FWF to Fund 153 Outstanding Basic Research Projects

In its latest round of approvals, the Austrian Science Fund (FWF) gave the green light for 153 projects with an application volume of around €48 million, launching pioneering research throughout Austria. A list of all newly funded projects is now available online.
October 13, 2023
Wassertropfen fällt auf gelb-blau-beleuchtete Wasseroberfläche und verursacht konzentrische Kreise

Approval of FWF funding for projects in Austria and abroad

The newly constituted Scientific Board decided on the allocation of research funds at the fourth Scientific Board meeting in 2023. 552 projects were submitted, with a total application volume of €185.06 million. Of these, 153 projects, i.e. 27.7%, were promising enough to be approved for funding, amounting to a total funding volume of close to €48 million.

The majority of the approved projects, 71 in total, are multi-year Principal Investigator Projects. These projects cover a wide range of topics and reflect the diverse expertise of the Austrian research community. In addition to the national projects, 31 projects from the Principal Investigator Projects International program were approved, in which talented researchers are funded beyond national borders.

A total of 11 Erwin Schrödinger fellowships with return phase were awarded. This program enables young researchers to gain valuable international experience and promotes the international exchange of ideas and expertise. The Erwin Schrödinger program is a true investment in the future of the Austrian scientific community.

Gender balance in the ESPRIT career program

The FWF approved 21 ESPRIT postdoc projects at its most recent Scientific Board meeting, with a balanced gender ratio in both applications and approvals. Of the 67 ESPRIT proposals submitted, 21 projects with excellent reviews and a volume of around €7 million were approved, 11 of which are headed by women. The FWF’s ESPRIT career program supports highly qualified postdocs in all disciplines.

All approved research projects can be found at Research Radar. 

Search by Scientific Board meeting.

New FWF Scientific Board

The FWF's Scientific Consultants meet five times a year at Scientific Board meetings to decide on funding applications based on the submitted reviews. The term of office of the previous Scientific Consultants came to a close at the end of September, and numerous new members took up their positions on the FWF Scientific Board. FWF President Christof Gattringer welcomed the new Scientific Consultants at their first meeting and thanked the previous members for their commitment and dedication. The term of office of the new Scientific Board runs until 2026. The Board is made up of 69 researchers from all over Austria in the fields of biology and medicine, natural sciences and technology, and humanities and social sciences.

For a list of the members of the FWF Scientific Board, please see: Scientific Board.