek suitable part ners in the research sector.
this field with industry. The network, which offers assistance to scientists and businesses on matters relating to research and business start-ups and also provides project grants, is unique and has a
The FHplus programme reinforces the role of universities of applied sciences as regional network nodes and funds the development of the resources required.
reputation for being highly efficient. LISA is also the reason for Austria’s flour ishing life sciences sector, which is one of the most innovative and promising fields of Austrian research. At present there are approximately 70 research institutes and some 00 compa
An important role is also played by Austrian Cooperative Research (ACR), an association of 8 non-profit research institutes that offer service packages for R&D that are specially-tailored to the needs of SMEs. The co-operative research institutes are supported by the prokis programme.
nies working in this field. Together they employ more than 0,000 people. Vienna in particular, but also Tyrol and the area around Graz have all been able to establish themselves as attractive loca tions for life sciences. Multi-national corporations such as Baxter, Novartis and Boehringer Ingel heim are reaping the benefits of prolific research activity in Vienna. Numerous new businesses have sprung up around the Medical University of Inns bruck (Tyrol) and the Sandoz development centre. Graz is emerging as a centre of bio-informatics and diagnostics with the involvement of the Graz University of Technology and the Roche Centre of Excellence. In particular Austrian life sciences research is set to play an important international role in developing new treatments, preventing disease and improving the quality of foodstuffs.
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Integrating technology-oriented small and medium-sized enterprises in cross-border networks is the goal of the CIR-CE programme (Cooper ation in Innovation and Research with Central and Eastern Europe).
More Women in Research
Efforts on the part of Austrian research policymakers to increase the percentage of women in research are not just a question of equality, but of strengthening innovative capability. Women are still underrepresented, especially in the natural sciences and technological disciplines. Thanks to a powerful boost from gender mainstreaming, for example through the inter ministerial initiative fFORTE, not only is the number of women in science rising, so is the level of awareness among decision-makers.
Although the number of women in science has risen faster than men in recent years, figures published by Statistik Austria show that in 2002 they still only accounted for one fifth of the total work force in this sector. The inter-ministerial initiative fFORTE – Women in Research and Technology was established in early 2002 by the Austrian Council and the ministries BMBWK, BMVIT and BMWA specifically to increase the percentage of women researchers in the natural sciences and technological disciplines. The ministries handle the programme lines fFORTE academic, FEMtech-fFORTE and w-fFORTE respectively. These programmes promote girls and women at all stages of their education and aim to remove career obstacles for women in science, research and in business.
MedAustron
Fighting Cancer with Ion Beams
What can be done about tumours located near the sensitive spinal column? How can doc tors destroy malignant cells in children and at the same time protect their sensitive tissue from aggressive radiation. A promising form of treat ment using carbon ions is being realised under
The programme line fFORTE-academic managed by the BMBWK not only focuses upon individual research disciplines, but on specific challenges. It counteracts gender-specific segregation on the employment market and in education, encourages girls and women to study science and engineering subjects, motivates women to work in international research networks and funds second degrees in technical disciplines.
the MedAustron project: Ion beams can directly target the tumour, so reducing the exposure level of the surrounding tissue to radiation. This treat ment reduces the side effects of cancer therapy and saves lives. MedAustron, a radio-oncological therapy and research centre funded by the federal govern ment, the province of Lower Austria and the city of
The BMVIT’s FEMtech-fForte programme has a stronger focus on application-oriented research and companies. With six thematic areas it promotes women at universities of applied sciences, funds gender-relevant measures at technology-intensive companies conducting industrial and non-university research in the natural sciences and technology, runs a database of female experts, so that women can be selected for competition juries or as speakers at events for example, and draws up programmes and call guidelines according to gender criteria. Accompanying studies and surveys create a basis for developing the project further.
Wiener Neustadt, is dedicated to the development of an innovative technology that is currently being tested at only three locations in the world. The heart of the facility will be the particle accelerator that produces the ions required for the therapy. The centre is scheduled to open in 2008. In addition to treating cancer patients, the project focuses on research activities in the field of bio medicine, medical physics and technical physics. Some ,200 patients will be able to receive treat ment each year. The centre will be part of an inter
The most recent programme line w-fForte at the BMWA is located at the interface between industry and women in research and technology. It helps highly qualified women wishing to enter business plan their careers, provides a solid body of data, supports women returning to work after maternity leave and ensures that technology programmes are gender equal.
national network and is set to become a leading institution in the cutting-edge field of ion radiation therapy.
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Fostering Mobility
A willingness to go abroad to pursue one’s own research interests not only contributes to the success of the European Research Area, the transfer of knowledge this produces also stimulates intellectual life and the national innovation system. Austria’s science policy encourages mobility with a wide range of grants for study in Austria and abroad, and has recently started to give greater attention to the “brain gain”. However, support is also given to increasing mobility between science and industry.
In 2004 the Austrian government spent some EUR 30 million on its 50 grant and funding programmes. These are supplemented by EU and international programmes. The Austrian mobility promo tion landscape is highly diverse and with 8 institutes implement ing the various programmes is becoming increasingly fragmented. The main institutions are the Austrian Exchange Service (ÖAD), the Austrian Science Fund (FWF), the Austrian Academy of Sciences (ÖAW) and the government ministries with responsibility for research. Research establishments themselves also encourage exchange activities and the resulting qualification of scientific personnel, e.g. the ARC and its grant programme. The ÖAD’s Grants’ Database pro vides an overview of all grants and research funding awarded by the ÖAD. The current Marie Curie Actions complement the range of pro grammes of which Austrians make active use. In 2002 Austria achieved a ratio of 6. researchers per ,000 gainfully employed inhabitants. However, additional, and above all highly qualified personnel, will be needed if the desired intensifi cation of research and development is to be achieved. In recent years, Austria has therefore made a greater effort to persuade Austrian researchers working abroad to return and also to attract foreign researchers. Initiatives set up for this purpose include brain power Austria, which actively offers positions in research through a job market and organises information workshops abroad, and the Researcher’s Mobility Portal Austria that is linked to it. This website publishes details of research vacancies, grants and fellowships as well as information about Austrian research work. In addition to these initiatives, the legal framework has also been modified with measures such as a decree issued in 2005 that makes it easier for the non university and corporate research and development sector to employ foreign researchers, a privilege previously extended only to universi ties. Under the changes to the law concerning the Rights and Status of Aliens which came into force on January 2006 research estab lishments are able to obtain certification making it easier for them to hire foreign research personnel. In 2003 the Impulse project Scientists for the Economy was created with the aim of promoting researcher mobility between sci ence and industry. The project should boost the transfer of knowl edge from science to industry by financing research work carried out by researchers on R&D projects in business enterprises.
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Overcoming Borders
Nano Technologies
Due in particular to steady development in the 990s, the Austrian innovation system is characterised by a high level of international integration. At present approximately one fifth of research funding in Austria originates abroad. This fact speaks for the country’s quality as a research and business location. At the same time, Austria is also well integrated into the web of international institutions and programmes through its many memberships.
Self-Healing Cracks
Perhaps they are closer than we think: Tools that repair themselves are the vision of the future for researchers at the University of Leoben. They are working on the development of surfaces that should themselves be able to heal cracks caused by wear. Building on many years of basic research in the field of materials physics, the team involved
Each year approximately one billion EUR flow into Austria from abroad to finance research and development. The vast majority of these funds originate from multi-national corporations and are destined to finance the R&D activities of their Austrian subsidiaries. In order to enhance Austria’s attractiveness as a research location, the Austrian government recently launched its Headquarter’s Initiative. This sets out to provide incentives for large corporations to locate their central research and development units in Austria.
in the NanoCoat (Multi-functional Nano-Structured Coatings and Surfaces) project of the Austrian Nano Initiative is now not only working on pro ducing wear-resistant hard coatings. Researchers at the Materials Research and Technology Com petence Centre in Leoben are also equipping surfaces with diverse functional properties. For example, with a memory: Surfaces should be able to indicate the thermal and mechanical stresses to
The international character of the Austrian innovation system is not a one-way street. Through its membership of international organisations and programmes as well as the European Union, Aus trian research policy encourages international co-operation at both multi-lateral and bi-lateral levels, in specific thematic areas and within the general framework of international research policy.
which they have been subjected in the past. And this is where combination with nano-technology is absolutely ideal, because this helps the coating to meet the demands made on it. Some surfaces have to be weatherproof, others scratch-resistant or rustproof, and some self-cleaning. Some sur faces even have to be accepted by the human
Given its location at the heart of Central Europe, Austria has traditionally had a strong interest in co-operation with its Central, Eastern and South East European neighbours. Since 2002 the STRAPAMO programme has supported technological bridge building by networks of companies and research establishments to countries such as Hungary, Slovenia, Slovakia and Croatia. In spring 2005 it was superseded by CIR-CE, which focuses upon the reinforcing effects of networks such as those for the transfer of technology. Austria also participates in a large number of bilateral co-operations with other countries throughout the world such as the USA, for which purpose the Office of Science and Technology was established in 200. In addition to research co-operations, the Office has built up a network of Austrian researchers in the USA. China is another promising co-operation partner. In future a technology park in Vienna should serve as a development and production location for Chinese and Austrian companies. An office in Lviv supports scientific co-operation between Austria and Ukraine. Since 985 Europe-wide research co-operation with a market orientation particularly for small and medium-sized companies has benefited from Austria’s participation in EUREKA. This technology initiative for application-oriented research in Europe provides industry and science with a framework for cross-border co-operations. Some 00 Austrian companies are currently participating in 69 EUREKA projects with a share of the costs of EUR 53 million. The COST pro gramme is dedicated to pre-competitive scientific and technological research. This initiative, which Austria joined when it was founded in
body if they are used to coat implants. These biocompatible nano-structures are being studied by another network project within the framework of the Nano Initiative. In another research project headed by the NanoScience & Technology Centre in Linz nano-structured surfac es and interfaces are to be used for the purposes of diagnostics and therapy.
97, has taken on the task of bringing together European research institutes, universities and business enterprises to carry out joint research projects. Austria is also active in international organisations such as the OECD, UNESCO and the IEA with a view to research and innovation.
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Organising Public Discussion Science, research and innovation in Austria have experienced an upsurge in recent years as a result of increased spending and improved structures. However, if research is to grow, people’s interest in science and their appreciation of the importance of innovation for society as a whole must also be increased. In accordance with European trends and European Union demands, research policy has in recent years made an important contribution to raising public awareness of science and research both through individual projects and broad-ranging campaigns such as innovatives-oesterreich.at.
Photovoltaics
Clean Energy from the Sun
Power supply lines to every mountain hut? In a country as mountainous as Austria that is a nightmare for cost managers and lovers of well-kept landscapes. The solution is photovoltaic technology. The cost of constructing a stand alone system is now considerably lower than the cost of connecting a building to the national grid in the valley, and cows and tourists can enjoy a view of lush alpine pastures unspoiled by elec
In recent years an extensive portfolio of measures has been developed in Austria under the heading Science in Society. How ever, research policy is not only concerned with disseminating infor mation, the main priority is to stimulate public discussion of and about research. Besides traditional instruments of information and dialogue, the portfolio also includes competitions such as Jugend Innovativ for students, the State Prize for Innovation awarded each year by the BMWA to companies with innovative products, or the BMVIT’s Ideenreich competition which invites members of the public to submit innovative ideas for inventions. However, science awards themselves, such as the BMBWK’s Wittgenstein Prize, also contrib ute to the growing importance of science and research. The interna tionally renowned Wittgenstein Prize, which was introduced in 996, is Austria’s most important science award. Generously endowed with up to EUR .3 million for five years’ research, it honours outstanding achievement and provides researchers with funds for their work.
tricity pylons. A 20m2 system that easily fits on the roof of a mountain hut can generate approxi mately ,800 kilowatt hours of electricity per year. Subsidies in Austria vary from province to province for the grid-connected systems that take up 40m2 of space and deliver approximately 3,800 kilowatt hours per year. On average that is sufficient to meet 75 percent of the annual energy requirement of a family of four, including the wash ing machine and refrigerator. Those who do not use the energy in their own household can feed clean surplus energy into the national grid. This is an excellent investment that helps slow the pace of climate change. In Austria, highly qualified researchers at a number of research institutes are working on generating energy from sunlight. These include arsenal research, the Institute for Materials Physics at the University of Vienna, the Atom Institute of the Vienna University of Tech nology and the Institute for Organic Solar Cells at Johannes Kepler University in Linz. As a result, photovoltaic systems are set to become even more efficient and cost-effective in the future.
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In order to bundle funds, resources and measures to achieve the greatest public impact, the Austrian government has earmarked two percent of the two instalments of the special funds released within the framework of the technology offensive for the dialogue between the science community and society. This money is already being used to finance the second Dialogue programme under the umbrella brand innovatives-oesterreich.at. This is sponsored by the ministries with responsibility for research and the Austrian Council, and is also supported by numerous other institutions. Within this campaign a wide range of individual projects targeting different audi ences provide insights into the world of science and technology, and through participation, dialogue and information try to increase under standing and generate enthusiasm. The Long Night of Research, in which research institutes open their doors to the public, and x.06, an attempt to arrive at methods that permit the optimal communication of research, are parts of the Dialogue programme. The enthusiasm with which the public has participated in these campaigns and projects indicates that the Austrians (who tend to be sceptical where technology is concerned) are becoming increasingly open toward research.
Lisbon Scenario to 200
In many fields of action this means optimising and strength ening existing policy approaches, in a number of areas however, new strategic directions will have to be taken. In its position paper “Strat egy 200 – Perspectives for Research, Technology and Develop ment in Austria”, the Austrian Council has developed some rudimen tary strategies for achieving this goal, thus opening a new phase of the public debate on RTI policy. The following areas are emerging as the main strategic focus:
Integration and co-operation between science and industry remains a top priority for RTI policy. The instruments of co-operative research must be strengthened and sharpened.
Strategies for the Future
Special priority is given to implementing a new strategy for the con tinuation of the Competence Centres programme, which by bundling resources aims to build up competence centres with critical mass, high scientific standards and an international orientation.
In the middle of the first decade of the new millennium an assess ment of Austria’s position in terms of research, technology and inno vation provides encouraging news for Austria. After an impressive catching-up process in recent years Austria now has the prospect of closing the gap on the European front-runners.
The efficiency and effectiveness of the funding system must be improved still further. This requires the efficient co-ordination of regional and national R&D activities, and management of the funding instruments with the support of monitoring and evaluation instruments.
The position that Austria has earned for itself in the European RTI concert opens up excellent opportunities for the future. However, it also brings with it an obligation to maintain the present level of effort and dedication to reform. The target has been set in the Bar celona goal of achieving a research quota of three percent of GDP by 200. Austria is one of the few countries in the EU that stands a realistic chance of meeting this target. However, the path is steep and following it will require con stant increases in R&D expenditure of between seven and nine per cent per annum. This calls for a mustering of all forces. The quality and efficiency of the innovation system must be improved.
Safeguarding an adequate supply of human resources requires greater efforts to increase the percentage of women in research, world-class university education and measures to foster mobility. Not least of all, the challenge is to give new impetus to quality throughout the entire innovation system while at the same time pro moting excellence at the top. The objective of this “strategy of excel lence” is to make Austrian research a global leader in an increasing number of research themes, research projects and research teams. The implementation of this concept of a university of excel lence in the form of the Austrian Institute of Advanced Science and Technology (AIST) should serve as a model.
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Research Landscapes:
Players and Institutions
Some 40,000 men and women are employed in research and development in Austria, just under two thirds of them as scientists. They and the institutions at which they work are coming together to form a highly diverse, differentiated research landscape. Companies are the heavyweights here, while the universities play an outstanding role with their dual responsibility for basic research and scientifi c training. A wide range of non-university research institutes also livens up the scene. In recent years, this ensemble has gained rapid momentum and accelerated its development. A new culture of co operation between science and industry has emerged, supported by programmes such as that of the Competence Centres. New funding structures have been established, new forms of fi nancing created. The House of Research, which as of 2006 will house the major research funding institutions, will act as the symbol and orientation point of this new research landscape in Austria.
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Dual Responsibility of the Universities Companies as Research Heavyweights
New Culture of Co-operation Non-University Research Institutes Liven up the Scene
3
A Research Landscape of
Flourishing Diversity The picture presented by the Austrian research landscape today cannot be compared with that of ten years ago. The increasing importance that has been attached to research and technology policy in recent years is manifested in new structures in the research funding system, in new theatres of research, in new forms of co-operation in research and, not least of all, in new financing instruments.
Quantum Cryptography
Ultra-Secure with Entangled Particles
All it took was a click of the mouse. In April 2004 experimental physicist Anton Zeilinger carried out the first bank transfer in the world that was absolutely safe from spying eyes. This was because the transfer had been encoded using quantum cryptography. The use of this technol ogy, which is based on the entanglement of light particles, holds great promise for ultra-secure communication. Research work in this field is being carried out by the Institute for Experimental Physics at the University of Vienna and the Infor mation Technologies division of ARC Seibersdorf
In June 2006 four major research funding agencies, the Austrian Research Promotion Agency (FFG), the Austrian Science Fund (FWF), the Christian Doppler Research Association and Aus trian Cooperative Research (ACR), will move into the new House of Research. The building in the 9th district of Vienna will thus become a single point of reference for a plethora of research projects and institutions, most of which have been established within the last 0 to 5 years, turning the Austrian research landscape into one characterised by flourishing diversity. Most of them originate from those programmes implemented by the four tenants in the House of Research on behalf of the ministries: the Competence Centres and CD Laboratories, which have established new structures of co-operation between science and business; the AplusB Centres, which help university graduates make the leap into business; the co operative research institutes, which offer small and medium-sized companies in particular a flexible research service package; and the many regional networks based around Impulse and Technology Cen tres and the co-operative projects set up by business enterprises and universities of applied sciences.
research. Quantum physicists are bundling their expertise in the joint research programme Quan tum Informatics, which in turn is part of the stra tegic alliance between the ARC Group and the City of Vienna. This promised ultra-security made possible by quantum cryptography could soon be used by banks. However, the scientists esti mate that it will be six to eight years before this innovation is used on a routine basis. What makes quantum encryptions so special is the fact that the light particles which serve as the key have the same properties even if they are measured sepa rately at great distances from each other. Besides the Institute for Experimental Physics, the Institute for Theoretical Physics at the Vienna University of Technology is also making Austria a world leader in the field of quantum cryptography.
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These all represent innovations in the organisation of research in Austria and collectively aim to strengthen co-operation between all players in the Austrian innovation system. This comprises the 2 universities which all enjoy full legal capacity and the approximately 2,000 enterprises in Austria involved in research, including multi national corporations with headquarters in Austria. An important role is also played by the many non-university research establishments, from the Austrian Research Centers, the largest non-university research group, to the Austrian Academy of Sciences, the largest basic research organisation outside the universities. Last but not least, the provinces have also greatly expanded their activities in research and development in recent years, creating new structures and instruments both in research itself and in research funding.
Who Researches Where and on What?
The tableau of a diverse and differentiated Austrian research landscape is based upon a structural grid that can be read from data collected by Statistik Austria: researchers are finding employment predominantly and to an increasing extent in the corporate sector. However, compared internationally, the universities are of outstanding importance for research in Austria. In terms of regional distribution, just under four tenths of all R&D expenditure is concentrated in the capital, Vienna.
The most recent full survey carried out by Statistik Austria on research and development in Austria in 2002 outlines the structures of research:
Who is employed in R&D in Austria? In 2002 slightly fewer than 39,000 people were employed in research and development in Austria (calculated in full-time equivalents), 28 percent of whom were women. Scientific personnel (university grad uates and equivalent) account for some 24,000 of this total R&D workforce, with women making up 9 percent.
In which sectors are researchers employed? Almost seventy percent of those employed in R&D (68.7 percent to be exact) are employed in the corporate sector (a category in which Statistik Austria also includes co-operative research establishments that are organised as companies, such as the Competence Centres or the Austrian Research Centres). Just over one quarter (25.4 per cent) are employed at universities (a category which also includes the Academy of Sciences and the universities of applied sciences). Slightly more than five percent conduct their R&D in government institutions outside the universities.
Which sectors carry out research? A good two thirds of research are carried out by the corporate sec tor, which accounts for exactly 66.9 percent of all R&D expenditure. The university sector is responsible for 27 percent of R&D expendi ture. Other government agencies account for 5.7 percent of research activities.
What is researched? Statistik Austria attributes 7.8 percent of R&D expenditure to basic research, 75.6 percent of which is carried out by the university sec tor. 37.6 percent of total expenditure is spent on applied research, of which 64 percent is carried out by the corporate sector and 29 percent by the university sector. Finally, 44.6 percent of expenditure is spent on experimental development, 92 percent of which takes place within companies.
Where is research carried out? In terms of the regional distribution of R&D spending by province, Vienna accounts for 39.4 percent of activities. Styria follows with 2.7 percent, ahead of Upper Austria with 3.5 percent. Tyrol (7. percent) and Lower Austria (6.7 percent) follow. Carinthia accounts for 4.8 percent and Salzburg for 3.4 percent, Vorarlberg for 2.8 percent and Burgenland for 0.6 percent.
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Organisation of RTI Policy in Austria ARC:
Austrian Research Centers
AWS:
Austria Wirtschaftsservice GmbH
BMBWK: Ministry for Education, Science and Culture BMF:
Ministry of Finance
BMVIT:
Ministry for Transport, Innovation and Technology
BMWA:
Ministry of Economics and Labour
CDG:
Christian Doppler Research Association
FWF:
Austrian Science Fund
LBG:
Ludwig Boltzmann Association
ÖAW:
Austrian Academy of Sciences
RFT:
Austrian Council for Research and Technology Development
Complex Competence Structures The diversity of the research landscape in Austria correlates with the complexity of the organisation of research, technology and innovation policy. Political responsibility for the development of the innovation system is divided between several ministries, which manage their funding activities through agencies and promotion funds.
At the federal level responsibility for research and technology policy in the narrow sense is borne by three ministries and the Minis try of Finance which has budgetary responsibility – with each ministry taking the lead for different agendas. As the ministry responsible for universities, universities of applied sciences, and non-university establishments such as the Austrian Academy of Sciences or the Ludwig Boltzmann Research Association, it is the Ministry for Education, Science and Culture (BMBWK) that bears the main responsibility for basic research in Austria. For this purpose it also manages approximately two thirds of the government’s total research budget. The BMBWK represents Austria at the European level on issues of international mobility and the European Research Framework Programme. The Ministry for Transport, Innovation and Technology (BMVIT) manages the biggest public budget in applied research. It holds a 50 percent stake in the Austrian Research Promotion Agency (FFG), to which it contributes the majority of application-oriented research funding, and is the majority shareholder in the Austrian Research Centers. Moreover, this ministry is also responsible for the Austrian Science Fund (FWF) as the most important instrument for funding basic research.
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The Ministry of Economics and Labour (BMWA) holds the remaining 50 percent of the FFG, through which it handles its Com petence Centres programmes. It is a co-owner of the Austria Wirt schaftsservice Gesellschaft (AWS) and is the ministry responsible for the Christian Doppler Research Association. The Ministry of Finance owns half of the AWS and as the ministry that finances funding it is jointly responsible for all areas of research funding. In addition to these ministries, which are directly responsible for research, technology and innovation, there are also other ministries which administrate substantial research budgets. The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, Environment and Water Manage ment (BMLFUW) organises extensive research activities under the heading Pfeil 05 (programme for research and development).
Research in the Federal System Austria’s RTI policy is federally organised. In recent years, the provinces have increasingly recognised RTI as a policy field of their own and have set clear accents in this area. This has manifested itself in increased budgets and the development of separate research institutes and research funding in the provinces.
According to statistical estimates the Austrian provinces spent a total of approximately EUR 333 million on R&D in 2005, contributing 0.3 percentage points to the research quota of 2.35 percent. As late as 990 their contribution to research financing in Austria had amounted to just EUR 09 million. However, this is only one indication of the fast-growing commitment on the part of the provinces, which to an increasing degree also regard regional economic policy as regional RTI policy. Most provinces today pursue a differentiated technology policy geared to regional needs. They act as co-financers for the fed eral government’s Basic and Structural programmes, for example in competence centres. Privatisation proceeds are used to build up foundations to support future-oriented projects, as is the case with the Styrian Future Foundation. This expansion of the financial base goes hand in hand with the development of new funding structures, with the provinces creating their own agencies such as the Tyrolean Future Foundation. Resident research potential is concentrated in separate companies such as Upper Austrian Research. New instru ments of cluster and innovation policy are being developed, such as the Innovation Assistant.
Resources Management for Water
Preserving Austria’s Water Supplies
Water for washing the car, watering the garden, for the dishwasher, the washing machine, cooking and for hygiene. No one gives it a second thought in Austria, where a plentiful supply of high-quality water is freely available. Nevertheless, the simple insight that water is a vital resource has not been universally understood. Creating aware ness is only one of the objectives of the strategy field “Water” of the Ministry of Life’s Programme for Research and Development (PFEIL). This liquid element transports ships, supplies energy, irrigates fields, offers relaxation, is a habitat for flora and fauna and … forms part of a cycle. This means that contaminated soil and air pollution are just as much a threat to it as excessive consump
In recent years the Austrian innovation system has thus been enriched by the provinces as new and highly committed members willing to shoulder responsibility. As a result, however, the system has also become increasingly complex. The efficient co-ordination of federal and provincial activities will therefore become a key task for RTI policy if duplication and persistently sub-optimal masses are to be avoided.
tion. As a rule, a multitude of simultaneous de mands are made on water even in drier regions. The Ministry’s contract research into water, and research projects underway at the Federal Environment Agency and other govern ment agencies are now therefore being bundled to ensure the effective management of water as a resource. This is the only way to obtain a clear picture of where water comes from, where it goes, where there are risks or where hydraulic engineer ing structures threaten the free flow, how contra dictory uses can be reconciled and how water as a resource can be preserved for future genera tions. European Union regulations on the respon sible use of water are also being implemented on the basis of PFEIL.
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New Structures in Research Funding
2004 has gone down as a year of major structural reform in Austrian research funding. The establish ment of the Austrian Research Promotion Agency (FFG) as a result of the merger of four funding and consulting institutions marked a break with the previous funding structures, which had been dominated since the 960s by the two funding agencies FFF and FWF. The steering structures of the FWF were also reformed, and the National Foundation for Research, Technology and Development was estab lished as a new instrument of research financing.
The FFG has brought a greater degree of order into the fund ing landscape, which in the past has frequently been criticised for its complexity and fragmentation. This new institution also promises to raise synergies by bundling the rich tradition of bottom-up fund ing with programmes that set thematic priorities and optimise the co-operation structures within the innovation system. It now con centrates a highly diversified funding portfolio under a single roof: from funding upon application to support for the networking activities of small and medium-sized companies, from the competence cen tres to the university spin-off programme AplusB, from thematic programmes such as the NANO Initiative or Impulse programmes on sustainability or traffic technologies, to consulting services regarding participation in European and international research programmes and co-operations. The FFG thus forms a triumvirate of research and technology promotion together with the Austria Wirtschaftservice Gesellschaft (AWS) founded two years earlier, and the Austrian Science Fund (FWF). As the service centre for enterprise-related business pro motion, the AWS is, among other things, responsible for the life sciences start-up programme LISA and the patent exploitation programme tecma. The FWF is the biggest financer of basic research beside the universities, while the FFG focuses upon application-oriented research. This new clarity in research funding will become evident in June 2006 when the FFG and FWF move into the new House of Research together with the Christian Doppler Research Association and Austrian Cooperative Research. The National Foundation for Research, Technology and Development was established as an instrument of sustainable research financing with a focus on supporting long-term, inter disciplinary research programmes. Since 2004 it has distributed EUR 25 million annually. The Foundation is financed from interest income from the capital of the Austrian National Bank and the ERP fund dedicated for this purpose.
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A Differentiated Portfolio
The history of RTI policy in Austria is mirrored in the specific programme structure of the funding portfolio. The long tradition of non-theme-specific funding upon application is reflected in a broad assortment of bottom-up funding instruments. Building upon this, a differentiated, but sometimes rather confused, range of programmes has evolved that are committed to clearly defined policy objectives.
Sustainability Research
Focus on the Future
2,54 metres above sea level: wind speeds up to 200 km an hour, cold or heat, rain or snow. Add to that the expensive transport of every drop of fuel and all supply goods. The newly built Schiestl passive energy house on the Hoch
For decades, the FFF and FWF were the key instruments of RTI policy in Austria. Even today, the General Programmes of the FFG, which has taken over the work of the FFF, and the fund ing-upon-application schemes of the FWF, still form the backbone of research promotion in Austria. The General Programmes involve theme-specific innovation funding awarded solely according to qual ity criteria irrespective of Austrian or European priorities and virtually form the basis of domestic technology policy. The FWF is the most important financing instrument for free-ranging basic research. In 2004 just under EUR 250 million were distributed within the frame work of the General Programmes; the FWF had total funding of EUR 23 million.
schwab mountain easily masters the challenges of the alpine wilderness. Developed as part of the BMVIT’s Building of Tomorrow programme, elec tricity and hot water are generated using solar panels, drinking water is collected from the roof, while WC facilities with wastewater processing protect Vienna’s supply of drinking water. Besides residential buildings, the BMVIT’s Impulse pro gramme Sustainable Development also supports the development of the factories and energy systems of tomorrow. All research activities to improve living and environmental conditions while increasing competitiveness are co-ordinated be
National and international research priorities are supported by thematic programmes with multi-year financing. Generally speaking, these have developed since the late 980s as initiatives of the responsible ministries and the majority are now operationally managed by funding agencies such as the FFG. They are oriented toward the objectives defined by policymakers. They focus on social policy goals (as in sustainability research or the NODE programme on democracy in Europe), enable Austria to dock onto European technological trends (e.g. in the space and aviation programmes) and promote the development of critical masses in specific fields of research and technology (as in the Nano Initiative or the Genome Research Programme GEN-AU).
tween the BMVIT, BMLFUW and BMBWK within the framework strategy Research for Sustainable Development (FORNE). In the Fast Food-Slow Food: Food Chain Management and the project involving cultural landscape research, for example, the BMBWK commissioned analyses of mate rial, substance and transport flows in the food industry. These demonstrate the close relationship
Structural programmes focus on eliminating existing barriers to innovation in Austria and on optimising the co-operation structures in the innovation system. The Competence centres, for example, foster new forms of co-operation between industry and science. Other programmes are concerned with improving the networking capability of small and medium-sized innovators in particular and with optimizing the transfer of technology.
between society and the eco-system and offer strategies to achieve a healthy and sustainable food supply for the Austrian population. The proVision programme funded by the BMBWK covers sustainable lifestyles, regional development and a responsible approach to climate change. All activi ties have a strong focus on fostering dialogue with society and close cooperation between science and education.
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Dual Responsibility of the
Universities
Testbed for Extreme Conditions
Railway Vehicles in the Climatic
Wind Tunnel
How do railway manufacturers like Siemens find out whether its carriages are wind and weatherproof? They go to the climatic wind tunnel. This facility was built on the so-called Pauker site in Vienna’s 2st district in order to test
Austria’s universities perform a dual function in the innovation system. They form the backbone of basic research and they are also responsible for educating the next generation of scientists. On the way to defining Austria’s position in the European Higher Education Area, the new Universities Act has paved the way to strengthening their focus in terms of content and to achieving far-reaching auton omy and higher quality. AIST should distinguish itself as a university of excellence in the Austrian and European university landscape.
In 2004 the 2 Austrian universities received approximately 75 percent of the public R&D budget. Other research funding is pro vided by the Austrian Science Fund (90 percent of its funds are used to sponsor university researchers working mainly on basic research), while the universities receive additional third-party funds for contract work from the public sector or from companies. Due to its bottom up character, university research is of a highly heterogeneous nature. On the other hand, however, the focus of research is to an increasing degree being defined outside the universities as the level of funds raised from third parties for commissioned projects rises. Besides the state universities, the nine private universities licensed in Austria are also actively involved in research.
rail and other vehicles in all weather conditions using state-of-the-art technology. On January 2003 the world’s largest test centre went into operation and at the same time, the old arsenal research test station that had been opened in the early 960s was closed. Trains for Washington’s underground railway had been tested here before they were taken into service in the US capital. The climatic wind tunnel is operated by Rail Tec Arse nal Fahrzeugversuchsanlage GmbH, which was founded by arsenal research, a member of the Austrian Research Centers Group, and European rail vehicle manufacturers Alstom Transport, Bom bardier Transportation, Siemens SGP Verkehrs
The Universities Act 2002 subjected the universities to a far reaching reform with the aim of improving quality, increasing their focus in terms of content and granting extensive autonomy. Since the Act came into force early in 2004 all universities have enjoyed full legal capacity and are now able to define the way they wish to position themselves in research and teaching in the future autonomously. The definition of special and distinct profiles now demanded from the uni versities should lead to a concentration of departments and degree courses. Linked to this is the creation of the three independent medi cal universities in Graz, Innsbruck and Vienna. Instruments to steer the development of their research and teaching quality have been provided in the form of a multi-year global budget and performance agreements between the federal government and the universities.
technik, AnsaldoBreda and Firema Trasporti. The climatic wind tunnel can simulate all climatic conditions. The test chambers can pro duce temperatures ranging from - 50 to + 60 °C and simulate travelling speeds of between 0 and 250 km/h. Parallel to this, rain and snowfall can be simulated and air humidity variably adjusted.
In order to ensure that the performance agreements, which will become mandatory in 2007, can build upon an objectively defined basis, the Universities Act 2002 provides for both devel opment plans and knowledge balance sheets. All universities are required to present these evaluations of the knowledge generated and intangible assets by April 2006.
The train is subjected to extreme condi tions so that passengers won‘t shiver later on.
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The Austrian Institute of Advanced Science and Technology (AIST) represents an important milestone on the road to excellence in research. Starting in autumn 2006 and initially with only a few groups of scientists, this university of excellence is to carry out top flight research in co-operation with international and other Austrian research establishments. Financed by additional funding, AIST will be set to open its doors to outstanding young scientists, doctoral and post-doctoral students.
uni:invent
Getting Inventions Out of the Drawer
First there is the invention, then commer cial utilisation. Researchers at the Medical Universi ty are working on a software package that will help diabetics display and register their sugar levels. The patient’s readings are automatically transmit ted by computer to a central diabetes care centre, where they are subject to analysis and monitoring
Transfer of Knowledge
from the Universities
by doctors. The software package is now being marketed by a Viennese biotech company. The software developed by the Institute of Medical Cybernetics and Artificial Intelligence is only one of 30 inventions registered by Austrian universities under the uni:invent scheme. The pro
In contrast to the intensity of research at the universities, the degree of networking between the academic sector and industry and thus the transfer of basic knowledge to application, was rather weak until the 990s. In recent years, however, supported by specific pro grammes and instruments, there has been a reversal of this trend toward a culture of co-operation between industry and science at a very high level.
gramme was launched in 2004 by the BMBWK and BMWA to assist universities with the com mercial utilisation of their achievements. Under the uni:invent scheme, innovation scouts have been employed at the universities to track down mar ketable inventions, support scientists in legal and organisational matters, identify innovation poten tial and manage the patenting of inventions. Most inventions to date have been in the fields of bio technology and medical technology, followed by mechanical engineering, physics and electronics.
Experts attribute this shift toward greater co-operation between the academic community and industry to three main fac tors. Firstly, under increasing pressure to innovate, many companies have changed their strategy. They now rely more on collaborations with scientific institutes with the aim of gaining access to new knowl edge generated by basic research. Secondly, scientific research is increasingly important as the basis for new technologies such as the biotechnologies, nano-technologies or information technologies. And finally, the universities themselves have a new and more open attitude toward co-operative arrangements. This new climate of co-operation has been fostered by the Universities Act 2002, which helped remove structural barriers to greater research co-operation. Research policy has recognised and promoted this change with the programmes Academia plus Business (AplusB), and uni:invent (aimed at patent exploitation). To enable academic spin-offs to flourish, the AplusB pro gramme has since 2002 provided funds to finance the construction of business incubators and their operation for a ten-year period. To date, nine centres have provided young scientists from the academic sector who seek to exploit their research results commercially with assistance in the form of consulting services and measures to improve their qualifications. In the process, they have stimulated start-up dynamics in Austria which, compared internationally are
rather sluggish. The centres are sponsored by universities, universi ties of applied sciences, non-university institutions and industry. With the three centres founded in 2005, the number of partners has now risen to 00, and an additional 6 projects can be assisted beside the 47 hitherto. The uni:Invent programme is directed toward the commercial utilisation of knowledge gathered at universities. In order that a new “utilisation culture” can be established at the universities and efficient exploitation structures developed, innovation scouts keep an eye out for research work with strong commercial potential, advise researchers, manage patent registrations and act as the interface to the AWS and its technology marketing agency tecma. By the middle of 2005, 30 inventions had been registered by 3 universities, one third of them in the biotechnologies.
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The Performance of the Universities
of Applied Sciences
In the mid 990s universities in Austria saw new growth. With the Universities of Applied Sciences Studies Act, which came into force in 993, science policy made provision for a new model of academic study with a greater vocational orientation. Firmly anchored in the regions and with a strong role as intermediaries to SMEs, the universities of applied sciences have in the recent past gained a new role in addition to that of teaching, namely that of applied research.
Visualisation
Images Make Surgery Easier
Tumours on the pituitary gland pose a special challenge for surgeons and in the past
Designed to complement university education, the degree courses offered by universities of applied sciences are characterised by their vocational orientation and shorter duration. Courses receive mixed financing from the federal government, provinces, municipal ities, interest groups and private investors. There are currently 8 different sponsoring organisations. Unlike the universities, there is no law that establishes the existence of the universities of applied sciences as such; instead only their degree courses are accredited by the Council of Universities of Applied Sciences.
involved a serious risk of permanent injury. How ever, research carried out by the competence centre for Virtual Reality and Visualisation (VRVis) at Vienna’s Tech Gate and the Department of Neurosurgery at Vienna’s General Hospital prom ises to reduce the risk. The “Steps” computer programme permits the individual planning of minimally invasive endoscopic surgical proce dures, thus reducing the dangers involved. Using techniques such as computer tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), a realistic image is generated of the inside of the patient’s skull, the blood vessels, optic nerves, the pituitary gland and the tumour. This virtual patient model can be used by experienced surgeons to plan operations and also to train young neurosurgeons.
In the academic year 2004/2005 universities of applied sciences offered 36 courses of study. Since the first ten courses were launched in 994/95, their number has risen steadily, with the biggest increase of 3 courses in 2002/03. A process of consoli dation is expected to take place in the next few years. While the majority of courses are full-time programmes, more than one third are part-time courses tailored to the requirements of those already in employment. Since 2002 students have been able to choose between a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree. Half the courses are devoted to the engineering sciences and approximately 36 percent to the economic sciences. According to the most recent statistics, the universities of applied sciences have over 23,000 students. The approximately 4,000 students who have graduated from the universities of applied sciences since 994 have also expanded the pool of suitable specialist workers available to the research sector.
In August 2005 “Steps” was awarded a prize for the best visualisation system at the Visualization Conference in Austin/Texas. Equally renowned at an international level is the Advanced Computer Vision Centre, a member of the ARC Group which is also based at Tech Gate. Researchers here are working on a semi-automatic contour recognition system for ul trasonic devices, an optimisation of the results of imaging methods, in co-operation with a leading manufacturer of ultrasonic equipment, GE Medical Systems Kretztechnik from Zipf in Upper Austria.
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Due to their firm anchoring in the regions, the composition of their sponsors and thus their function as intermediaries between regional industry (in particular SMEs) and the research sector, the importance of the universities of applied sciences for research, development and the transfer of technology has gained increasing recognition. In order to build up the necessary resources for this, the FHplus programme was developed. The projects that have been supported with its funds since 2002 help build and develop net works in strategically important fields of research and development. Within these networks, co-operation between the universities of applied sciences with companies and other partners should be strengthened. Furthermore, the number of courses that possess suitable structures and capacities to carry out long-term, systematic and application-oriented research and development should be increased. Since 2002 FHplus has assisted 40 projects with funds totalling more than EUR 8 million.
Companies as Research Heavyweights With expenditure of approximately EUR 3.3 billion in 2004 the corporate sector accounts for some 62 per cent of total investment in research and development in Austria. It has also been a major factor in the sharp increase in Austria’s R&D quota since the late 990s. This growth is distributed across almost all industries. While the highest level of spending is found among companies from the high-tech sector, it is the mid-tech industries that have made the biggest contribution to the sharp increase in the growth rate. The service sector has also witnessed an increase in research intensity.
If Austria is to achieve its goal of a research quota of three percent of gross domestic product by 200, with two thirds of this expenditure financed by the private sector, it is essential that companies continue to increase their commitment to research and development in the future. The development so far, in which foreign companies have played a major role, certainly promises success for the future. Not only has spending risen, the number of compa nies involved in research has also increased. In 2002 there were some 2,000 companies carrying out research in Austria, fifty per cent more than five years earlier. The biggest increase in spending growth is due to the increase in the number of companies with their own research departments, which rose by some 45 per cent in the reference period 998-2002. At the same time, this growth is not just attributable to traditionally research-intensive industries. Branches like the textile and lumber industry, which at first sight appear to be low tech have also started or increased research activities.
Women in Research
Overcoming Career Obstacles
Only one fifth of research in Austria is car ried out by women. But because Austria no longer wants – and can no longer afford – to let much of its creativity, innovative spirit and labour go to waste, it is making a special effort to promote women in research. The programme “Women in Research and Technology”, which is known by its German abbreviation fFORTE, is one example of the efforts being made to achieve this goal. Each of the three participating ministries has
In absolute terms, it was the five industries mechanical engi neering, car manufacturing and car components suppliers, com munications engineering, the electronics components segment and pharmaceutical companies that spent most on research and devel opment. Companies from these industries account for around half the corporate sector’s research and development activity. In terms of their technology intensity and divided into four categories ranging from high to low tech, it is the high technology sector that contrib utes the largest percentage of research expenditure. However, this sector has also registered the slowest growth in recent years. The strongest growth was recorded by companies in the mid-tech sec tor. Two branches of industry with especially strong growth are auto motive engineering and mechanical engineering, which have almost doubled their R&D spending.
developed special packages of measures that
However, the service sector has also become more important for research. In 2002, this segment already accounted for one quar ter of all R&D spending in Austria. Enterprise-related services such as economic and technical consulting services, software companies and retailers in particular have increased their investment in research and development.
in society and remove career obstacles for
cover all crucial rungs on the career ladder. The measures contained in the BMBWK’s fFORTE-ac programme range from gender-sensitive educa tion and career guidance (for example MUT: Girls and Technology) to career promotion and scientif ic research programmes. The high potentials pro gramme Excellentia aims to double the number of female professors by 200. With its FEMtech pro gramme the BMVIT covers the business sector, non-university institutes and research policy pro grammes. A database of female experts throws the spotlight on women working in research and technology. Networking activitites are also being undertaken to enhance awareness for equality women. The programme’s most recent action line, w-fForte, run by the BMWA, assists women with business start-ups and career planning and also helps women working in research and technology to improve their chances of advancement in small and medium-sized enterprises.
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The New Culture of
Co-operation
One of the main aims of Austrian RTI policy is to overcome co-oper ation deficits between science and industry. In recent years new programmes, institutions and forms of co-operation have therefore been developed which are also expected to provide a major impetus for the implementation of new knowledge in marketable innovations in the future.
Two years ago an international evaluation on the occasion of the fifth birthday of the K-plus programme concluded that this scheme had decisively contributed to a “new culture of co-opera tion” and to “building bridges” between science and industry. The programme funds the establishment of research centres conceived for a limited period, where cutting-edge international-level research is carried out in co-operation between science and industry. The K-ind and K-net programmes also promote the establishment of Compe tence centres, but under industrial leadership. Together, the K-pro grammes represent a major institutional innovation in RTI policy. The goal is also to translate scientific excellence into international market competence. There are currently 40 Competence centres in operation, involving some 450 business enterprises and providing jobs for ,500 researchers. Although the centres are only established for limited periods, their importance and the continuity of their remit is undisputed. A follow-up programme has therefore been devel oped to step up the integration and consolidation of the compe tence that has been built up at these centres. Under this scheme, funding instruments will be created for co-operative projects, Com petence centres and networks of various sizes with funding periods and funding intensities tailored to the project type, focusing on R&D with a high standard of scientific quality and industrial relevance and financed by business, universities and the public purse.
x.06
The Ivory Tower Has Been Abolished
A leap into virtual reality at the Ars Elec tronic Center in Linz, watching fruit flies mate at the Vienna Biocenter or a peep behind the scenes at the Medical University of Innsbruck. On October 2005, 47,000 people were out and about during the Long Night of Research to see what Austria has to offer in the field of research.
However, the Competence centres were not the first and not the last attempt to improve co-operation between science and industry. The Christian Doppler Research Association has played a pioneer role here. Founded within the context of the ÖIAG, the Republic of Austria’s holding and privatisation agency, it has served since 995 as a model of partnership between science and indus try co-financed by the public purse. The CDG finances the setting up of Christian Doppler Laboratories at universities in which application oriented basic research is carried out in thematic areas defined by the participating corporate partners. The object is to generate new knowledge for industry. At present there are 40 laboratories work ing in fields ranging from mechatronics to biotechnology and mathe matic modelling.
On x.peditions – guided bus tours – visitors could stop off at a total of 50 stations where scientists explained their work and its results, thus proving that the cliché of researchers working away in their ivory towers is obsolete. The Long Night of Research and the x.06 are part of the many programmes designed to communicate research projects that are bundled in the Dialogue programme www.innovatives. oesterreich.at sponsored by the ministries respon sible for research and the Austrian Council for Research and Technology Development. The programme serves as a platform for initiating a dialogue with the Austrian public about innovation, research and technology development. The international science exhibition x.06 will take place in June 2006 at eleven locations in Vienna and will focus on topics of contemporary research.
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The umbrella programme BRIDGE represents the most recent effort to build a bridge between basic and application oriented research. The FWF and FFG have each developed pro gramme lines of their own that aim to reach projects which in the past were too application-oriented to qualify for funding within the scope of scientific research, but not yet mature enough as corporate projects to receive enterprise-related aid. The positive response to the project testifies to the success with which it has closed this gap.
Non-University Research Institutes Liven up the Scene
Innovative Youth
In addition to the universities, Austria’s research landscape is also pop ulated by a large number of non-university research establishments with a broad spectrum of research themes and disciplines. The major ity of the research centres are sponsored by private organisations or the provinces. The focus of the non-university research institutes is directed toward the application of knowledge, but in many cases, they also make important contributions to basic knowledge, as is particu larly the case with the Austrian Academy of Sciences.
Great Ideas from Young Minds
What actually happens inside an alarm system when it goes off? Electricity flows somewhere and elaborate circuits interact so that eventually flashing lights and a siren go off. Eleven pupils at the Secondary College of Engineering, Research and Technology in Graz Gösting were not satisfied with such vague explanations. As they regarded the available electronic assembly
The Austrian Academy of Sciences (ÖAW), founded in 847, is Austria’s largest academic non-university institution and comprises 60 establishments. In the recent past, the ÖAW has taken new paths by founding research companies. With the aim of promoting research particularly in the emerging thematic areas of biotechnology and the life sciences, the Academy has founded the Institute of Molecular Biotechnology (IMBA) and the Gregor Mendel Institute of Molecular Plant Biology (GMI). CeMM, the Center of Molecular Medicine, combines clinical and basic research.
kits as unsuitable, they simply developed new ones in an interdisciplinary project. After setting up a company of their own, they were responsible for everything from market analysis through to developing the appropriate assembly kits with easy-to-follow instructions and creating an advertising campaign with distribution via an online shop. It is no wonder that these creative minds scooped first prize in the “Business” category of the Jugend Innovativ competition. Practicality, cre-
The Austrian Research Centers Group, ARC, with research companies, is Austria’s largest non-university establish ment in the field of applied research. With the Republic of Austria, represented by the BMVIT, as the majority shareholder, and numer ous business enterprises as minor shareholders, the Group concen trates on key areas such as nano-technologies, materials research, embedded systems and traffic technologies, environmental system research and bio-informatics.
ativity, application-orientation and innovative ability are the deciding factors in this annual competition. As well as being able to say they have taken part, talented young people from the 0th grade (6 years) upwards who submit projects in the categories “Business”, “Design”, “Science”, and “Engineering” also stand to win cash and paid trips to international competitions. This competition to find the best young minds is organised
In the field of technological development and R&D co-oper ations, the co-operative research institutions – amalgamated under the umbrella of Austrian Cooperative Research (ACR) – are important partners for business, above all for SMEs. By establishing agencies and research institutions the provinces have made a strong contribution to broadening the land scape of non-university research with application-orientation since the 990s. The establishment with the oldest tradition is Joanneum Research, based in the province of Styria. The province is also the majority shareholder. The organisation comprises 4 institutes and units. In 2000 Salzburg Research became the research company of the province of Salzburg. Its activities focus upon applications from the information and communications technologies. The province of Upper Austria owns Upper Austria Research indirectly through TMG agency. This institution does research and development work in the fields of plastics and medical technology, biomedical nano technology and sensor technology. All three organisations participate in several Competence centres.
by the BMBWK and BMWA in co-operation with Austria Wirtschaftsservice (AWS).
Institutes from the economic and social sciences, and the humanities also play an important role in non-university research. WIFO and IHS carry out economic research and act as advisors to policymakers. Many social science institutions such as the European Centre for Social Welfare Policy and Research, the ZSI or ICCR, are characterised by a high level of integration in European research. The Ludwig Boltzmann Research Association, a research platform for some 50 institutes, focuses upon human medicine, the humanities, social and cultural sciences.
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Interfaces with
International Networks
If research institutes and companies are to have a direct line to Europe, its research activities and innovation processes, a central relay is needed to bundle information and consulting services. The most important institution that acts in this capacity is the European and International Programmes division (EIP) of the FFG. It keeps scientists up to date about EU programmes and assists companies with the trans-national transfer of technology.
Where data about the latest calls in the EU Framework Programmes, co-operation projects with researchers from Russia and other newly independent states under the INTAS Programme, crossborder co-operation projects for industry and science within the framework of EUREKA, or support for the international transfer of technology between companies are concerned, the EIP offers information and consulting expertise on all forms of international co-operation. It is the Austrian competence and service centre for European and international R&D co-operation, helps researchers integrate themselves in European knowledge networks and forms the interface between Austria on the one hand and European and international R&D programmes and initiatives, on the other.
Zooming in on Biological Processes
Deciphering the Language of Cells
Why do some cells die, why do they change? How do they interact, how do they com municate? Austrian scientists are also looking for answers to these questions and hoping to obtain a deeper understanding, not just of cancer, but also of other diseases.
In a number of Austrian provinces, EIP activities are supplemented by regional advisory and service centres. Innovation Management GmbH CATT in Linz, APS in Graz, BEB in Innsbruck and ITG in Salzburg offer information and advice about EU Framework Programmes and other sources of funding, above all from the perspective of regional priorities.
The Institute of Pathophysiology in Inns bruck, for example, is studying regulated cell death (apoptosis). This biological process ensures that damaged cells destroy themselves before they devastate the organism. At the Institute of Micro biology and Genetics of the University of Vienna, researchers are examining the interaction of ribonu
To enable innovations and R&D results from companies in 3 European countries to come together, the European Commission co-ordinates a network of 7 innovation liaison offices, known as Innovation Relay Centres. They assist 00,000 companies throughout Europe. The IRC in Austria (IRC Austria – IRCA) comprises four consortial partners in Vienna, Graz, Innsbruck and Linz. The partners are established at four institutions with experience in the transfer of technology, the EIP division of the FFG acts as co-ordinator. The Innovation Relay Centres see it as their main task to establish contacts between Austrian and foreign companies with a view to international technology transfer projects (production, distribution and licensing agreements and research co-operations). In 2004 the IRCA established some 500 contacts for companies and contributed to 28 international co-operations in the high-tech sector.
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cleic acid (RNA) and antibiotics. Their insights could be used to produce new medicines. Finally, the fruit fly (drosophila) is serving as a test subject at the Institute of Molecular Biotechnology (IMBA) of the Austrian Academy of Sciences: As many of the fly’s more than ten thousand genes resemble those of humans, they can help deepen our knowledge of asymmetrical cell division. Austrian researchers are also actively engaged in the field of stem cell research. The Institute of Molecular Pathology (IMP) in Vienna is investigating what makes a stem cell develop into a particular type of cell.
Research in Austria: Contacts and Addresses
Ministries with Responsibility for Research and Technology
Funding Agencies, Other Agencies, Advisory Bodies
Ministry for Education, Science and Culture
Austrian Cooperative Research – ACR
Austrian Research Promotion Agency – FFG
Minoritenplatz 5 A-04 Vienna Tel +43/(0)/5320-0 www.bmbwk.gv.at
Taborstrasse 0/II A-020 Vienna Tel +43/(0)/298573-0 www.acr.at
Canovagasse 7 A-00 Vienna Tel +43/(0)57755-0 www.ffg.at
Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, Environment and Water Management
Austria Wirtschaftsservice Gesellschaft mbH – AWS
Austrian Council for Research and Technology Development
Ungargasse 37 A-030 Vienna Tel +43/(0)/5075-0 www.awsg.at
Secretariat Tech Gate Vienna Donau-City-Strasse A-220 Vienna Tel +43/(0)/205020-555 www.rat-fte.ac.at
Stubenring A-00 Vienna Tel +43/(0)/700-0 www.bmlfuw.gv.at
Ministry for Transport, Innovation and Technology Radetzkystrasse 2 A-030 Vienna P.O.B 3000 Tel +43/(0)/762-0 www.bmvit.gv.at
Christian Doppler Research Association – CDG Weyringergasse 33/3 A-040 Vienna Tel +43/(0)/5042205-0 www.cdg.ac.at
Austrian Science Fund – FWF Ministry of Economics and Labour Stubenring A-00 Vienna Tel +43/(0)/7-00-0 www.bmwa.gv.at
Austrian Science Board Secretariat Liechtensteinstrasse 22A A-090 Vienna Tel +43/(0)/394999-0 www.wissenschaftsrat.ac.at
Weyringergasse 35 A-040 Vienna Tel +43/(0)/5056740 www.fwf.ac.at
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Graz University of Technology Rechbauerstrasse 2 A-800 Graz Tel +43/(0)36/873-0 www.tugraz.at
Vienna University of Technology Karlsplatz 3 A-040 Vienna Tel +43/(0)/5880-0 www.tuwien.ac.at
Universities in Austria
Academy of Fine Arts Vienna
Medical University of Graz
Schillerplatz 3 A-00 Vienna Tel +43/(0)/5886-0 www.akbild.ac.at
Universitätsplatz 3 A-800 Graz Tel +43/(0)36/380-0 www.meduni-graz.at
Klagenfurt University
Medical University of Innsbruck
Universitätsstrasse 65-67 A-9020 Klagenfurt Tel +43/(0)463/2700-9200 www.uni-klu.ac.at
Christoph-Probst-Platz Innrain 52 A-6020 Innsbruck Tel +43/(0)52/507-3004 www.i-med.ac.at
Johannes Kepler University Linz Altenberger Strasse 69 A-4040 Linz Tel +43/(0)732/2468-0 www.jku.at
University of Graz Universitätsplatz 3 A-800 Graz Tel +43/(0)/36/380-0 www.kfunigraz.ac.at
Medical University of Vienna Spitalgasse 23 A-090 Vienna Tel +43/(0)/4060-0 www.meduniwien.ac.at
University of Leoben Franz-Josef-Strasse 8 A-8700 Leoben Tel +43/(0)3842/402-0 www.unileoben.ac.at
University of Salzburg Kapitelgasse 4-6 A-5020 Salzburg Tel +43/(0)662/8044-0 www.uni-salzburg.at
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University of Applied Arts Vienna Oskar Kokoschka-Platz 2 A-00 Vienna Tel +43/(0)/733-0 www.dieangewandte.at
University of Natural Resources and Applied Life Sciences Vienna Gregor Mendel Strasse 33 A-80 Vienna Tel +43/(0)/47654-0 www.boku.ac.at
University of Artistic and Industrial Design Linz Hauptplatz 8 P.O.B. 8 A-400 Linz Tel +43/(0)732/7898-0 www.ufg.ac.at
University of Music and Dramatic Arts Graz Leonhardstrasse 5 A-800 Graz Tel +43/(0)36/389-0 Internet: www.kug.ac.at
University of Music and Dramatic Arts Vienna
Joanneum Research Steyrergasse 7 A-800 Graz Tel +43/(0)36/876-0 www.joanneumresearch.at
Anton-von-Webern-Platz A-030 Vienna Tel +43/(0)/7 55-0 www.mdw.ac.at
University of Innsbruck Christoph-Probst-Platz Innrain 52 A-6020 Innsbruck Tel +43(0)52/507-0 www.uibk.ac.at
University of Music and Dramatic Arts Mozarteum Salzburg Schrannengasse 0a A-5020 Salzburg Tel +43/(0)662/698-0 www.moz.ac.at
University of Vienna Dr.-Karl-Lueger-Ring A-00 Vienna Tel +43/(0)/4277-0 www.univie.ac.at
Information on Universities of Applied Sciences in Austria
Fachhochschulkonferenz (Conference of the Universities of Applied Sciences) Secretariat Wiedner Hauptstrasse 63 A-045 Vienna Tel +43/(0)/5005-5502 www.fhk.ac.at
Fachhochschulrat (Council of Universities of Applied Sciences) Secretariat Liechtensteinstrasse 22A A-090 Vienna Tel +43/(0)/39 50 34-0 www.fhr.ac.at
Ludwig Boltzmann Research Association Operngasse 6 A-00 Vienna Tel +43/(0)/532750 www.ludwigboltzmann.at
Austrian Academy of Sciences – ÖAW Dr. Ignaz Seipel-Platz 2 A-00 Vienna Tel +43/(0)/558-0 www.oeaw.ac.at
Salzburg Research Forschungsgesellschaft mbH Jakob Haringer Strasse 5/III A-5020 Salzburg Tel +43/(0)662/2288-200 www.salzburgresearch.at
University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna
Upper Austrian Research GmbH TECHCENTER Linz-Winterhafen
Veterinärplatz A-20 Vienna Tel +43/(0)/25077-05 www.vu-wien.ac.at
The Most Important NonUniversity Research Institutes
Hafenstrasse 47-5 A-4020 Linz Tel +43/(0)732/905-5600 www.uar.at
Vienna University of Economics and Business Administration
Austrian Research Centers GmbH-ARC
Central Institute for Meteorology and Geodynamics
Augasse 2-6 A-090 Vienna Tel +43/(0)/33 36-0 www.wu-wien.ac.at
Donau-City-Strasse A-220 Vienna Tel +43/(0)50550-0 www.arcs.ac.at
Hohe Warte 38 A-90 Vienna Tel +43/(0)/36026 www.zamg.ac.at
Geological Survey of Austria Neulinggasse 38 A-030 Vienna Tel +43/(0)/725674 www.geolba.ac.at
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Abbreviations
A3
Austrian Advanced Automotive Technology programme, run by the BMVIT
ACR
Austrian Cooperative Research
AIST
Austrian Institute of Advanced Science and Technology (University of Excellence)
AplusB
Academia plus Business, BMVIT programme to provide start-up support for academic spin-offs
ARC
Austrian Research Centers
AWS
Austria Wirtschaftsservice GmbH
BMBWK
Ministry for Education, Science and Culture
ERA-NET
ERP-Fund
Programme line within the Research Framework Programmes to network national funding programmes Funding agency of the Republic of Austria established under the European Recovery Program (Marshall Plan) to carry out economic investments and structural improvement measures
Kplus
BMVIT Competence Centres programme
LISA
Life Science Austria programme run by the BMWA and BMBWK to support the commercial exploitation of the life sciences
Lisbon Process Political initiative of the EU to improve the efficiency of the European economy with an emphasis on innovation, knowledge and social cohesion
ESA
European Space Agency
ESO
European Southern Observatory
ESPI
European Space Policy Institute
Marie Curie Actions
Designation of the EU mobility programme
ESRF
European Synchrotron Radiation Facility
Node
European Organisation for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites
New Orientations for Democracy in Europe, programme run by the BMBWK
Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, Environment and Water Management
EUMETSAT
ÖAD
BMVIT
Ministry for Transport, Innovation and Technology
EUREKA
European Network for Market-Oriented Research and Development
Austrian Exchange Service, agency for international education and scientific co-operation
OECD
Bologna Process
Strategy to develop a European Higher Education Area by 200
Austrian Industrial Research Promotion Fund (merged into the FFG in 2004)
Austrian Academy of Sciences
Ministry of Economics and Labour
FFF
ÖAW
BMWA
FFG
Austrian Research Promotion Agency
Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development
Communication platform and service centre for Austrian researchers abroad. BMVIT initiative
fFORTE
Österreichische Industrieholding Aktiengesellschaft, the Republic of Austria’s holding and privatisation agency
PFEIL 05
BRIDGE
Programme to build bridges between basic and application-oriented research
Inter-ministerial Initiative Women in Research and Technology, managed by the BMWA, BMBWK und BMVIT; programme lines: fFORTE academic, FEMtech-fFORTE and w-fFORTE
ÖIAG
brainpower austria
Research and development programme run by the bmlfuw
CDG
Christian Doppler Research Association
CD Labs
Christian Doppler Laboratories
CeMM
Center of Molecular Medicine
CERN
BMLFUW
CIR-CE
CISM
FHplus
BMVIT programme to develop and increase R&D capacity and competence at universities of applied sciences and in their degree courses
prokis
BMWA programme to foster the development of competence, innovation and structural improvement at co-operative research establishments in Austria
Centre Européen pour la Recherche Nucleaire (Européenne Organization for Nuclear Research)
FIT-IT
BMVIT programme Research, Innovation, Technology – Information Technology
protec2002+
BMWA technology transfer programme
proVISION
FWF
Austrian Science Fund
Cooperation in Innovation and Research with Central and Eastern Europe, programme managed by the BMWA
GEN-AU
Austrian Genome Research Programme run by the BMBWK
Research programme “Provision for Nature and Society” for sustainable development, run by the BMBWK
R&D
Research and Development BMVIT programme to strengthen regional innovation systems
Centre International des Sciences Mécaniques (International Centre for Mechanical Sciences)
GMI
Gregor Mendel Institute of Molecular Plant Biology
REGplus
GSK
Priority Programme Humanities, Social and Cultural Sciences
RTI
Research, Technology and Innovation
SME
Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises
ICCR
Interdisciplinary Centre for Comparative Research in the Social Sciences
STRAPAMO
ICT
Information and Communications Technologies
BMWA programme to establish strategic R&T partnerships with Central and Eastern Europe
TAKE-OFF
IEA
International Energy Agency
Austrian impulse programme for aeronautics, run by the BMVIT
tecma
Technology Marketing Austria, a specific technology programme of Austria Wirtschaftsservice GmbH, provides the pivotal link between (university) research and the commercial exploitation of its results
UAR
Upper Austrian Research
UG 2002
Universities Act 2002
UNESCO
United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization
uni:invent
BMBWK programme to open up and commercially exploit patenting and licensing potential at Austrian universities
COST
Coopération européenne dans le domaine de la recherche scientifique et technique (European Co-operation in the Field of Scientific and Technical Research)
CRUE
Coordination of the research financed in the European Union on flood management
IHS
Institute for Advanced Studies
ECT
European Centre for Theoretical Studies in Nuclear Physics and Related Areas
IIASA
International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis
ECTS
European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (System for the Europe-wide recognition of educational qualifications. Measure within the scope of the Bologna process)
IMBA
Institute of Molecular Biotechnology
EEA
European Economic Area
INTAS
EFDA
European Fusion Development Agreement
EIP
European and International Programmes at the FFG
International Association for the Promotion of Cooperation with Scientists from the New Independent States of the Former Soviet Union
IRCA
Innovation Relay Centres Austria
WIFO
Austrian Institute of Economic Research
ITER
International Nuclear Fusion Reactor
x.06
ITF
The Austrian Innovation and Technology Fund
Pilot programme for research communication (initiative launched by the Austrian Council, BMWA, BMBWK and BMVIT)
K-ind/K-net
Programme for industrial competence centres and networks run by the BMWA
ZSI
Centre for Social Innovation
ELLETRA
Synchrotron Light Laboratory in Trieste/Italy
EMBC
European Molecular Biology Conference
EMBL
European Molecular Biology Laboratory
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innovatives- Campaign initiated by the Austrian oesterreich.at Council, BMWA, BMBWK and BMVIT to promote awareness of the importance of research, technology and innovation
