European Research Partnerships: Strengthening Cooperation on Forward-Looking Topics
Biodiversa+, the European Biodiversity Partnership, aims to advance excellent research on biodiversity that is both socially and politically relevant. It is dedicated to building a strong European research area on biodiversity. The program’s focus is on the development of a research and innovation agenda for nature-based solutions, their national dissemination, and the support of relevant research.
The results of the fourth Biodiversa+ call are now available, and seven of the 35 funded projects include Austrian participation. The research projects will be funded with a total of around €40 million over a three-year period.
New Biodiversa+ projects with Austrian participation:
- “BIOGAIN Enabling Biodiversity-Positive Transformation,” coordination: Alexandra Jiricka-Pürrer, BOKU University; participating research institutions: BOKU University, Technische Universität Berlin, Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences, Aalborg University, Utrecht University
- “RECON – Nature Reconnection for Transformation and Biodiversity,” national project lead: Karolina Taczanowska, BOKU University; participating research institutions: Warsaw University of Technology, University of Warsaw, Forest Research Institute (PL), BOKU University, Nürtingen-Geislingen University
- “BIOREFOREST,” national project lead: Georg Gratzer, BOKU University; participating research institutions: Coburg University of Applied Sciences, University of Bologna, Swiss Federal Research Institute WSL, Mid Sweden University, BOKU University, ACTeon environment, University of Malaga, National Research Institute for Agriculture, Food and the Environment (FR)
- “POWERSHIFT,” national project lead: Jacqueline Loos, University of Vienna; participating research institutions: National Research Institute for Agriculture, Food and the Environment (FR), Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, University of Vienna, Stockholm University
- “ActSustainably Enabling Transf Actions Sustainability Eurasian Grassland,” coordination: Katharina Gugerell, BOKU University; participating research institutions: BOKU University, Zurich University of Applied Sciences, University of Copenhagen, University of Zurich, HUN-REN Centre for Ecological Research, University of Münster
- “PEACE – Participatory Engagement for Adaptation and Conservation,” national project lead: Esther Blanco, University of Innsbruck; participating research institutions: University of Marburg, Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, ETH Zurich, University of Innsbruck, Institute of Natural Resources (South Africa), University of Fort Hare, Utrecht University
- “FLOODTRAIN – Training of Floodplain Restoration Managers,” coordination: Astrid Schmidt-Kloiber, BOKU University; participating research institutions: BOKU University, University of Duisburg-Essen, Ecologic Institute, Wageningen University & Research, WaterITech ApS
Further Europe-wide projects for research into rare diseases and for a sustainable food and water supply set to launch
As part of three other European partnerships – ERDERA, FutureFoodS, and Water4All – the FWF was also able to fund new projects with funding from the Fonds Zukunft Österreich and co-funding from the European Union. One project with Austrian participation is being launched in the European ERDERA partnership (rare diseases), three projects in the Future FoodS partnership (for sustainable food systems), and one project in Water4All (for a sustainable water supply).
New ERDERA project with Austrian participation:
- “INALOX – PF INHalation of ALOXistatin against IPF- INALOX-PF,” national project lead: Valentina Biasin, Medical University of Graz; participating research institutions: University Medical Center Freiburg; Fraunhofer Institute for Toxicology and Experimental Medicine ITEM, Nordic Bioscience A/S, Latvian Institute of Organic Synthesis (LIOS)
New FutureFoodS projects with Austrian participation:
- “ENRESFOOD – Ensure Resilience of Food Supply Chain Against Safety Shocks,” national project lead: Beatrix Wepner, AIT Austrian Institute of Technology; participating research institutions: Wageningen Food Safety Research (NL), University of the Bundeswehr Munich (DE), National Research Council of Italy (IT)
- “RESHAPE – Reshaping food systems through reconnection,” national project lead: Martin Bruckner, Vienna University of Economics and Business; participating research institutions: Spanish National Research Council – Doñana Biological Station (ES), Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (NL), University of Córdoba – Instituto de Sociología y Estudios Campesinos (ES), University of Southern Denmark (DK), Bogazici University (TR), Eskelyst (DK)
- “FOOD-FRAMES,” national project lead: Laura König, University of Vienna; participating research institutions: Wageningen University (NL), University College Cork (IR), University of Bayreuth (DE), Ghent University (BE), Norwegian Institute of Public Health (NO), University of Southern Denmark (DK), University of Pisa (IT), Sciensano (BE), LMU Munich (DE)
New Water4All project with Austrian participation:
- “RESET – Valorisation of Non-Conventional Water Resources in Cities,” national project lead: Robert Sitzenfrei, University of Innsbruck; participating research institutions: Universidad Politecnica de Madrid, Polytechnic University of Madrid, University of Luxembourg, Federal University of Mato Grosso do Sul, University of Kaiserslautern-Landau, University of Chemistry and Technology of Prague
