Austria's universities of applied sciences and universities are jointly training doctoral students for the first time. The Federal Ministry of Education, Science and Research and the Austrian Science Fund FWF are funding five new joint doctoral programmes with one million euros each. 25 researchers will be able to complete their doctorates in highly innovative research fields in Graz, Linz, Salzburg, Vienna and Wiener Neustadt.

 

Science and research, higher education and research-based innovations are building blocks for a future-orientated Austria. The quality and excellence in research and teaching at Austrian universities and universities of applied sciences are indispensable. If researchers from universities of applied sciences and universities join forces to set up a joint doctoral programme and train doctoral students in an excellent research environment, they will receive full funding from the Austrian Science Fund FWF for a period of up to four years as part of the doc.funds.connect programme. The programme opens up opportunities for researchers and institutions to collaborate fruitfully in the field of application-oriented basic research. A total of 25 researchers will be employed in the course of their doctoral studies in highly innovative research fields.

First round of doc.funds.connect approvals: five million euros for Graz, Linz, Salzburg, Vienna and Wiener Neustadt
The doc.funds.connect funding programme initiated by the Federal Ministry of Education, Science and Research will enable five joint doctoral programmes at universities of applied sciences and universities to be launched. The total funding volume of the first round of calls for proposals amounts to five million euros; the Austrian Science Fund FWF and the Christian Doppler Society were responsible for selection and evaluation. Due to the positive response, the Federal Ministry of Education, Science and Research is providing a further seven million euros for a second round of calls.
The following locations were successful in the international review process and will offer a joint doctoral programme:

- Salzburg University of Applied Sciences, University of Salzburg
- University of Applied Sciences Upper Austria, University of Linz
- University of Applied Sciences Technikum Wien, Vienna University of Technology
- University of Applied Sciences Wiener Neustadt, Medical University of Vienna University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna
- Joanneum University of Applied Sciences, University of Graz

Further expanding excellent research at universities of applied sciences and universities
"Cooperative doctorates strengthen research collaboration between universities and universities of applied sciences and at the same time promote young scientists. In this respect, I am delighted that a total of 28 high-quality project co-operations were submitted. Due to this great response, we will launch a second call for proposals at the end of this year and also increase the budget for this to € 7 million," explains Science Minister Heinz Faßmann on the first round of approvals.
The funded doctoral programmes impressively demonstrate the importance of synergies between basic research and practice-oriented expertise in order to find answers to the pressing questions of the future. This benefits not only the 25 doctoral students, but all participating institutions and society as a whole," says uniko President Sabine Seidler.
"Research at universities of applied sciences has grown considerably in recent years. The funding programme represents a milestone in the intensification of cooperation between different universities. It offers a valuable opportunity to ensure sustainable cooperation between universities of applied sciences and universities," emphasises Johann Kastner, Vice President for Research & Development at the Upper Austrian University of Applied Sciences and Head of the FHK R&D Committee.
"With doc.funds.connect funding, researchers at UASs and universities can further intensify their collaboration in application-oriented basic research. Doctoral students have excellent opportunities to specialise in promising fields of research. This will ultimately benefit Austria as a research location as a whole," says FWF President Christof Gattringer.
"The doc.funds.connect programme is a milestone in the cooperation between universities of applied sciences and universities and a strengthening of application-oriented basic research. It is very pleasing that the new programme has been so well received and that numerous high-quality applications have been submitted. I am convinced that the funded projects represent a gain and a strengthening for all partner institutions," emphasises CDG President Martin Gerzabek.

 

The new doctoral programmes at a glance

Doctoral programme "doc.hci - Designing Meaningful Human-Technology Relations"
Partners involved: University of Salzburg, Salzburg University of Applied Sciences Coordination: Alexander Meschtscherjakov (University of Salzburg)
Funding volume: 1,005,148.04 euros | Project duration: 4 years
The new doctoral programme focuses on understanding and shaping the relationship between people and digital technology. Due to the omnipresence of these technologies and their increasing agency, keyword artificial intelligence, being human is becoming ever more closely interwoven with them. This necessitates a paradigm shift in the field of information and communication technology, which requires considerable innovation in the theoretical foundations and methodological approaches.
Laying these foundations is the overarching scientific goal of the doc.hci programme. The doctoral students deal with the design of meaningful human-machine relationships in five challenging contexts (mobility, health, education, work, play) by adopting a radically new perspective on the nature of these relationships. doc.hci builds on the joint master's programme HCI of the University of Salzburg and Salzburg University of Applied Sciences.

Doctoral programme "Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence (HCAI)"
Partners involved: University of Applied Sciences Upper Austria, University of Linz Coordination: Ulrich Bodenhofer (University of Applied Sciences Upper Austria)
Funding volume: 1,005,148.04 euros | Project duration: 4 years
The rapid development of artificial intelligence (AI) has brought to light enormous opportunities, but also risks. To date, AI research has primarily focussed on the development of systems that are designed to solve increasingly complex tasks with the highest possible accuracy. As a result, the decisions and actions of such systems are becoming increasingly difficult for humans to understand.
HCAI is a doctoral programme jointly run by the University of Applied Sciences Upper Austria and the Johannes Kepler University Linz and funded by the FWF, which aims to put people and their needs at the centre of AI research. Methods are being developed to make artificial intelligence more understandable, transparent and fair for humans on the one hand and to support the interaction between humans and AI systems on the other. The researchers working on this programme receive interdisciplinary training and are at the forefront of developing a new generation of human-centred AI technology.

MatureTissue" doctoral programme
Partners involved: University of Applied Sciences Technikum Wien, Vienna University of Technology Coordination: Andreas Teuschl-Woller (University of Applied Sciences Technikum Wien)
Funding volume: 1,005,148.04 euros | Project duration: 4 years
More and more people are suffering from acute or chronic musculoskeletal complaints that are often difficult to treat clinically. The aim of the "MatureTissue" doctoral programme is to establish a research and training focus on the topic of tissue engineering. The participating research groups at the UAS Technikum Wien and TU Wien want to better understand the causes of musculoskeletal diseases and develop new therapeutic approaches. In bioreactors and microfluidic systems, 3D cell constructs are generated primarily from stem cells and mechanically stimulated in a controlled manner so that they mature into functional artificial tissues such as bones, tendons, cartilage or muscles. Young researchers acquire interdisciplinary knowledge and skills with a high degree of application-orientation. This is supported by a diverse network/training programme, which also promotes research stays at foreign partner institutions.

Doctoral programme "PAIR - Pre-clinical Ion Beam Research"
Partners involved: University of Applied Sciences Wiener Neustadt, Medical University of Vienna, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna Coordination: Dietmar Georg (Medical University of Vienna) Funding volume: EUR 1,005,148.04 | Project duration: 4 years
Ion therapy using protons and carbon ions is the most advanced form of radiation-based cancer treatment. Ion beams have both physical and biological advantages over conventional photon beams. Preclinical research on tumour models is essential for the optimisation of ion therapy.
This project serves to expand the radiobiological understanding of ion beams on a molecular, cellular and organic level. Five interdisciplinary dissertation projects combine physics, biology and medicine and deal with proteome and genome analyses and high-resolution imaging, among other things. The new doctoral programme with interdisciplinary teaching appointments strengthens academic training.
PAIR draws on the unique infrastructure of the MedAustron ion therapy facility as well as the expertise of the Medical and Veterinary Universities in Vienna and the University of Applied Sciences Wiener Neustadt in the fields of medical radiation physics, imaging, molecular biology and computer science. The establishment of this inter-university network for imaging and biology-orientated cancer research strengthens innovation in Austria.

Doctoral programme "Doctoral School for Dependable Electronic-Based Systems (DENISE)"
Partners involved: Joanneum University of Applied Sciences, Graz University of Technology Coordination: Christian Vogel (FH Joanneum)
Funding volume: 1,005,148.04 euros | Project duration: 4 years
Electronics-based systems (EBS) are becoming increasingly prevalent in production, infrastructure and transport, but will only be accepted if people trust these systems. Reliability is therefore becoming the cornerstone for the social acceptance of electronics-based systems. The researchers in the doctoral programme Dependable ElectroNIc-Based SystEms (DENISE) will research concepts, methods and application-oriented tools to make EBS more reliable. The project deepens the excellent relationship between FH Joanneum and Graz University of Technology through a joint doctoral programme. DENISE creates an integrated research framework across disciplinary boundaries and links reliability concepts of sensors with networked embedded devices. Existing strengths will be expanded, and by pooling complementary expertise, DENISE will lead to sustainable progress in the EBS sector.

FWF funding programme doc.funds.connect The cooperative doctorate between universities and universities of applied sciences was announced by the Austrian federal government in the government programme in order to leverage further synergies in the domestic research landscape. The programme not only intensifies cooperation between Austrian research institutions, but also further expands the research expertise of universities of applied sciences at a high international level and offers researchers more flexibility and opportunities. The next call for proposals will start at the end of November 2021. Programme information online at: doc.funds.connect

Enquiry notes:

FWF - The Austrian Science Fund
Marc Seumenicht
Deputy Head of Communications, Press Spokesman
+43-1 505 67 40 – 8111
marc.seumenicht@fwf.ac.at

Federal Ministry of Education, Science and Research
Mathias Klein, BA
Press spokesman
01 53120-5025
Mathias.Klein@bmbwf.gv.at