Ministries

As the ministry responsible for universities, universities of applied sciences, and non-university research institutions such as the Austrian Academy of Sciences or the Ludwig Boltzmann Research Society, it is the Federal Ministry of Science and Research (BMWF) that bears the main responsibility for basic research in Austria. For this purpose, the BMWF also manages approximately two thirds of the government’s total research budget. The BMWF represents Austria at the European level on issues of international mobility and the European Research Framework Programme. Moreover, this ministry is also responsible for the Austrian Science Fund (FWF), the most important instrument for funding basic research.

The Federal Ministry of Transport, Innovation and Technology (BMVIT) manages the largest 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. The BMVIT is also the majority shareholder in the Austrian Research Centers.

The Federal Ministry of Economy, Family and Youth (BMWFJ) holds the remaining 50 percent of the FFG, through which it handles its Competence Centres programmes. The BMWFJ is a co-owner of the Austria Wirtschaftsservice 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 with direct responsibility for research, technology and innovation, there are also other ministries which administrate substantial research budgets. The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, Environment and Water Management (BMLFUW) organises extensive research activities under the heading Pfeil 10 (programme for research and development).