Fonds Zukunft Österreich Awards €42 Million to the Austrian Science Fund (FWF)

“The Council of the National Foundation for Research, Technology and Development’s decision to invest €140 million from the Fonds Zukunft Österreich this year, including €42 million for excellent basic research through the FWF, is a positive signal for Austria as a research location. The funds will enable the FWF to set priorities in collaborative research and to strengthen their support for early-stage researchers. The investments will also help attract international scientific talent to Austria – demand in this area is rising sharply due to the current developments in the USA,” said FWF President Christof Gattringer and Vice-President Ursula Jakubek at the announcement by the National Foundation for Research, Technology and Development.

“The Fonds Zukunft Österreich is an essential instrument for funding future-looking, cross-sectional issues that make an immediate impact. This year’s investments emphasize how important it is to keep the funding coming in the next few years and to continue along the successful path we’re on in the long term,” Gattringer and Jakubek continue.

More opportunities for junior researchers and excellent research teams

With the promised funding, the FWF will be able to continue its investments in accordance with the Fonds Zukunft Österreich’s strategic priorities and set new ones. This includes the Specialized Research Groups funding program, a modern new funding program that is specifically geared towards the needs of collaborative research and will be supported by the National Foundation with €17 million. Further funds will be invested in doctoral training through the doc.funds program (€10 million) and international collaborations (€7 million) through the European Partnerships. The €8 million increase in funding for the ESPRIT young talent program is particularly important right now, as demand in this area is already rising significantly due to the situation in the USA.