Research Policy at the National Level
The RTI (Research, Technology, Innovation) strategy "Realising Potential, Increasing Dynamics, Creating the Future – Becoming an Innovation Leader", which was launched in 2011 for the next decade, aims to see Austria promoted from the group of "innovation followers" to the league of "innovation leaders" regarding the Innovation Union Scoreboard. The RTI strategy defines Austria’s strategic and operational goals, sets priorities and includes support measures for the promotion of research, technology and innovation. It addresses measures to strengthen national research structures with a focus on excellence, to foster the innovative capacity of companies, to raise the efficiency of governance, and to link research, technology and innovation to the education system. The strategy should also help to mobilise research, technology and innovation for the grand challenges of society and the economy.
By international comparison, Austria has the second highest R&D rate, in terms of gross domestic expenditure on R&D relative to gross domestic product, and the seventh highest in the world. Austria ranked third for R&D intensity in 2020, placing it amongst the leading group in Europe and was able to overtake Germany and improve its ranking by on place compared to 2019.
According to the altest estimates of Statistics Austria € 14.15 billion, have been spent on research and development (R&D) in Austria in 2022.
The estimated research ratio in Austria in 2022 is 3.26%, which is above the European target value of 3% for the ninth year in succession.
The European Research Area (ERA) plays an important part in Research, Technology and Innovation in Austria. In order to position Austria in the group of "Innovation Leaders" in the long run it will be necessary to promote internationalisation efforts in research and to participate even more in European research programmes and to optimise the participation of the country’s enterprises and research organisations.
On 29 May 2015 the Competitiveness Council adopted conclusions in connection with the European ERA Roadmap 2015-2020. In these conclusions the Council called upon each member state to provide for the national implementation of the European ERA Roadmap by means of national action plans or strategies. With the "Austrian ERA Roadmap" Austria complies with this request by the research ministers of the European Union and follows the European ERA Roadmap, both with regard to structure and to content. On 30 November 2018 Council Conclusions on the governance of the European Research Area were adopted under the Austrian Presidency. The ERA Council Conclusions consist of three parts: (a) Acknowledgement of important progress by the different ERA-related groups in implementing the ERA agenda; (b) Decision of the research ministers on the "ERA Advisory Structure", based on the pertinent review and the ERAC report; (c) Outlook on the future of ERA, with the invitation to the European Commission to publish a new ERA Communication by 2020 as well as to Council Presidencies to organise regular ERA ministerial conferences. Regarding the Horizon Europe regulation, the Council reached a political agreement with a partial general approach.
Regarding Europe and the European Research Area (ERA), the ERA Observatory Austria establishes a new roof for the integrated governance of Austria’s role in European RTI policy. It supports evidence-based decision-making and enables Austria to play an active role in Europe. If you are further interested in EU-related research policy and its implementation in Austria and in Europe please refer to the ERA Portal Austria.
Further interesting documents
- Austrian national ERA Action PLan 2022-2025
- FTI-Strategie 2030 – Strategie der Bundesregierung für Forschung, Technologie u…
- Bericht: FTI-Strategie 2030 (report, pdf; in Geman only)
- OECD Reviews of Innovation Policy: Austria (2018)
- Austrian Research and Technology Report 2023
- Austrian Research and Technology Report 2022
- Austrian Research and Technology Report 2021