Austrian Research and Technology Report 2020

Bridge Advisory Board
28%
29%
General Programme Advisory Board
19%
19%
Evaluations carried out by women (not including BB)
28%
31%
Source: Austrian Research Promotion Agency (FFG).
Programmes that include gender or gender equality in their funding criteria
• 100% of the funding at the Austrian Research Promotion Agency (FFG):
Criteria aimed at achieving a gender balance among project teams are now enshrined within all pro-
grammes administered by the FFG. In addition, gender-specific topics are expected to be embedded in 
R&D projects whenever individuals are the subject of the research, and this expectation is addressed as 
part of the funding criteria.
 
2018
2019
Participations with named individuals*
6,386
5,672
Women in a project management role**
1,364
1,273
Share in %
21%
22%
Source: Austrian Research Promotion Agency (FFG). Note: * Not all participations include named 
individuals but rather organisations ** Project management refers to the management of the 
participating organisation’s project team. If no project management function is recorded, the 
evaluation is based on the gender of the technical contact person.
2.9.3 New initiatives and instruments 2019 and outlook
In terms of programmes, there were no decidedly new initiatives or instruments in 2019. The focus was on 
ensuring the continuation of the initiatives launched in 2018. This has been achieved primarily via funding 
from the National Foundation for Research, Technology and Development and the Austria Fund. The funds 
were allocated mainly to:
• what was now the third R&D infrastructure proposal (€20 million);
• the continuation of Impact Innovation (€5 million);
• the second proposal for Digital Innovation Hubs (€5 million);
• the continuation of the priority funding for quantum research and quantum technology (€7 million);
• a new focus within the scope of Production for the Future: big data in production (€3.75 million).
Outlook
The government programme sets clear priorities. In addition to digitalisation, climate protection is put 
forward as a second issue that has a transformative character and that challenges the innovation system 
as a whole. Research and innovation will play an important role in this. Against this background, the Aus-
trian Research Promotion Agency (FFG) is called upon to develop its promotion and support services fur-
ther in view of the challenges presented by digitalisation and climate change.
The federal government made an additional €26 million available in the short term in 2020 for research-
ing medicine to combat the coronavirus (as of April 2020). Funding is primarily directed at projects that 
aim to investigate the effectiveness of existing drugs in the fight against coronavirus.

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