BMVIT Innovation: Solutions for the Future

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BMVIT INNOVATION: Solutions for the Future 08/09

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MINISTRY OF TRANSPORT, INNOVATION AND TECHNOLOGY 1010 Vienna, Renngasse 5 Tel.: +43 (0)1 711 62 65-0 E-mail: [email protected] Web: www.bmvit.gv.at Concept, Design and Content: Gertraud Oberzaucher, BMVIT doppio espresso – partner für kommunikation, 1010 Vienna (Dr. Johannes Steiner, Dr. Roman Tronner) Translation: Christine Young, 1180 Vienna Design & Production: Projektfabrik Waldhör KG, 1180 Vienna Photographs: Astrid Bartl, Project partners Cover: Yuri Arcurs – Fotolia.com Status: October 2009

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CONTENTS

FOREWORD BY MINISTER DORIS BURES

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AUSTRIA’S R&D SYSTEM AND THE ROLE OF THE BMVIT

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Facts and Figures Successful Integration in the European Research Area Status: Highly Dynamic, with Untapped Potential Evaluation: The Course for Tomorrow is Set Today The Role of the BMVIT: Fully Focused on Innovation BMVIT Mission Statement

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THE BMVIT: A RELIABLE PARTNER FOR SHAPING RESEARCH AND TECHNOLOGY

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MOBILITY Shaping the Transport of Tomorrow Today ENERGY Intelligent Energy Systems PEOPLE Fostering Talent, Promoting Women, Awakening Interest COOPERATION Concentrate Strengths, Stimulate Innovation STRUCTURE Increase the Flow of Knowledge ENABLING TECHNOLOGIES Improve the Quality of Life through Innovation SPACE Develop the Position in Space EUROPE Deepen Integration DIALOGUE Enrich the Discourse SAFETY Increase the Level of Security

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RESOURCES FOR RESEARCH – BUDGET

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Budget 2008 Budget 2009

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Contacts

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FOREWORD

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Times of crisis are times when new choices are made: New attitudes and values win out, leading to changed consumer behaviour. Climate change and the approaching end of fossil fuel resources demand fundamental changes in the way we run our economies, live and move. A humane approach to dealing with the phenomenon of an ageing society calls for new patterns of social organisation and technical aids. The way we live together in Austria also requires new models of integration which offer opportunities in life and chances for development to all members of society, also in the fields of research and technology. Tomorrow, we will need new, innovative products and new groundbreaking technologies and we will need new economic business models and new forms of societal organisation. The key to the future is innovation. Those who respond faster today to the challenges facing us will set the tone when the recovery begins. Crises are acid tests of the innovative strength of modern societies: Can we develop adequate solutions and can we implement them rapidly?

In its work, the BMVIT focuses mainly on sustainable, technological solutions that provide answers to societal challenges and strengthen Austria's position in international competition. The BMVIT also understands its political responsibility as a mandate to safeguard optimal framework conditions for innovation and technology development in Austria. The system evaluation – i.e. a thorough examination of the Austrian research funding system – was commissioned in 2008. The results of the evaluation provide direction for the work of reform. The annual Research and Technology Report also highlights areas where there is scope for improving the system. These analyses provide the basis upon which the BMVIT will initiate and support the forthcoming reforms. The aim is to develop and implement a joint government research strategy within a year. In doing so, the BMVIT follows the principle of shaping the future with today’s innovations.

Doris Bures Minister of Transport, Innovation and Technology

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MAINTAINING MOMENTUM: AUSTRIA’S R&D SYSTEM AND THE ROLE OF THE BMVIT

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In times of crisis, a country can improve its potential by making structural changes and then experience the subsequent upturn on a new sustainable development path. Sweden and Finland have demonstrated just how this is done. For decades now, these two countries have been rewarded with top positions in the competitiveness tables. Austria, too, will and must follow this path, as this is the only way to safeguard the country’s prosperity. The key to the future is innovation, but we can build upon the success achieved in the past. In recent years, Austria has rapidly caught up in research and technology development, advancing from the lower-middle range to join the ranks of the front-runners. This success story is confirmed in the sweeping evaluation of the research funding system and in the Research and Technology Report 2009 to Parliament. Building on this past success, Austria has the opportunity today to catapult itself into the group of leaders, in keeping with the federal government’s vision of positioning Austria among the top three most innovative economies. However, as the system evaluation clearly showed, this leap requires further structural reforms. As a consequence, the evaluators call for a change in strategy to turn Austria into a front-runner in the area of technology development. As the ministry responsible for applied research and technology development, the BMVIT is stepping up to this challenge. It is committed to supporting the process of reform in order to make the research system even more efficient. To this end, a joint research strategy should first be developed that will involve all responsible ministries.

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AUSTRIA’S R&D SYSTEM: FACTS AND FIGURES

QUICKLY CLOSING THE GAP TO JOIN THE LEADERS In recent years Austria has pursued a consistent course in the area of R&D. By continuously increasing the R&D quota Austria has today secured for itself a position close to the international leaders among the most research-intensive and innovative countries in Europe. While in 1990 Austria spent almost 1.5 percent of its GDP on research and development, by 2009 this figure had risen to an estimated 2.73 percent. Since 2004 Austrian spending levels have exceeded the OECD average. Between 2000 and 2006 Austria also registered the sharpest rise in R&D spending among the EU member states. The country performs well in terms of innovation, too. According to the Innovation Scoreboard 2009, Austria holds sixth place in the overall ranking of European Union countries and leads the group of innovation followers.

The Austrian Innovation System at the Federal Level: Participations and Programme Funding

The following recently released figures confirm this success: R&D quota 2009* (expenditure as a percentage of GDP): R&D expenditure 2009* of which federal government and federal states: Business: Foreign:

* estimate according to the Global Estimate of Statistics Austria Source: Austrian Research and Technology Report 2009 of the Federal Government to the Parliament

RTI-relevant Committees

Parliament

Austrian Council

Federal Government

ERP Fund

2.73 % (2008: 2.66 %) EUR 7.652 bn. EUR 2.947 bn. EUR 3.440 bn. EUR 1.132 bn.

BMF

OENB

National Foundation

BMWFJ

BMVIT

BMWF

AWS

FFG

FWF

Research

Participations Funding

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AWS – Austria Wirtschaftsservice GmbH Austrian Council – Council for Research and Technology Development BMWF – Ministry of Science and Research BMVIT – Ministry of Transport, Innovation and Technology

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BMWFJ – Ministry of Economy, Family and Youth ERP Fund – European Recovery Programme Fund FFG – Austrian Research Promotion Agency FWF – Austrian Science Fund OeNB – Austrian National Bank

AUSTRIA’S R&D SYSTEM:

SUCCESSFUL INTEGRATION IN THE EUROPEAN RESEARCH AREA The most recent figures, released in May 2009, show that more than two years into the programme Austria continues to participate successfully in the EU Seventh Framework Programme1. The volume of funding received for projects with Austrian participants also compared very well to the previous Framework Programme and totalled EUR 295 million. 1,003 Austrian partners are participating in 715 approved projects. Overall, Austrian organisations are currently collaborating with 8,266 European and international project participants. At 2.5 percent the Austrian share of all approved participations is only slightly below the previous year’s figure. There has been a somewhat sharper decline in the number of Austrian coordinators in research consortia, but at 3.6 percent the figure is still well above that for the Sixth Framework Programme. One of the organisations from Austria with the greatest number of coordinated projects is the AIT – Austrian Institute of Technology which currently heads up six projects.

At 17 percent the number of SMEs participating in successful projects remains high. Furthermore, Austrian partner organisations are involved in every fifth project of the first pillar (Cooperation) and every seventh project of the fourth pillar (Capacities). Participation in the pillars Ideas and People amounts to 3.3 percent and 4.6 percent respectively. Austrian researchers are most strongly represented in the programmes SPACE, where they account for 33.3 percent (this programme also has the highest percentage of Austrian coordinators), ENVIRONMENT, with 28 percent, SECURITY, just under 26 percent and ICT with some 24 percent.

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The Austrian monitoring project of the EU Framework Programmes for Research

and Technological Development - PROVISO

Austria’s development from the 4th to the 7th Research Framework Programme

Approved Austrian participants Percentage of approved Austrian participants among all approved participants Number of approved projects in which Austrians are participating Number of approved Austrian coordinators Percentage of Austrian coordinators among all approved coordinators Indicator of financial return (Austria’s share in total allocated funds) Funding for approved Austrian partner organisations and scientists Ratio of financial return measured against the contribution Austria makes to the EU budget2

4th FP 1994–1998 1,923

5th FP 1998–2002 1,987

6th FP 2002–2006 1,972

7th FP1) 2007–2013 1,137

2.3% 1,444 270 1.7 % 1.99 % EUR 194 mn.

2.4% 1,384 267 2.8 % 2.38 % EUR 292 mn.

2.6% 1,324 213 3.3 % 2.56 % EUR 425 mn.

2.5% 813 137 3.5% 2.61% EUR 342 mn.

70 %

104 %

117 %

130%

Source: PROVISO Overview Report of the Seventh Framework Programme, Status Autumn 2009 1) As of November 2009 PROVISO had only incomplete information about the results of the project negotiations. This information should be seen as a reference only, as experience shows that changes can be made during the course of the contract negotiations (i.e. a contract for an approved project is not signed, consortiums change within a project, the “requested” subsidy amounts are reduced). 2) Source: European Commission – EU Budget 2008 Financial Report; In the case of the 7th FP: Average of the years 2007 and 2008

Share of successful Austrian participations in framework programmes by organisation category 6th FP 7th FP

SME 16.0 % 18.0 %

Higher Education 38.0 % 37.0 %

Non-university research institutes 22.0 % 21.0 %

Other (large companies, other) 24.0 % 24.0 %

Source: PROVISO Overview Report of the Seventh Framework Programme, Status Autumn 2009

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AUSTRIA’S R&D SYSTEM: STATUS

HIGHLY DYNAMIC, BUT WITH UNTAPPED POTENTIAL RESEARCH AND TECHNOLOGY REPORT REVEALS SKILL GAPS The Research and Technology Report 2009 once again documents the highly dynamic nature of research and development in Austria in recent years, but also reveals untapped potential. A comparison of the two general surveys of research expenditure in Austria carried out in 2002 and 2006 reveals an increase of 35 percent. At the same time, the number of companies and institutions engaged in R&D rose by 17 percent. The corporate sector is particularly dynamic, with a 42 percent increase in R&D spending and a 24 percent increase in the number of companies engaged in research. The authors of the Research and Technology Report – JOANNEUM RESEARCH, the Austrian Institute of Economic Research, the Austrian Institute of Technology with the participation of Statistics Austria – also believe that the rates of increase indicate that the research base of the Austrian economy will continue to expand in the future. The economic crisis is of course also bound to have an impact on the dynamics of research and development. Increasing uncertainty and investment restraint will also worsen the general conditions for investments in research and development. Based on current economic assumptions, experts expect a definite decline of R&D expenditures in the corporate sector. Austria could be particularly hard hit in this regard given the large volume of research financed from abroad. This share might well react disproportionally to economic downturns.

AUSTRIAN RESEARCH AND TECHNOLOGY REPORT 2009 Report of the Federal Government to Parliament on the status and needs of research, technology and innovation in Austria. The report was prepared by JOANNEUM RESEARCH (JR), the Austrian Institute of Economic Research (WIFO), the Austrian Institute of Technology (AIT) and with the participation of Statistics Austria on behalf of the Ministry of Science and Research (BMWF), the Ministry of Transport, Innovation and Technology (BMVIT) and the Ministry of Economic Affairs, Family and Youth (BMWFJ).It was presented to the Parliamentary Committee for Research, Innovation and Technology on 7 July 2009.

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SKILL GAPS The Research and Technology Report also once again draws attention to skills gaps. There is still a shortage of graduates, especially in science and engineering, and this shortage will become even more acute in the near future. Research training of university graduates is of particular importance, as they bring new expertise into the corporate sector and lay the foundation for innovation. INTEGRATION DEFICITS This year, the Report also gives special attention to the skills structure of immigrants in Austria, an area it says is marked by “specific problems". Evidence suggests that Austria squanders the potential for economic growth from immigration. “Austria”, the report says, “can be described as a country where many foreigners attend university, yet a low number of highly skilled migrants live”. A comparison (base year 2000) shows that while Austria has the fourth highest number of foreign students in the OECD, it has the lowest percentage of graduates among immigrants. However, in recent years there has been a significant improvement in the educational structure among immigrants. In the period up to 2007 the percentage of graduates among the foreign-born population rose to 19 percent and is thus significantly higher than the 10 percent of Austrian-born graduates. Almost half the foreign-born university graduates work in a profession below their level of qualification.

AUSTRIA’S R&D SYSTEM: EVALUATION

SYSTEM EVALUATION RECOMMENDS A FUNDAMENTAL CHANGE OF STRATEGY THE COURSE FOR TOMORROW IS SET TODAY The Austrian innovation system has proven its performance capabilities in the past and done much to help the country catch up economically. In terms of per capita income Austria is one of five richest countries in the EU and one of the ten richest in the world. However, today the innovation system is characterised by an unintended and unnecessary degree of complexity, a state of affairs bound to become increasingly problematic given the new challenges. Against the background of globalisation, the internationalisation of research and demographic trends, radical changes are now needed. It is essential that reforms be carried out speedily and decisively especially in view of the economic crisis. This is the conclusion of the system evaluation jointly commissioned by the Ministry of Transport, Innovation and Technology and the Ministry of Economic Affairs, Family and Youth. Austrian and international experts critically examined the entire system of research promotion under the auspices of the Austrian Institute of Economic Research (WIFO).

NEED FOR IMPROVEMENT The findings of the evaluation identify three areas that need to be improved: Rising levels of spending on innovation in recent years have not yet made themselves felt in the form of increased market shares and exports in the top quality segment. The number of companies that regularly engage in innovation activities remains small. Research spending is concentrated upon a small group of companies. The educational system has only loose links with the innovation system and does not provide the necessary support. The gap between the supply and demand for human capital is growing.

CHANGE IN STRATEGY As a consequence, the evaluators are calling for a six-pronged strategic change to Austrian innovation policy: Innovation policy may not be seen in isolation as technology policy or science policy. It will only be effective if it integrates all relevant policy areas, above all, education policy, but also immigration and integration policy, competition policy and public procurement. Innovation policy must change from being a strategy of imitation to a front-runner strategy in which companies increasingly hold market shares in high-tech sectors and defend their leadership in niche markets.Public sector interventions must be coordinated by embedding them in a coherent strategy and consistently focusing them on the goals defined therein.The existing plethora of narrowly defined funding schemes should be replaced by broadly defined priorities and key areas, within the framework of which clusters and centres of excellence can grow from the bottom up. The division of tasks between the ministries and other institutions that shape the system should be defined in greater detail, with the ministries deriving the strategy in their respective areas of responsibility from the overall strategy. The management of public sector interventions should be improved with modern steering structures to optimise the institutional separation of policy formulation by the ministries and policy implementation by agencies. A central element of this changed strategy is the development of a binding mega strategy at government level. Work has already started on this strategy. Once completed, it will define the mission and goals of the Austrian innovation system. It should be available in summer 2010 and adopted by the government with the approval of parliament.

EVALUATION OF THE AUSTRIAN RESEARCH SUPPORT AND FUNDING SYSTEM In spring 2008 the Ministry of Transport, Innovation and Technology and the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Labour commissioned this evaluation with the aim of analysing the research support and funding schemes in terms of their impact on the efficiency of the Austrian innovation system and identifying any areas where action is needed in order to improve it. Four institutions – the Austrian Institute of Economic Research (WIFO), the Austrian Institute for SME Research, Prognos and convelop – were entrusted with the implementation of the project. Twentytwo Austrian and international experts were also involved. The results of the system evaluation were presented in May 2009.

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AUSTRIA’S R&D SYSTEM: THE ROLE OF THE BMVIT

FULLY FOCUSED ON INNOVATION Together with its partners the BMVIT actively promotes Austria as a centre of innovation. Now that responsibility for the Austrian Science Fund (FWF) has been transferred to the Ministry of Science and Research, the BMVIT is able to fully concentrate on applied and commercially-orientated research. In carrying out its tasks as the representative of the Republic of Austria, the BMVIT is supported by two strong partners, the Austrian Research Promotion Agency (FFG) and Austria Wirtschaftsservice GmbH. These tasks include: intensifying collaboration between science and industry - for example with the COMET programme; furthering new key technologies with a view to overcoming present and future challenges – e.g. pertaining to mobility or the use of renewable energy; strengthening Austria as a location for research – e.g. through seed financing and support for business start-ups; integrating Austrian research, including industrial R&D, in the European Research Area – for example, through ERA Nets and Joint Technology Initiatives; and strengthening the research system by means of targeted measures to develop human resources – such as the FEMtech programme for women in engineering and technology. Another strong partner on the practical side of research and development is AIT – Austrian Institute of Technology, formerly Austrian Research Centers. With the BMVIT as its majority shareholder, AIT has restructured itself to meet the challenges of the future with a new strategy and organisation. In its capacity as a partner for business with excellent links to universities and the European Research Area, AIT concentrates on five core areas to achieve the critical masses necessary for successfully advancing key technologies for the future and innovations that will stimulate economic growth. The BMVIT defines the direction with its research strategy activities. Backed by the biggest budget and widest range of support instruments for research and development, it is currently the key player in the Austrian innovation system as the relevant element of the Austrian Research Area.

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BMVIT MISSION STATEMENT

Research, technology and innovation are key drivers for increasing growth and creating more jobs and contribute to safeguarding our prosperity in a sustainable and socially responsible manner. It is this understanding that forms the basis upon which the BMVIT carries out its responsibilities of stimulating and supporting the research, technology and innovation activities of industry, science and society and bundling their strengths. In this way, the best possible use should be made of opportunities for scientific and technological development and solutions developed to address social challenges and concerns. It is therefore essential to support all the relevant players in their activities pertaining to international and, in particular European, developments in research, technology and innovation. Building upon the progress achieved in recent years, the BMVIT will in the years to come give priority to: > Adopting an integrated approach to research and technology policy that bears in mind the importance of other crucial areas such as a forward-looking educational policy and an innovation-orientated infrastructure policy. > Facilitating Austria’s advancement to a leading position in Europe with the aim of securing bigger market shares for Austrian companies in knowledgeintensive industries and advanced fields of technology. > Defining key research areas to help to overcome current economic developments and emerging global trends such as a scarcity of energy and other natural resources, rising levels of CO2 emissions, and ageing populations. > Helping to create an adequate supply of excellent skilled workers.

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THE BMVIT: A RELIABLE PARTNER FOR SHAPING RESEARCH AND TECHNOLOGY

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Austria’s catching-up process on the way to becoming one of the most innovative economies is based on a solid foundation: Its research and technology development activities in a variety of areas turn new ideas into intelligent applications that succeed on global markets. Austrian researchers are at work wherever there is also an opportunity to meet social challenges along with the needs of the market. This is where the BMVIT comes into play as a key actor in the innovation system. By designing and coordinating research funding programmes, the ministry enables research and development in key areas of technology. These areas range from environmentally-friendly mobility, future-proof energy systems, new production and process technologies to needs-based IT applications for an ageing society. The ministry strengthens Austria as a business location by encouraging cooperation between science and industry, for example at the COMET competence centres. It supports the transfer of technological knowledge in industry and develops human resources – from young scientists at schools and women working in research and technology to scientists wishing to come and research in Austria, thus contributing to a brain gain. And it ensures the integration of Austrian research and industrial development in the European Research Area. The following pages offer an overview of the BMVIT’s activities in both its structural and thematic programmes and in other initiatives.

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MOBILITY RESEARCH FOR THE TRANSPORT OF TOMORROW By supporting research into intelligent transport systems and services, the BMVIT contributes to meeting climate change targets and helps to overcome the challenges of rising levels of passenger and freight transport with innovative solutions. In light of the structural changes currently unfolding throughout the automotive industry and the difficult general economic situation, the BMVIT and the car components industry joined forces to develop an RTI strategy for this sector in early 2009. As one of several results, the research funding budget for this sector in 2009 was increased by 50 percent to EUR 60 million. The extensive package of measures was presented by Minister Bures at a summit meeting with representatives of the automotive industry in spring 2009. The BMVIT’s transport research programme IV2Splus, which is scheduled to run until 2012, focuses on developing internationally embedded transport and mobility solutions. Within the innovation cycle, the programme covers everything from problemorientated basic research to demonstration and pilot projects. The four programme lines focus on different key areas. While the A3plus line of the programme concentrates mostly on applied research and experimental development, I2V largely emphasises experimental development owing to the advanced technological developments already achieved in this area. The programme lines ways2go and IMPULS have a forward-looking orientation so they mainly address problem-orientated basic research. The most recent call for A3plus picks up on the growing trend toward electricity-based mobility, while the call for line I2V that ended in autumn 2009 focused on improving the energy efficiency and environmental compatibility of transport. The most recent call for ways2go stressed innovations and technologies for passenger transport. To date, the three programme lines have provided funding for 113 projects. They are internationally embedded through the BMVIT’s transnational activities within the framework of the ERA-NET Transport and the current transnational call of the IV2Splus transport research programme. The fourth programme line, IMPULS, with its emphasis on interdisciplinary research, focused on the Createch competition held in 2008. It set out to network companies in the transport and creative sectors in the expectation of generating innovative ideas for mobility. Starting in autumn 2009 the BMVIT plans to deepen the networking process that has been started within the framework of projects funded by the programme line I2V.

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NO OBSTACLES TO ORIENTATION Using public transport still involves significant obstacles for those who are blind or partially-sighted. The Ways4All project sets out to remove these hurdles for the blind and visually impaired. The FH Joanneum – University of Applied Sciences in Graz is currently working together with Wiener Linien and Austrian Railways to develop a navigation software that can be easily installed on all common mobile telephone handsets or PDAs. The particular challenge is that the traditional GPS navigation systems commonly used on most devices do not work inside buildings or in the underground passages of the metro system. The research team headed by Martijn Kiers from the FH Joanneum Kapfenberg is therefore relying on RFID technology that should allow points of reference and directions to be identified inside buildings. In addition, a suitable radio link at railway stations will allow communication with the train and provide users with information about delays or platform changes. The first tests are currently being carried out at Südtiroler Platz in Vienna, which at present is undergoing reconstruction. It is an ideal test site due to the convergence of tram, metro and railway lines there. The project is being funded by the BMVIT programme line ways2go as part of the transport technology programme IV2Splus.

IMPLEMENTATION OF THE RTI AVIATION STRATEGY UNDERWAY In 2008 the BMVIT initiated the implementation of the national aviation strategy for research, technology and innovation. The kick-off forum was followed in autumn 2008 by the funding roundtable, where for the first time representatives of the funding agencies met to discuss and optimise the funding instruments for aviation research. Together with the Austrian Research Promotion Agency and the Vienna University of Technology, the BMVIT responded to the trend toward fibre-reinforced composites in aviation by organising a specialist conference at the end of last year. The success of that event confirmed Austria’s high level of competence in the market segment of complex aircraft structures and components, innovative materials and manufacturing technologies for the aviation (supply) industry. The technology programme TAKE OFF, the BMVIT’s most important financial instrument for implementing the RTI aviation strategy, opened two calls in 2008 that could provide more than EUR 10 million in funding for 30 aviation research projects. The two calls also served as pilot tests for transnational calls within the framework of the ERA-Net AirTN. The most recent, the 7th TAKE OFF call, with a budget of approximately EUR 7 million, targets projects parallel to the Hungarian technology programme TECH. The results generated from the 4th to 6th calls were presented at an event held in October 2009.

ENERGY RESEARCH FOR THE ENERGY REVOLUTION 20-20-20 is the European Union’s target formula for energy policy in the next decade. By 2020 greenhouse gas emissions should be cut by 20% while the share of energy from renewable sources should be raised to one fifth with energy efficiency also being increased by the same amount. Austria is supporting this ambitious project with an integrated energy and climate strategy to be implemented by 2020. It seeks to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 16 percent compared to 2005 levels, to improve energy efficiency by 9 percent by 2016 and to increase the share of renewable energy sources to 34 percent.

The object is to improve the efficiency of the energy system while guaranteeing a secure supply of affordable and environmentally-friendly energy. Climate protection is an integral part of these efforts. The BMVIT energy research strategy is one building block in the overall Austrian strategy. In compliance with European requirements it also includes a climate strategy, energy efficiency strategy and the Renewable Energy Action Plan. The research strategy defines the framework conditions necessary for achieving the goals set therein by means of new technologies and, ultimately, marketable solutions.

Smart grids, solar cooling systems, photovoltaics, passive and energy plus houses, alternative engines and innovative production processes are among the new technologies and thus innovations on the market that should enable this breakthrough to be made by 2020. The European Union has therefore started drawing up a Strategic Energy Technology Plan (SET Plan) and is also encouraging the member states to devise their own, national strategies. The BMVIT has responded by creating an energy research strategy, which it started to implement in spring 2009. It is based on the BMVIT’s strategy-finding process Energy 2050.

The strategy attaches particular importance to an environment that is conducive to innovation, strengthening strengths, a comprehensive portfolio of funding instruments covering everything from basic research to market diffusion, the development of research infrastructure as well as cooperation and networking. The problematic phase between the demonstration stage and entry onto the market should be eased with an efficient mix of measures based on technology push and market pull. Measures should also be taken to cushion the risks inherent in groundbreaking technologies that require long periods of research.

GREEN CHEMICALS Biomass as a source of energy is already a reality in many places. But grass as a source of basic chemicals for manufacturing environmentally-friendly packaging materials, of proteins for animal foodstuffs or of fibre as a raw material for insulation panels is new. This vision was realised in May 2009 when the world’s first biogas-based bio-refinery was taken into service in Utzenaich in the Austrian province of Upper Austria. The refinery uses the juice of pressed grass to make lacto acids and amino acids. The pilot plant for this new technology is designed to process 100 litres of grass juice per hour, producing 6 to 12 kg of amino acids and 12 to 16 kg of lactic acids per hour. These chemicals are a basic ingredient in a wide range of products. The Utzenaich refinery stands out because it completely recycles the biomass used. The solid residues are converted into CO2 neutral energy in the adjacent biogas plant. To permit yearround operations, the plant can also process stored grass silage. The project was developed as part of the BMVIT programme the Factory of Tomorrow. As a "beacon project" it should point the way forward for this new technology. In two years the plant will have generated the knowledge necessary for industrial production.

THE BUILDING OF TOMORROW PLUS OFF TO A GOOD START CO2 neutral buildings to energy-producing homes are one element for achieving the desired energy revolution. In 2008 the BMVIT launched the Building of Tomorrow Plus programme that was endowed with EUR 35 million for a three year period. The first call was opened in October 2008. By the time it closed in February 2009, 138 project applications involving funding in excess of EUR 60 million had been received. The first 40 projects recommended for funding have already been started. Drawing on the experience from the preceding programme and the latest strategy results, the Building of Tomorrow Plus programme invited submission of projects along the four action lines key technologies and concepts, industrial implementation, pilot projects and strategies, networking and education and training. The BMVIT energy research and technology development programme New Energies 2020 is implemented by the Climate and Energy Fund KL.IEN. A total of 210 project applications were submitted during the second round of this programme based on the BMVIT's strategy-finding process Energy 2050. 79 of them were awarded funding. The third call with a volume of EUR 40 million ended in October.

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PEOPLE FEMTECH PROMOTES INNOVATIONS THAT MEET THE NEEDS OF WOMEN Women use services, infrastructure and products differently to men. The most recent line of the BMVIT programme FEMtech to promote women in research and technology takes account of this fact. The FEMtech RTI projects support research on products or services geared to the needs of women. Projects must have a special focus on gender and be aimed at raising market acceptance of technologies and products for women. Put on track in 2007, the third FEMtech programme line started in October 2008 with a pilot call. An international jury selected six projects from among the 22 applications received and these started work in 2009. The next call for RTI projects began in September. A total of EUR 1 million has been made available for the second call. FEMtech Career Paths, the second programme line, held its first call in 2008 even before the RTI projects and financed its first four projects with EUR 1.5 million. A second call ended in October. FEMtech Career Paths supports cooperation between universities and universities of applied sciences with research and technology intensive companies. Its specific aim is to persuade young female scientists to choose a career in industry.

GENERATION INNOVATION: FEMTECH EXPERTS EASE THE WAY INTO TECHNOLOGY DEGREE COURSES Generation innovation is the new name under which the BMVIT and Ministry of Education are continuing their initiative to stimulate an interest in research among children and young people with the aim of persuading more of them to pursue careers in research. The latest focus: Generation innovation mentoring. Experienced experts and managers encourage girls between the ages of 17 and 19 to follow their interests and study for a science or engineering degree. Generation innovation enables girls to enter into a personal dialogue with researchers and become acquainted with their field of work and professional environment while still in school. This is where the initiative and the BMVIT programme FEMtech meet. The FEMtech database of female experts and the FEMtech female experts of the month form an ideal pool for recruiting mentors for the girls. Up to 80 mentoring partnerships are planned for autumn 2009. Approximately half of them will involve FEMtech experts. The students and scientists have until spring 2010 to get to know one another and share information and experiences. The generation innovation programme also continued its successful internship exchange in summer 2009. For one month, pupils from secondary schools were able to get a taste of research and development at institutions offering an internship. In 2009, 850 young people took this opportunity.

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SO THAT COMPUTER PROGRAMMING DOES NOT REMAIN A MAN’S JOB Computer applications, information technologies and programming are of much greater interest to men than to women. As shown by studies carried out by FH JOANNEUM – University of Applied Sciences, these gender-conditioned differences exist partly because most applications, games and programming languages are still developed by men. Joanneum is setting out to break through this cycle with the FEMtech RTI project touch::tell::IT that started in 2009. The aim is to develop didactic and methodological concepts for gendersensitive IT instruction at secondary schools and institutions of higher education and thus also to train teaching staff. The project team has therefore compiled a mobile set of applications and presentations that can be used at schools or information events to explain the difference between men and women in terms of their approach, style and speed of learning on the basis of practical, positive examples. Furthermore, work is underway in pilot projects to develop optimal methods for girls and young women to learn programming languages. These efforts are meant to enable women to train and find employment in programming, interface design and research as well as game design. A research cheque of up to EUR 1,000 to enable schools and kindergartens to carry out science and technology projects is also available in 2009. New focal areas such as mobility or sustainable construction were introduced this year. The generation innovation regions have also taken shape as a programme line. Kindergartens and schools collaborate with nearby commercially-orientated research facilities to develop joint educational offers for children and young people in the fields of science and technology. Sixteen pilot regions in seven federal states are each receiving grants of EUR 30,000. A total of 239 institutions are working together in these pilot regions. Of that total, 128 are schools, 14 kindergartens and 112 research establishments or companies. More than 150 research cheques reached 2,936 boys and 2,835 girls. Forty-four percent of the projects were carried out at primary schools and kindergartens. The projects were implemented in 2009/2010. The next call should also extend to the other federal states.

COOPERATION COMET: THE SCOPE OF CUTTING-EDGE RESEARCH WIDENS Following the successful launch of three K2, eleven K1 and six K projects from the first call in 2008, the map of Austrian competence centres has now more or less been completed with the second call of the COMET programme for Competence Centres for Excellent Technologies – an initiative of the BMVIT and the Ministry of Economic Affairs. In early November 2009 funding was awarded to two further K2 and four new K1 centres. The K2 centres that receive support for ten years are distinguished by their highly ambitious research programmes carried out in cooperation with international research institutions and companies. K1 centres are funded for a period of seven years and continue the structure of the preceding competence centre programmes. In addition, the programme funds K-projects that have a maximum life of five years. The first K-projects from the third call that was held in summer 2009 are scheduled to commence their work in March 2010. The new K2-centres are active in the fields of bio- and surface technology, the K1 centres in medical technology, wood technologies, plastics processing and information technology. Applications were made for approximately EUR 91 million in federal funding for K1 and K2 centres. Some EUR 500 million in federal funding in addition to funding from the federal states will be awarded over the entire duration and funding periods of the COMET programme (2006-2019).

CONCENTRATE STRENGTHS TO ACHIEVE MORE INNOVATION Cooperation and Innovation, a programme known by its acronym COIN, is a joint initiative of the BMVIT and Ministry of Economic Affairs. It was launched in 2008 with the goal of stimulating R&D activities in industry, but especially in SMEs, and thus raising Austria’s overall innovation performance. The essence of the programme is to transfer technology and strengthen SMEs within the innovation system. Fostering cooperation between companies and then between business and the university and non-university research sectors are among the programme’s core tasks. Following the second COIN call “Development” in 2008, 12 of 17 project applications were awarded EUR 7.2 million in funding. The projects have a total volume of EUR 9.3 million. In 2009 the call was opened for the programme line Cooperation and Networks. A total of 69 project applications were received, among them 17 international collaborations. The jury recommended 15 domestic and 5 international consortia for funding. Federal funding amounts to EUR 6.6 million. The approved projects will generate a total project volume of EUR 11.3 million. In 2008 the BMVIT programme for universities of applied sciences FHplus was merged into COIN and invited applications for grants totalling EUR 7 million. Seventeen projects from among the 48 projects submitted were awarded funding.

WIRELESS SURFING AS FAST AS LIGHTNING THANKS TO NEW RADIO CHIPS Wireless Internet surfing is becoming increasingly popular. However, the performance of data transmission systems such as UMTS and HSDPA still lags behind those of wire-based systems such as ADSL. If users really are to surf the Internet as fast as lightning, the radio chips installed in mobile telephones and data cards must become more powerful. The K2 COMET competence centre ACCM is working to achieve this goal together with the Johannes Kepler University of Linz and a company called DICE. They have succeeded in building a chip that also supports the future LTE standard (Long-Term Evolution) as well as the existing GSM, UMTS and HSDPA systems. This chip should enable data transmission speeds of up to 100 Mbit/s. The partners achieved this success by cleverly combining traditional integrated circuit concepts for receiving and generating radio signals with complex methods of digital signal processing in a single chip. The combination of high-frequency technology and signal processing was made possible by the enormous advances in semiconductor technology. Now that the ACCM researchers have furnished proof that a radio chip capable of supporting multiple standards can work, the next step is to improve the circuit arrangement and several algorithms. While developers from DICE will incorporate the results of this research in future products, the experts at ACCM and the University of Linz are already working on new methods to improve the performance of future chips still further.

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STRUCTURE AplusB: 182 PROJECTS ALREADY ENJOY SUCCESS ON THE FREE MARKET For the BMVIT programme AplusB that promotes spin-offs from the academic sector, 2008 was a year full of evaluations. Following the successful audit of the programme itself, the first talks were held to explore a continuation of AplusB once the second funding period has ended (10+ years). The performance of several centres was also evaluated.

FUNDING BY THE FEDERAL STATES The three-year evaluation of the centres that were awarded funding after the second call attested that “the spin-off potential of the participating institutions of higher education and research institutes could be significantly expanded and mobilised. The founders at the centres rated the range of services on offer very positively and efficient use was made of the financial resources”, (excerpt from the Final Report). By mid December 2009 the nine AplusB centres had initiated 327 technology projects. These led to the establishment of 257 new technology firms; 210 start-up projects that were incubated at AplusB centres are now operating on the free market. These 327 technology companies currently hold more than 250 patents between them. Roughly 120 partners are actively involved in implementing the programme and almost all Austrian academic institutions as well as companies from the private sector participate as partners. The AplusB Summer Academy, now in its second year, was also reviewed and rated positively. Initiated by the Vienna-based AplusB centre INiTS and funded by the BMVIT, the Summer Academy offers new businesses practical training programmes on “going international” using an approach that is unique in Austria. Consideration is already being given to establishing an institutionalised AplusB Academy with university partners.

POSITIVE EVALUTION FOR BRIDGE In spring 2009 the BRIDGE programme, funded by the BMVIT and administered jointly by the funding agencies FFG and FWF, opened its tenth call. This initiative aims at jointly developing the potential for basic and applied research. The programme evaluation carried out in 2008/2009 found that “with BRIDGE a programme has been successfully established that addresses new target groups and satisfies a clear need for the support of application-orientated basic research.”

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HIGH-PERFORMANCE CONCRETE: IT IS THE RIGHT MIX THAT COUNTS The trend in modern concrete technology is toward high-quality highperformance concrete. What is crucial in this context is the granulometric composition of cements, intergrinding and other additives, binding agents and water content. As part of a BRIDGE-funded project at the University of Innsbruck, a research team investigated how the properties and costs of manufacturing concretes could be improved by adding fine-grained fillers. The aim was to increase the compressive and tensile bending strengths as well as the durability of the concrete while lowering the water requirement and reducing the hydration heat and the shrinkage. In a variety of investigations using mathematical models based on changed granulometric compositions and consistency development, new starting points were found for achieving specific optimisations, some of which have already been implemented. Based on the knowledge gained during the project, a binding agent for the production of purpose-made concrete was developed and used in a test object erected during the expansion of the railway track through the Inn Valley in Tyrol. This showed that the main requirements were satisfied. Aside from the technological improvements, the use of intergrinding additives also made it possible to reduce total CO2 emissions substantially. The economic advantages accruing from the research results should significantly improve the product’s chances on the market.

ENABLING TECHNOLOGIES FOR ACTIVE AGEING AND INCREASED WELL-BEING Benefit is the name of the first technology programme in the field of ICT to link the challenge of an ageing society with technological progress. The aim is provide older people with the support necessary to live independently in their own homes for as long as possible; in other words, active ageing. Austria is participating in eight of the 20 projects that have received funding. These include the AMASL Ambient Assisted Shared Living project of the Vienna University of Technology, the Research Institute of the Red Cross and Kapsch. The project hopes to use video communication to combat isolation and loneliness among older people. BALANCE 60+, a feasibility study conducted by the University of Applied Sciences Technikum Wien, is focusing on developing an ideal training and analysis device to help prevent falls. If despite this a person does fall, MuBisA, the multivariate image sequence recognition for ageing independently offers help by automatically recognising incidents and notifying care organisations or family members. The focal point of Benefit is closely related to that of the European Joint Programme Ambient Assisted Living. Implemented by 23 EU member states, this programme has financial support from the European Union (Art. 169) and seeks to enhance the quality of life of older people in a wide range of areas – from activities in the home environment, to safety and comfort and fitness. The AAL JP runs parallel to the Seventh EU Research Framework Programme. The intention is that project applicants from Austria will have available funds amounting to approximately EUR 2.5 million via national funding and roughly the same amount of EU funding. Following the first call by the AAl Joint Programme for research proposals on ICT-based Solutions for Prevention and Management of Chronic Conditions for Elderly People, 22 projects were selected for funding. Eight of them include Austrian partners. The second AAL JP call in 2009 focused on ICT-based solutions for the Advancement of Social Interaction of Elderly People and is endowed with EUR 60.9 million. Contract negotiations with the selected projects have just started. Austria is heavily represented in the areas of userfriendliness, telecommunications and visual image recognition as well as in the research and application sectors, with internationally successful small enterprises also positioned there.

NANO INITIATIVE EXTENDS COLLABORATIVE PROJECTS Under the lead management of the BMVIT, the Austrian NANO initiative has promoted the nano sciences and nano technologies since 2004. This initiative bundles a host of research-related, structural and parallel measures with the aim of achieving qualitative and quantitative growth in the Austrian nano sector and forging closer ties with the European research community. The main emphasis is upon cluster projects that develop new fields of application within no more than seven years. Six clusters were extended for a further period of one to three years with total funding of approximately EUR 13.5 million as a result of a competitive call procedure. These were the project clusters NSI – Nanostructured Surfaces and Interfaces; NANOCOAT – Development of nanostructured coatings for the design of multifunctional surfaces; PLATON – Processing Light – Advanced Technologies for Optical Nanostructures; Nano Health – Nanostructured Materials for Drug Targeting, Release and Imaging; ISOTEC – Integrated Organic Sensor and Optoelectronics Technologies and PHONAS – Photocatalytic nanolayers.

PATHFINDER – CLOSING IN ON COMPUTER VIRUSES Malware such as worms and viruses now crops up on the Internet in so many different forms that scanning software programmes solely on the basis of syntactic signatures is no longer practical. The Pathfinder project launched in March 2007 is working on methods to develop more general and more robust descriptions of malicious software. The robustness is derived from the fact that these descriptions are not affected by syntactic changes within the malware. The aim of the project – run by the competence centre comprising Secure Business Austria, the Vienna University of Technology and the company IKARUS Security Software – is to develop techniques for analysing and recording binary code behaviour. Malware not only constitutes a major threat to the security and privacy of computer users, it is also responsible for significant financial losses. In 2005 these losses were estimated to exceed USD 14 billion. At present, manufacturers of anti-virus software have to rely on a tedious and time-consuming manual analysis of malware. The results of the Pathfinder project should lay the groundwork for new, more efficient types of behaviour-based anti-viral systems. The FIT-IT programme of the BMVIT is supporting the project with EUR 460,000.

At the same time, planning for the first AAL Forum commenced. The Joint Programme’s first Forum was held in Vienna in early October 2009 with the BMVIT as co-organiser. It was attended by approximately 500 experts from throughout Europe.

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SPACE ONE GIANT LEAP – 40 YEARS SINCE THE FIRST MOON LANDING The giant leap for mankind taken by Neil Armstrong when he became the first man on the moon was followed by the rapid development of space travel and exploration - also in Europe. Austria is a comparatively small player in this sector, but as a member of ESA it participates in all current developments in aeronautics and space technologies. In addition to the resources of the European Space Agency, Austria’s aeronautical sector can avail itself of support from the Seventh EU Framework Programme and the Austrian Space Applications Programme (ASAP) funded by the BMVIT. Through its space activities, the BMVIT has contributed to the continuous growth achieved by this sector. Over the last ten years, the number of institutions engaged in space research – ranging from the universities and the Academy of Sciences to companies such as RUAG Aerospace Austria – has grown from 10 to 50, 25 of which are companies. Today approximately 600 workers across the industry are employed in projects. Ten years ago the figure was only 218. In the same period, corporate turnover rose from EUR 32 million to EUR 74 million. Since setting up the Austrian Space Programme in 2002 the BMVIT has used it to channel EUR 40 million to 166 projects selected in six calls. In 2008 the programme was subjected to a successful evaluation. The Ministry also supports transnational space research through the ERA-Net STAR REGIONS and at the supranational level also finances Austria's contribution to the space initiatives GALILEO and GMES. Forty years after the first moon landing Austria is a recognised partner in international space research. To mark the anniversary of this event the BMVIT, FFG and members of the Austrian space community held an event on 20 July entitled “Himmel und Erde – Weltraumforschung: Nutzen für die Menschheit.” (Heaven and Earth – Space Research: Benefits for Mankind).

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ORBITAL SIGNALLING SYSTEM “Go 100 metres and then turn right!” A familiar instruction to those who use navigation devices. Austria furnishes the technology for producing the data signals in the satellites that will be used in the future European satellite navigation system GALILEO. RUAG Aerospace Austria and its sister-company in Sweden jointly developed the core module of the Navigation Signal Generator Unit (NSGU). This is the part of the satellite that processes the data received from earth, generates the navigation signal and sends it back to earth. During this processing the signals are modulated and given a “time stamp” by the clocks on board the artificial earth satellite. The module developed in Austria is already flying successfully on the second test satellite GIOVE B as part of the NSGU unit and will be launched into space during the in-orbit validation phase at the end of 2010 on two of the four additional GALILEO satellites already under construction. The preliminary development work was started in 1999. Most of the costs for developing the Austrian-made signal element were covered by the Austrian Space Programme.

EUROPE WORKING TOGETHER TO BOOST INNOVATIVE CAPACITY If the countries belonging to the European Union are to remain internationally competitive, they must jointly mobilise resources in research, development, technology and innovation in the European Research Area. Austria is making intensive use of an array of instruments in the European Research Area. It is continuing its successful participation in the Seventh EU Framework Programme and has increased its percentage of project coordinators in comparison with the previous Framework Programme. Austria is working intensively in the ERA-Nets to deepen interstate cooperation and has successfully linked up with Technology Platforms and Joint Technology initiatives. The BMVIT supports Austrian research and industry by representing their interests in European bodies and linking national programmes with the European instruments by means of joint calls. Its permanent seat on the European technology platform ACARE and in the Joint Technology Initiative Clean Sky, for example, ensures that

Austria’s aviation (supply) industry has access to the European aviation research programmes. However, the integration of Austrian research in the European Research Area is also supported by the BMVIT’s domestic activities, as demonstrated by ARTEMIS and ENIAC.

BMVIT INITIATES NATIONAL PLATFORM FOR ARTEMIS AND ENIAC The two Joint Technology Initiatives ARTEMIS, which is concerned with embedded computing systems, and ENIAC for nano-electronics, give Europe two powerful instruments for enabling coordinated large-scale industrial and commerciallyorientated R&D projects. Over the course of the initiatives (2008-2013) an additional EUR 2.5-3 billion in research funds will be invested in these sectors in the scope of competitive calls. The first invitations to submit research proposals for ARTEMIS and ENIAC were issued in 2008 with a budget of approximately EUR 100 million and the subsequent contracts were all concluded within less than three months. Austria, which is among the leading European locations in both initiatives, contributed EUR 4 million to each of the calls and also completed them extremely successfully. The three top-ranking ENIAC projects included no fewer than 12 Austrian partners, who between them have been awarded more than EUR 16 million for three large projects. The ARTEMIS call also resulted in two cutting-edge projects with six Austrian partners. CESAR, by far the largest project with a cost volume of approximately EUR 60 million, is coordinated by an Austrian company.

EMBEDDED COMPUTER SYSTEMS: CESAR SAFEGUARDS EUROPE’S LEADING ROLE A host of embedded computer systems are at work to ensure safety in modern vehicles on the road, railways or in the air. Integrated into bigger systems such as cars, trains or aircraft, these computer systems not only have to be ultra-reliable, they also have to meet growing demands for mobility and ever tougher manufacturer requirements. Europe holds a leading position in this highly competitive global market. To defend this position and accelerate innovation, the CESAR project (financed as a joint undertaking by the European technology platform ARTEMIS) has since spring 2009 pooled the resources of leading European companies in the industry with those of SMEs and research establishments in this field. CESAR is managed by AVL List in Graz and is thus part of Austria’s successful participation in ARTEMIS. At a cost of some EUR 60 million, the project “Costefficient methods and processes for safety relevant embedded systems”, known as CESAR, aims within five years to use a reference technology platform to improve cost efficiency, raise quality levels in supply chains, reduce the complexity of solutions and make their overall design more robust.

Thanks to a reputation for world-class research in these technological fields, Austria was able to play a leading role as soon as the two Joint Technology Initiatives were started. The BMVIT founded two national industrial platforms to the European level to support Austrian research in calls, raise its international visibility, enhance networking between Austrian research and industry and the scientific community and improve Austria’s overall standing as a research location. All key players in Austrian industry and research, including Siemens AG Österreich, AVL List GmbH (AVL), Infineon Technologies Austria AG, austriamicrosystems AG (AMS), Lam Research Corporation (formerly SEZ), Austrian Institute of Technology (AIT), TTTECH Computertechnik AG (TTTECH), CISC Semiconductor Design+Consulting GmbH (CISC) and many universities, are represented in ENIAC-AUSTRIA and ARTEMIS-AUSTRIA. Both platforms are steered by high-level advisory boards.

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DIALOGUE CREATING INNOVATION – THE BMVIT ON THE ROAD TO A CREATIVE SOCIETY Held on 19 October in V ence was sponsored by the BMVIT and organised jointly with JOANNEUM RESEARCH and Wiener Zeitung. It took place within the context of the European Y Creativity increasingly moving to the forefront of the discussion on the knowledge-based society the arts and culture, but is seen as a potentially limitless resource for the entire economy Keynote speakers at the conference included T Professor of Creativity and Organisational Change at the Manchester Business School (UK) and Irene T working at the Carlos III University in Madrid. The choice of creative formats in the programme did full justice to the subject of the conference: innovative speed tables, a creativity lab and a presentation platform for ideas and products from the creative

ALPBACH TECHNOLOGY FORUM: A MEETING PLACE FOR THE COMMUNITY FOR 26 YEARS “Trust in Times of Crisis - Shaping the Future" was the motto of the 2009 Alpbach Technology Forum, which focused on various possibilities of using research, technology and innovation to find ways out of the crisis. Now in its twenty-sixth year and enjoying growing interest from the scientific community, the Alpbach Technology Forum is a success story. The BMVIT, for many years the co-organiser, contributes to the success of this three-day congress in August by regularly organising working groups. No other event brings together representatives from politics, public administration, research, science and industry in such an intense discourse about the questions of the future as the Alpbach Technology Forum. This year, the BMVIT organised the working group “Intratech – Crisis as Opportunity”. The discussion group sounded out the possibilities for countering the effects of the crisis by modernising infrastructure, with a particular emphasis on transport and energy. The group outlined the contribution that could be made by technological and structural innovations and targeted research and development. The aim is to enable short-term economic stimulus measures. High-ranking representatives from industry and service providers from Austria, Germany and Switzerland met with experts from the research sector and the OECD.

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SECURITY KIRAS – PROTECTION FOR CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE The national security research programme KIRAS was launched in 2005 and currently supports 50 projects in four lines. A budget of approximately EUR 110 million is planned for the duration of the programme, which will run to 2013. KIRAS supports research projects for improving the security of Austria and its people within a framework defined by the National Security Council. In 2009 all four programme lines focused on the protection of critical infrastructure. The BMVIT oversees and has budgetary responsibility for the topic.

– in the programme at the project level. KIRAS aims at improving the level of security in Austria in objective and technological terms while upholding civil rights and increasing the Austrian populace’s subjective perception of security. As security is an issue where personal privacy and sovereign tasks regularly come into conflict with each other, the programme is required to include the humanities, social and cultural sciences in its activities. With this approach, it is hoped that diverging interests can be better weighed and taken into account at the individual project level.

KIRAS made Austria the first country in Europe to have a national security research programme. As a result it was able to play a pioneering role in the subsequently developed European security research activities. KIRAS seeks solutions for a wide range of threat scenarios, from natural disasters and infectious diseases to crime, terrorism and technological and industrial accidents. KIRAS bases its activities upon a broad definition of the term security that is best understood as offering a sustainable guarantee of a high standard of living and opportunities for all members of society. KIRAS is enshrined in the current government programme in the section on Security Policy-National Defence (security policy/preventive comprehensive security measures) and touches upon a host of aspects and areas. As an issue that cuts across several areas of jurisdiction, the programme has a steering group that acts as a strategic executive committee and includes representatives of all participating ministries, the social partners and other relevant public institutions. To help create value, economic growth and jobs, KIRAS is legally obliged to involve public-sector consumers as public utility providers – from “blue light” emergency organisations to public authorities

ELIMINATING THE RISK OF FLOODED LANDFILL SITES Summer 2009 once again highlighted the dangers of flooding. These include the inundation of landfill sites and old waste deposits and, as a consequence, the leakage of hazardous substances. There are some 50 million tonnes of domestic waste on landfill sites in Austria. While normal landfill operations and the emissions they produce are well documented and assessable, the consequences on landfills in the case of flooding are largely unknown. However, a host of studies prove that the environmental hazard emanating from conventional municipal landfill sites will last for centuries. The aim of the GEDES project, which is funded as part of the security research programme KIRAS, is to investigate the behaviour of landfills and old waste deposits if they become completely saturated and then develop strategies to minimise environmental risks in the event of floods. The project that is currently being carried out by the Vienna University of Technology aims, among other things, to assess the risks and draw up recommendations for tackling the problem when floods occur. Further aims are to issue statements concerning the long-term behaviour of a flooded landfill site or old waste deposits and to develop guidelines for the planning, construction and operation of new landfills that take flooding into account. Finally, the project seeks to draw up basic principles for insurance concepts.

FROM FOOD SAFETY TO THE ELECTRONIC TRANSFER OF DATA The spectrum of topics researched by KIRAS is broad indeed, ranging from food safety to energy supplies, communications solutions for emergency "blue light" organisations to crisis management, from flood protection to new possibilities for protecting the electronic transfer of data and pandemic research to the possibilities for predicting natural disasters. In 2009 the security research programme issued invitations for project proposals. In spring there was one call each for programme lines 3 and 4, components and demonstrations as well as support measures, totalling EUR 5.4 million. In the second half of the year a call was launched for collaborative R&D projects. EUR 6.5 million have been earmarked for that call.

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RESOURCES FOR RESEARCH – THE BUDGET

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With a research funding budget of almost EUR 450 million the BMVIT remained the key framer of research, technology and innovation in Austria in 2008. Through its research and technology policy activities both in Austria and at the European trans- and international levels this ministry strengthens Austria's standing as a business location and centre of research. At the same time, it advances the integration of Austrian research into the European Research Area. The following pages provide a detailed list of the financial resources provided for research and how they were used in the financial year 2008. They also show how the innovation system benefited and present the figures for the Budget for 2009.

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BUDGET 2008: INCREASED LEVELS OF FUNDING AGAIN

In 2008 the Innovation Department of the BMVIT had a total budget of more than EUR 449.8 million for its programmes and activities. Of this, EUR 359.8 million comes from the BMVIT's ordinary budget, EUR 50.0 million from the Climate and Energy Fund KLIEN, and EUR 40.0 million from the additional funding that was made available from the contingency fund.

In the reference year 2007 the funding from the ordinary budget was continued. A total of EUR 415.5 million was paid out in 2008. Collaborative research conducted by industry, science and research, but also basic research at universities and nonuniversity research establishments were the beneficiaries of 29.1 percent of this funding. A further 67 percent was spent on grants and subsidies and 3.9 percent on research infrastructure.

The BMVIT’s ordinary budget increased in comparison with 2006 because from 2007 onward, the resources for the R&D Action programmes were already included in the budget.

Utilisation of Previous Research Offensives Special government funding provided from the budget of the BMVIT Research Offensive 1 Research Offensive 2 Research billion / Research bond Contingency fund Climate and Energy Fund (KLI.EN)

Funding period

Available

2001–2003 2004–2006 2005–2006 2007 2008 2007 2008

236 264 88 23 40 10 50 711

Paid out as of 31. Dec. 2008 EUR million 236 264 88 9 0 6 0 603

in % 100% 100% 100% 39% 0% 60% 0% 85%

BMVIT Programmes in 2008: Project Grants (signed contracts) in EUR million Programmes

Volume of funding

Induced volume

Projects that received funding

IV2S (A3, I2, ISB) IV2Splus (A3plus, I2V, ways2go) Aeronautics – TAKE OFF

1,290 15,079 9,161

2,346 26,648 16,793

7 73 32

Sustainable Development (EdZ, FdZ, HdZ) Energy Tomorrow (together with the BMWFJ) IEA

7,245 29,295 1,822

11,836 49,281 1,822

63 126 24

FIT-IT

21,743

35,248

65

Space Programmes NANO Initiative

7,072 8,978

10,816 11,431

36 38

KIRAS

2,265

3,632

12

125,180 7,455 0,324

392,456 12,731 0,584

25 26 11

Innovation Cheque (together with the BMWFJ)

2,760

2,760

553

„Forschung macht Schule“ and generation innovation

0,548

0,893

254

Procurement financing for science

0,075

0,100

11

240,967

579,377

1.356

COMET (together with the BMWFJ) COIN (together with the BMWFJ) FEMtech

Total

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COMET EFFECT AND MOMENTUM FOR SMES

Resources in 2008 were used for the thematic programmes, but in particular for the new competence centres that had been launched following the calls for the COMET programme. Cooperation between science and industry is supported by almost all thematic programmes but is a particular priority in the structural programmes. Participation by both university and nonuniversity institutes has increased accordingly. The instrument of the SME innovation cheque also encourages SMEs and research establishments to build relationships. This programme was started jointly by the BMVIT and Ministry of Economic Affairs in 2007 and developed very positively in 2008, supporting more than 500 new R&D partnerships between SMEs and research institutes.

successful in the fields of energy, information technologies and transport technologies. Distribution by organisational type was strongly influenced by the COMET programme in 2008. The high percentage of research institutes is explained by the fact that COMET centres are recorded in the statistics as non-university research institutes. However, it should be remembered that a large number of companies cooperate in the centres. The number of SMEs as a percentage of the companies receiving funding is approximately 48 percent calculated according to cash values. This high percentage is attributable mainly to the thematic programmes and the Cooperation & Innovation (COIN) programme.

In terms of distribution amongst the federal states, it immediately becomes evident that Styria and Upper Austria are prominently represented. This is due in particular to the success with which they participated in the COMET call. Vienna is especially

Distribution by organisation type based on funding volumes in EUR mn. in 2008

31.772

2.918 3.185

65.596

Percentage of SME participations based on funding volumes in EUR mn. in 2008

34.582

136.818 31.014 Company Research institutes *)

Institutions of higher education **) Intermediate ***)

Other ****) Companies

Companies with SME status

*) Includes collaborative research establishments, non-university establishments and competence centres **) Universities (including private universities) and universities of applied arts and sciences ***) Incubator and technology centres, professional associations, clusters ****) In particular individual researchers and administrative bodies (municipalities, federal states, federal government)

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BUDGET 2009: LONGER-TERM AND MORE FLEXIBLE PLANNING

Multi-year flexible budget planning was carried out for the first time in 2009 on the basis of a two-year budget. For this reason, a number of programmes – Energy of Tomorrow, the International Energy Agency etc. – have irregular budget schedules, as call budgets can be bundled. For this reason, a comparison of the budget for 2009 with that of 2008 needs to take account of the following important changes. In early 2009 the Austrian Science Fund (FWF) was placed under the sole jurisdiction of the Ministry of Science and for budgetary reasons is therefore now only taken into consideration for programmes that have been commissioned – BRIDGET/ Translational Research. Adjusted by the figure for the FWF, the total budget for 2008 amounts to EUR 372.6 million.

The financially crucial competence centres programme COMET does not require funds in 2009 due to the multi-year rhythm of its calls. In 2009 a total of EUR 439.1 million will be available to finance the research activities of the BMVIT, i.e. excluding funding from the National Foundation. This includes funding from the economic stimulus package and from the Climate and Energy Fund KLIEN. The main beneficiaries of the monies from the economic stimulus package are to be the General Programmes of the Austrian Research Promotion Agency (FFG), the Headquarter Programme that is also managed by the FFG, and the broadband initiative.

Budget planning for research funding programmes sponsored by the BMVIT in EUR million Programm

Ordinary Budget 2009 0,000

Ordinary Budget 2010 4,000

Foundation 2009

6,000 6,500 0,000

6,000 8,400 10,000

4,000

Energy of Tomorrow (EZ) FFG General Programmes

17,000 102,800

3,000 102,800

FIT-IT Procurement Financing for FP7 Innovation Cheque Headquarter High-Tech Start-Ups Human Resources International Energy Agency (IEA) Intelligent Transport (incl. aviation/TAKE OFF) Security Research KIRAS NANO PUST SPACE (ASAP) Technology Transfer BRIDGE/Translational Research Summe

17,700 0,750 2,000 13,000 5,000 8,480 1,934 20,000 6,500 3,000 0,500 7,500 0,500 5,600 224,764

23,000 0,200 2,000 13,000 5,000 9,320 0,000 20,000 7,500 8,000 0,500 7,500 0,500 7,000 237,720

AplusB BRIDGE/Bridging Programme COIN (FHplus) COMET

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BMVIT INNOVATION 08/09

Note Budget funds from 2008 are awarded in 2009

Budget funds from 2008 are awarded in 2009 Incl. High-Tech Start-Ups and Young Experts

10,000

14,000

CONTACTS

Programme

Contact at BMVIT as Sponsor

Management

Telephone

E-mail

Generic Technologies Ambient Assisted Living benefit FIT-IT KIRAS – Security Research NANO Initiative NanoTrust

Kerstin Zimmermann Kerstin Zimmermann Reinhard Goebl Gernot Grimm Alexander Pogàny Alexander Pogàny

Gerda Geyer/FFG Gerda Geyer/FFG Georg Niklfeld/FFG Johannes Scheer/FFG Margit Haas/FFG Michael Nentwich/ITA

+43 (0)5 77 55 DW 4205 +43 (0)5 77 55 DW 4205 +43 (0)5 77 55 DW 5020 +43 (0)5 77 55 DW 5070 +43 (0)5 77 55 DW 5080 +43 (0)1 515 81 DW 6583

[email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected]

Human Ressources brainpower austria FEMtech Competence Center

Gertraud Oberzaucher Gertraud Oberzaucher

Charlotte Alber/FFG Inge Schrattenecker/ÖGUT FEMtech Kompetenzzentrum Andrea Rainer /FFG Claudia Hofmann/FFG Petra Wagner-Luptacik/ Koordinierungsstelle generation innovation Josef Scheucher/FFG

+43 (0)5 77 55 DW 2701 +43 (0)1 3156393 DW 12

[email protected] [email protected]

+43 (0)5 7755 DW 2307 +43 (0)5 7755 DW 1208 +43 (0) 664 235 17 11

[email protected] [email protected] [email protected]

+43 (0)5 7755 DW 2222

[email protected]

Young Experts Coordination Office generation innovation

Gertraud Oberzaucher Judith Scheer

Mobility IV2Splus – A3plus IV2Splus – I2V IV2Splus – Impuls IV2Splus – ways2go Combined Transport TAKE OFF

Christian Drakulic Frank Michelberger Andreas Blust Walter Wasner Kurt Schreitl Elisabeth Huchler

Thomas Uitz /FFG Katharina Zwick/FFG Thomas Uitz /FFG Katharina Zwick/FFG Matthias Hutter/AWS Vera Ellegast/FFG

+43 (0)5 77 55 DW 5032 +43 (0)5 77 55 DW 5033 +43 (0)5 77 55 DW 5032 +43 (0)5 77 55 DW 5033 +43 (0)1 501 75 DW 415 +43 (0)5 77 55 DW 5062

[email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected]

Aeronautics ASAP

Andrea Kleinsasser

Wolfgang Würz/FFG

+43 (0)5 77 55 DW 3301

[email protected]

Maria Chladek Margit Harjung Gottfried Göritzer Gottfried Göritzer Gottfried Göritzer Maria Chladek Gottfried Göritzer

Silvia Laimgruber/FFG Brigitte Robien /FFG Otto Starzer/FFG Barbara Klimon/FFG Peter Baumhauer/FFG Martin Reishofer/FFG Austria Wirtschaftsservice GmbH AWS Innovation Cheque-Hotline/FFG

+43 (0)5 77 55 DW 2203 +43 (0)5 77 55 DW 1308 +43 (0)5 77 55 DW 2101 +43 (0)5 77 55 DW 2305 +43 (0)5 77 55 DW 1301 +43 (0)5 77 55 DW 2402 +43 (0)1 501 75 DW 100

[email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected]

+43 (0)5 77 55 DW 5000

[email protected]

Ingrid Bauer/FFG Robert Freund/FFG Katrin Saam/FFG Helfried Mährenbach/FFG

+43 (0)5 77 55 DW 5040 +43 (0)5 77 55 DW 5042 +43 (0)5 77 55 DW 5041 +43 (0)5 77 55 DW 5044

[email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected]

Structural Funding AplusB BRIDGE COMET FHplus in COIN Headquarter RIF upgrade and REGplus Seed Financing – Start-up Programme JITU Innovation Cheque Environment and Energy Energy of Tomorrow Building of Tomorrow Plus Factory of Tomorrow Energy Systems of Tomorrow

Michael Paula Theodor Zillner Sabine List Michael Hübner

Austrian Research Promotion Agency FFG

BMVIT, Innovations and Telecommunications

Sensengasse 1 1090 Vienna Tel.: +43 (0)5 77 55-0 www.ffg.at

Renngasse 5 1010 Vienna Tel.: +43 (0)1 711 62 65-0 www.bmvit.gv.at

BMVIT INNOVATION 08/09

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www.bmvit.gv.at