BMDW invests EUR 8 million in targeted funding of research for industry at universities of applied sciences - FFG funds 12 new research projects across Austria
"The promising collaboration between science and industry gives us exactly the innovative edge that Austria needs right now," says Minister of Economic Affairs and Research Margarete Schramböck on the occasion of the presentation of the tender results. "Research, innovation and digitalisation are crucial for domestic companies, which have been hit hard by the effects of the coronavirus crisis, in order to quickly return to economic normality," said the Federal Minister for Digital and Economic Affairs. The Federal Ministry for Digital and Economic Affairs (BMDW) provided eight million euros for what is now the eighth call for proposals in the existing FFG programme line "COIN (Cooperation and Innovation) Aufbau". The Austrian Research Promotion Agency (FFG) is responsible for processing the programme.
The programme promotes the development and expansion of important research competencies at Austrian universities of applied sciences so that they can support companies as strong partners in research issues in the best possible way. "The 'UAS - Research for Business' programme enables companies, especially SMEs, to develop future-oriented new technologies and innovative products and services through targeted technology and know-how transfer," say the two FFG managing directors Henrietta Egerth and Klaus Pseiner. "We are particularly pleased when the FFG is able to create new networks and link existing ones," emphasises the management.
The high demand from universities of applied sciences for project funding demonstrates how well the "UAS Research for Business" programme fits in with the research profile of universities of applied sciences. FHK President Raimund Ribitsch comments on the pleasing tender results: "Universities of applied sciences conduct application-orientated and implementation-oriented research. As a university sector, this is our USP in research. Our researchers think from development to application in innovative products and services. Especially in times of crisis, this is the approach that our local companies need, as we can quickly move from the problem to the solution. We are delighted that the programme is strengthening cooperation between universities of applied sciences and industry. This is why such programme lines will continue to be of great importance in the future."
The FFG organised the open-topic competition for the most innovative projects purely virtually this time due to Covid, but with the same high quality as before. A total of 53 applications were submitted, totalling EUR 32.2 million in requested funding. The funding budget of EUR 8 million was therefore fully utilised. This meant that 12 projects from 9 different Austrian universities of applied sciences were able to receive funding. The projects are spread across eight federal states. More than half of the projects are in the field of ICT or digitalisation. Sustainability, production, life sciences and construction are further focal points. The universities of applied sciences from Carinthia and Lower Austria were particularly successful this time with 3 funded applications each.
The "COIN Aufbau" programme line has proven its worth. In the eight calls for proposals to date, 119 projects have been funded. A total of 76 million euros was available for this purpose. There has been an increasingly strong focus on digitalisation.