The Austrian Science Fund (FWF) and the Federal Ministry of Education, Science and Research, together with the participating research institutions, are continuing to invest in major inter-institutional research projects: Two further consortia have received a funding commitment from the FWF totaling €37 million for the next five years, with the aim of strengthening research collaborations in brain research and materials research. With nine Clusters of Excellence and five Emerging Fields, the first funding tranche of the excellent=austria initiative has now been successfully concluded.
The next funding awards in the federal government's excellent=austria initiative to expand top-level research at universities and non-academic research institutions have been announced. Based on a recommendation by the international jury, the FWF's Scientific Board has approved two further Clusters of Excellence, successfully completing an additional short-track procedure conducted in addition to the initial multi-stage decision-making process. These two approvals conclude the first funding round of the excellent=austria initiative: A total of nine Clusters of Excellence and five Emerging Fields are giving innovation in basic research an unprecedented boost. To date, the FWF's total investment volume amounts to €186 million, and hundreds of researchers are involved in a total of 24 research institutions throughout Austria.
Science Minister Martin Polaschek and FWF President Christof Gattringer congratulate the successful researchers
“In our cooperation with the FWF, this excellence initiative is setting new standards in the funding of basic research. The two new Clusters of Excellence in the fields of brain research and the circular bioeconomy will strengthen Austria as a research location in key forward-looking fields and contribute to the international competitiveness of Austria and Europe. The Federal Ministry of Education, Science and Research is providing €37 million in funding through the FWF,” says Martin Polaschek, Minister of Education, Science and Research.
“Austria's Clusters of Excellence are highly important to society, as they lay the foundations for future scientific breakthroughs. With this major investment, we are giving the best researchers in their fields the opportunity to develop key research areas and create long-term innovations in the field of sustainable technologies and medicine. The focus is not only on scientific excellence, but also on training, communication, and knowledge transfer,” says FWF President Christof Gattringer.
Two more Clusters of Excellence at research institutions in four Austrian states
The two new Clusters of Excellence will be located at nine universities and non-university research institutions throughout Austria: The Cluster of Excellence on brain research includes researchers from the IMBA – Institute of Molecular Biotechnology of the Austrian Academy of Sciences, the Institute of Science and Technology Austria (ISTA), the Medical University of Innsbruck, the Medical University of Vienna, and the University of Vienna. Researchers from BOKU University, the Graz University of Technology, TU Wien, the University of Graz, and the University of Vienna are involved in the Cluster investigating the circular bioeconomy. Teams of over 100 researchers will be collaborating in each Cluster over a period of five years.
Focus on brain research and sustainable material cycles
Austria's next Clusters of Excellence will expand basic research at the highest scientific level in the forward-looking fields of brain research and the circular bioeconomy. The funding can be used to establish long-term structures and attractive research conditions and boost international visibility at the participating institutions. Clusters of Excellence are characterized by a successful combination of cutting-edge research, research-led education, and the advancement of junior researchers, as well as an exchange of knowledge at national and international levels. Facilitating knowledge and technology transfer with the business community and the public is another key element of the Clusters.
Joint funding with participating universities and institutions
The Austrian Science Fund (FWF) provides 60% of the funding volume for the individual Clusters, and the remaining 40% comes from the participating research institutions’ own budgets. In total, the two new Clusters of Excellence will receive a total of €62 million in funding over the next five years.
Overall, the FWF will be providing around €155 million for the first five years, and €104 million will come from the participating institutions themselves.
The brain is the most complex and sophisticated organ of the human body, which is why understanding how the brain works is not only the greatest scientific challenge for humankind but also a quest to rationalize consciousness, the “human self,” maximize performance, and provide templates for disciplines that use the human brain as a model for various actions. The Cluster of Excellence aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of how different types of inhibitory neurons – essential cellular nodes of any neural network – develop and interact to control circuit operations that underlie behavior, and how they are susceptible to disorders such as schizophrenia, autism, and epilepsy. New concepts of personalized pharmacotherapy will be developed to alleviate mental illnesses.
“This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to bring together leading minds in Austrian neuroscience, both from basic research and clinical research, to make tangible progress in understanding brain function and developing therapies for brain diseases in a large-scale project,” says Tibor Harkany, Director of Research, about the objectives of the Cluster of Excellence.
Board of Directors and research facilities
Francesco Ferraguti (Medical University of Innsbruck)
Thomas Klausberger (Medical University of Vienna)
Gaia Novarino (Institute of Science and Technology Austria (ISTA))
Tibor Harkany (Medical University of Vienna (Director of Research))
Noelia Urbán Avellaneda (IMBA - Institute of Molecular Biotechnology, ÖAW)
Manuel Zimmer (University of Vienna)
Peter Jonas (Institute of Science and Technology Austria (ISTA))
Exploiting limited resources to produce consumer goods creates wealth in the short term, but threatens the very existence of many forms of life in the long term. The Cluster of Excellence “Circular Bioengineering” is investigating ways of decoupling economic growth and resource consumption. The production of platform chemicals and materials from renewable raw materials and their efficient and, above all, circular use makes it possible to switch from petroleum-based to bio-based materials. Green chemistry concepts and biotechnological processes can be used to create a sustainable and environmentally friendly alternative. The Cluster of Excellence will be investigating fundamental methods and processes for establishing a circular bioeconomy and training a new generation of young researchers with comprehensive skills to face the challenges of the future.
“We are researching new environmentally friendly methods and processes for the production of bio-based chemicals and materials, focusing especially on their impact on the environment and on society, to help develop the best possible solutions for our future,” says Roland Ludwig, Director of Research, about the new Cluster of Excellence.
Board of Directors and research facilities
Chris Oostenbrink (BOKU University)
Antje Potthast (BOKU University)
Marko Mihovilovic (TU Wien)
Roland Ludwig (BOKU University (Director of Research))
