Women and Science
Austria’s equality policy in science and research consists of a policy mix of strategies, instruments and measures to translate national equality legislation into effective action to address gender imbalances in higher education and research institutions. Therefore, Austria has put various measures in place to promote women and to increase the rate of women in science, research and industry. As guidance for female scientists, we have collected weblinks to gender issues in science, to research funding and to national projects supporting women in research.
- Gender & Diversity Management at the Johannes Kepler University Linz
- Office for Equality and Gender Studies at the University of Innsbruck (in German only)
- Office of Coordination for Gender and Women as well as the Promotion of women at the University of Graz
- Gender Mainstreaming at the Medical University of Vienna (in German only)
- Gender:Unit at the Medical University of Graz (in German only)
- Koordinationsstelle für Gleichstellung, Frauenförderung und Geschlechterforschung at the Medical University of Innsbruck (in German only)
- Gender Competence at the TU Wien
- Gender Equality and Affirmative Action Office of Graz University of Technology
- Koordinationsstelle für Gleichstellung, Frauenförderung & Geschlechterforschung at the University of Leoben (in German only)
- Coordination office for Equal Opportunities, Diversity and Disability at the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna (in German only)
- Insitute for Gender and Diversity in Organizations at the Vienna University of Economics and Business
- Zentrum für Frauen- und Geschlechterstudien at the University of Klagenfurt (in German only)
- Equality and Gender Studies at the Danube University Krems
- Abteilung für Genderangelegenheiten at the University for Applied Arts Vienna
- Plattform Gender_mdw at the University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna (in German only)
- Arbeitskreis für Gleichbehandlungsfragen at the Mozarteum University Salzburg (in German only)
- Gender Mainstreaming at the University of Music and Performing Arts Graz (in German only)
- Co-ordination Office for Gender Issues at the University of Arts and Industrial Design Linz (in German only)
- Arbeitskreis für Gleichbehandlungsfragen of the Academy of Fine Arts Vienna (only in German)
- Genderplattform.at
Platform of facilities concerning the promotion of women and gender studies at Austrian universities.
- City of Vienna (in German only)
Links and information regarding women and research.
- Austrian Gender Studies Society (in German only)
The Austrian Gender Studies Society, ÖGGF aims at the establishment, development and promotion of gender research in its entire width in the university and non-university sector in Austria.
- Gender and Diversity (Gleichstellung und Diversität; in German only)
Information regarding gender policy at Austrian science and research organisations by the Austrian Federal Ministry of Education, Science and Research.
- Task Force Gender and Diversity
The aim of the Austrian Rectors‘Conference - Task Force is to increase women’s share of top-level positions at universities by offering coaching to prospective female heads of universities.
- Feminist journals and media as well as links concerning women in science and research can be found on the Website of the Austrian Academy of Sciences - ÖAW (only in German)
- The Gender Equality in Academia and Research (GEAR) tool provides universities and research organisations with practical advice and tools through all stages of institutional change, from setting up a gender equality plan to evaluating its real impact.
- Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women CEDAW
- Gender equality: a strengthened commitment in Horizon Europe
With Horizon Europe, the Commission reaffirms its commitment to gender equality in research and innovation. The legal base sets gender equality as a crosscutting priority and introduces strengthened provisions. In particular, integrating the gender dimension into research and innovation content is a requirement. Gender equality plans will also gradually become part of the eligibility criteria for public bodies, research organisations and higher education establishments applying to the programme. Specific funding will be dedicated to gender and intersectional research, developing inclusive gender equality policies in support of the new European Research Area, and empowering women innovators. The goal is to improve the European research and innovation system, create gender-equal working environments where all talents can thrive and better integrate the gender dimension in projects to improve research quality as well as the relevance to society of the knowledge, technologies and innovations produced. The Factsheet on ‘Gender Equality: a strengthened commitment in Horizon Europe’ summarises the key new provisions.
- Austrian Science Fund (FWF)
The Career Development Programme for female researchers offers highly qualified female scientists who are working towards a career in universities the chance of a two-stage funding for a total of six years. The programme is divided into:
Hertha-Firnberg Programme for post-docs; support for women at the start of their scientific careers
Elise-Richter-Programme for senior post-docs; which aims at providing female scientists with the necessary qualifications to apply for professorial positions within Austria or abroad.
- fFORTE Initiative (only in German) - Women in Research and Technology (a joint initiative of 4 ministries and the Austrian Council for Research and Technology Development)
- w-fFORTE - economic incentives for women in research and innovation. The programme is embedded in the fFORTE initiative and aims at competent women in business and innovation. It serves as a link between economy and women in Science and Technology.
- w-fFORTE: Laura Bassi Centres of Expertise Outstanding women research at the cutting edge of science and industry. All centres are managed by a highly qualified female researcher.
- FEMtech - Women in Research and Technology is a fFORTE initiative of the Federal Ministry for Transport, Innovation and Technology (BMVIT) to promote equal opportunities in research and technology. Women should be specifically supported and the framework conditions in industrial and extra-faculty research should be changed in such a way as to equally correspond to the needs of both women and men.
The FEMtech - Female Expert Database supports the visibility of women in research and technology.
A FEMtech Female Expert of the Month is selected from amongst the experts registered in the database by an independent selection panel comprising representatives from science and industry, personnel consultants and the media.
Regular FEMtech's Networking Meetings allow participants to get acquainted with each other and exchange relevant information on the topic "Women in research and technology".
FEMtech Knowledge delivers relevant data and information, presents studies and publications as well as thematic summaries on national and international research in the subject area.
In order to facilitate the access to jobs and the realizations of personal career goals of female researchers and technicians, FEMtech supports industrial and extra-faculty research companies whenever they implement gender-specific activities. Financial resources and consulting are provided along four programme lines:
FEMtech career check for SME supports research- and technology-intensive small and medium-sized enterprises in natural sciences and technology when dealing with equality.
Within FEMtech Career gender awareness should raise in R&D companies. Activities for equal opportunities: gender training, government action plans for women and work, mentoring, executive training for women, company kindergartens with scientific and technical focus - are promoted.
Within FEMtech Working Experience for female students female students should be interested in starting a career in industrial and extra-faculty research.
Approaching research activities and products under increased consideration of gender aspects diversifies the range of offers and provides additional market potential. Thus, FEM tech's Research Projects support the integration of the gender dimension in research and development projects.
- Fempower is an initiative of the the Vienna Business Agency for the better integration and involvement of women in research projects.
- LÒREAL Austria Fellowships for Young Female Scientists in Basic Research (in German)
- Käthe Leichter State Award / Käthe Leichter Awards (in German)
The Käthe Leichter State Award for Women‘s and Gender Studies and for Equality in the World of Work is conferred for outstanding achievements in the pursuit of women’s and gender studies in the social sciences, the humanities and the cultural sciences as well as for outstanding achievements in support of the women’s movement and the achievement of gender equality. - Gabriele Possanner-Staatspreis / Förderungspreis (in German)
The Austrian Federal Ministry of Education, Science and Research honours every two years scientific achievements for the promotion of gender equality. - Training of members in university boards (in German)
Since the number of women in leading positions and functions in universities rises, the BMBWF strengthens and supports the work of university boards by offering trainings and individual coaching for new board members. The target is to support the implementation of the 40% quota with adequate initiatives. 60 individual trainings are offered. - Federal Chancellery - Women’s affairs and Equality (in German only)
- Fair und inklusiv in Sprache und Bild. Ein Leitfaden für die WU (in German only)
National
In 2018 Universities Austria (uniko) published the Recommendations on broadening gender competence in higher education processes (pdf, 940 KB)
In German: Empfehlungen der Hochschulkonferenz zur Verbreiterung von Genderkompetenz in hochschulischen Prozessen: Langfassung (pdf, 1 MB), Kurzfassung (pdf, 1 MB)
Here you will find further information on the recommendations (in German only).
- Austrian Federal Ministry of Education, Science and Research: Gender and Diversitymanagement
(in German only) - Federal Chancellery - Women’s affairs and Equality (in German only)
International
The European Institute for Gender Equality (EIGE) is an autonomous body of the European Union, established to contribute to and strengthen the promotion of gender equality, including gender mainstreaming in all EU policies and the resulting national policies, and the fight against discrimination based on sex, as well as to raise EU citizens’ awareness of gender equality.
Here you will find more information on Gender Equality in Academia and Research
The GE (Gender Equality) Academy offers webinars on Gender Equality Plans.
The Gender Equality in Academia and Research (GEAR) tool provides universities and research organisations with practical advice and tools through all stages of institutional change, from setting up a gender equality plan to evaluating its real impact.
In order to develop effective strategies to ensure the full participation of women in industrial research the European Commission's DG Research started the EU Research initiative WIR - Women in industrial research
Science Europe: Practical Guide to Improving Gender Equality in Research Organisations