Austrian Research and Technology Report 2020

1.5 Structures and developments in 
selected institutions
Austria’s non-university sector is also continuing to 
develop further. The following section thus looks first 
at developments at Austrian Cooperative Research 
before going on to introduce the reform project in-
volving the Geological Survey of Austria and the 
Central Institute for Meteorology and Geodynamics.
1.5.1 Austrian Cooperative Research (ACR)
Austrian Cooperative Research (ACR) is the umbrella 
organisation for Austria’s cooperative and non-uni-
versity research institutions, which primarily support 
small and medium-sized enterprises with their appli-

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Austrian Research and Technology Report 2020
cation-oriented research, development and innova-
tion (RDI). 
The roots of the network, which was set up in 
1954 as an association for cooperative research insti-
tutions, stretch back to the very early days of ap-
plied research, specifically to the concept of techni-
cal experimentation, which was institutionalised as 
long ago as the early 20th century. One of its key 
priorities in the first few years was to establish an 
additional stream of long-term government funding 
for industry-focused, non-university research. This 
led Austrian Cooperative Research (ACR) to launch a 
research promotion fund for industry (now known as 
the Research Promotion Fund, or FFF), which was set 
up in 1967. Between then and 2004, the Research 
Promotion Fund (FFF) supported over 5,000 R&D 
projects involving cooperative research institutions. 
Efforts to gradually restructure the umbrella organi-
sation began in 1990, supported by the Austrian Eco-
nomic Chambers (WKO) and the Federation of Aus-
trian Industries (IV). As well as representing its mem-
bers’ interests and engaging in lobbying activities, 
93 See Austrian Cooperative Research (ACR) (1994) and (2004).
94 See Austrian Cooperative Research (ACR) (1994) and (2004).
since the mid-1990s Austrian Cooperative Research 
(ACR) has also worked together with the Federal 
Ministry of Economics and Labour (BMWA; now the 
Federal Ministry for Digital and Economic Affairs – 
BMDW) to develop long-term research strategies for 
applied cooperative research tailored specifically to 
industry interests.
93
This expansion of its remit also brought about 
structural changes at Austrian Cooperative Research 
(ACR) itself. In 1997, it was given its current name: 
Vereinigung der kooperativen Forschungseinrichtun-
gen der österreichischen Wirtschaft – Austrian Co-
operative Research (ACR). The following year, Austri-
an Cooperative Research (ACR) formulated a strate-
gy document that set out its membership criteria for 
the first time. This was done in order to guarantee 
customers reliable standards, show potential mem-
bers the benefits of joining and set out and commu-
nicate the role, responsibilities and objectives of 
Austrian Cooperative Research (ACR) as an organisa-
tion. The association opened itself up more to politi-
cians, industry leaders and the general public and 
positioned itself as an expert point of contact for the 
needs and concerns of cooperative research institu-
tions and SMEs. In order to focus more strongly on 
industry and its customers and raise its profile within 
the RDI community, Austrian Cooperative Research 
(ACR) expanded its areas of business and range of 
services from the 2000s onwards as well as extend-
ing and strengthening its network structure (e.g. via 
topic-based working groups). It also focused on pro-
viding quality assurance for services and increasing 
the institutionalisation of knowledge transfer be-
tween research and industry.
94
Boosting competitiveness and innovative poten-
tial among SMEs has been a constant objective ever 
since Austria took its first steps towards devising a 
technology policy. This applies more than ever today, 
in an age of digitalisation and global competition.