The Future
of Basic Research

The second annual Think Beyond Summit will focus on the challenges that will decide the future of Austria and Europe as a research location: the attractiveness of academic careers, the degree of academic freedom, and the opportunity for international networking.

The Summit offers participants the opportunity to delve into these questions with national and international experts, including Robbert Dijkgraaf (former Dutch Minister of Education, Culture and Science and Former Director, Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton), Manuel Heitor (head of the Horizon Europe expert group, former Portuguese Minister of Science), and Adelheid Wessler (head of the Societal Transformations team at the Volkswagen Foundation).

The Think Beyond Summit brings together experts and decision-makers from science, business, research policy, and other areas of society to discuss the future of science from a basic research perspective. This FWF event gives participants the opportunity to converse with stakeholders and multipliers, view both national and international perspectives, exchange knowledge and experiences, and search for answers to key challenges Austria is facing as a hub of knowledge and research.

FWF President Christof Gattringer, FWF Vice-President Ursula Jakubek

Why is it easier for Harvard, Stanford, or Oxford to attract researchers from Austria than the other way around? ERC and FWF successes show that researchers in this country are capable of outstanding achievements, but Austria’s top research segment is still too narrow. Does Austria have too few jobs that offer researchers good conditions? What roles do factors like tenure-track prospects, the presence of excellent peers, research autonomy, the balance between teaching and research, and the availability of research funding play? These questions will be discussed by:

• Keynote: Robbert Dijkgraaf (former Dutch Minister of Education, Culture and Science and Former Director, Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton)
• Stephanie J. Ellis (Group leader, Max Perutz Labs)
• Sabine Herlitschka (CEO, Infineon)
• Martin Hetzer (President, Institute of Science and Technology – ISTA)
• Adelheid Wessler (Head of the Societal Transformations team, Volkswagen Foundation)
• Moderation: Christof Gattringer (President, Austrian Science Fund (FWF))

In order to produce ground-breaking findings, researchers must be able to choose their own focus, and a free exchange of ideas and unrestricted cooperation must be guaranteed. At the same time, science is coming under increasing pressure from economic, social, and political groups that instrumentalize or even suppress research findings for their own interests, restricting the freedom and autonomy of research. Recent geopolitical developments have also resulted in the need for more attention to research security aspects. What are the limits to freedom and autonomy in science and research in the 21st century?

• Keynote: Manuel Heitor (Head of the Horizon Europe expert group, former Portuguese Minister of Science)
• Katalin Farkas (Philosopher, Cluster of Excellence "Knowledge in Crisis," Central European University)
• Barbara Weitgruber (Director General for Scientific Research and International Relations, Austrian Federal Ministry of Education, Science and Research)
• Jens Jungblut (Professor, Department of Political Science, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Oslo)

40 years ago, the FWF gave the first Schrödinger Fellows the opportunity to spend time at renowned international research institutions as guest researchers. What followed was one of the greatest success stories in Austrian research funding: Since then, 3,500 researchers have travelled abroad on an FWF Schrödinger grant, returning with a wealth of experience, knowledge, and international contacts.

To celebrate the Schrödinger program’s 40th anniversary, the FWF has invited alumni and alumnae of the program, many of whom have risen to the top of their field or are in successful positions in business and industry, to come back to the FWF to talk about their experiences and to network. The evening will focus on the importance of international mobility for academic careers and the opportunities and challenges involved in going abroad.

This event is aimed at decision-makers, experts, and stakeholders from science, business, research policy, and other areas of society. Attendance is by invitation only. If you are interested in attending, please send us an email to events(at)fwf.ac.at.

Did you miss the 2024 Summit? A review of the two breakout sessions and the panel discussion, including the awards for the new Emerging Fields projects, can be found online here:

• “From an Idea to Innovation: How Excellent Research Secures Austria's Future”
• “Where New Things Begin: A Vision for Research Philanthropy in Europe”
• "What's next? The Future of Excellent Basic Research in Austria – Austria's First Emerging Fields Projects”