Thematic Initiatives

Life sciences and biotechnology, the humanities and social sciences, nano-technology and, as a consequence, the material sciences, 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 make research successful in these key areas, the responsible federal ministries have over the past decade created comprehensive programmes extending over several years that possess critical mass. By providing the requisite agenda and financing for this type of research, the ministries are providing a framework within which it is possible not only to develop fundamental new insights and technologies across individual disciplines, but also to improve compatibility 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.

In 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 transport, space and aviation research. Programmes such as the Austrian Space Programme, A3, or TAKE-OFF have contributed to strengthening the relevant industries and clusters. The information technologies also make a contribution to traffic research through telematics. 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.