ERA in Austria

From the very beginning of the European Research Area, Austria has been ambitiously contributing to its development and working on the implementation of the ERA at national level. Following the establishment of the new ERA governance at EU level in 2021, Austria developed a new national ERA governance in 2022.

The main body of the Austrian ERA Governance is the ERA Stakeholder Forum, where all relevant organisations of the Austrian RTI System are represented. The ERA Stakeholder Forum is co-chaired by the Director General for Scientific Research and International Affairs at the Federal Ministry of Women, Science and Research, Barbara Weitgruber, and the Director General for Innovation and Technology at the Federal Ministry of Innovation, Mobility and Infrastructure, Henriette Spyra. Both Directors-General also represent Austria in ERAC, thus ensuring a very close connection between the European and the national level.

For the implementation of the ERA Policy Agenda at national level, Austria decided to develop a National Action Plan (ERA-NAP). The first ERA-NAP (2022-2025) was adopted by the Austrian Council of Ministers on 21 December 2022. Since 2023, an annual ERA Symposium is organised in Vienna to promote ERA and to discuss its enhancement and implementation with the scientific community. The ERA Symposium 2025 will take place on 17 November 2025 in Vienna.