It
is the task of scientists and academics employed by the University of
Vienna to ensure outstanding performance in research and teaching at
the 15 Faculties and three Centres.
Currently, approx. 6,500 are researching and teaching at the
university, about 1,000 of which in projects financed with the aid of
third-party funds. The scientists and academics are concerned both with
knowledge-orientated basic research and problem-solving applied
research.
Variety of scientific subjects
Research
at the University of Vienna comprises a wide spectrum of scientific
subjects: Catholic and Protestant Theology, Law, Economic Sciences and
Computer Science, Philological-Cultural Studies and Historical-Cultural
Studies, Social Sciences and Psychology, Life Sciences and Natural
Sciences, Mathematics and Sports Sciences.
"Strenghtening the strengths"
One
of the main objectives of the University of Vienna is to join the ranks
of the leading research universities of Europe; therefore, it intends
to support its researchers and to create the best-possible conditions
for research. By especially promoting inter-disciplinary research, the
University of Vienna has been setting examples internationally for
sustainable development.
In order to foster particularly
innovative fields of research that have not yet been established at the
University of Vienna, inter-faculty research platforms
have been provided to act as organisational units. Competitive tenders
ensure that the university funds are utilised for projects relating to
the main areas of research.
An essential contribution to ensuring this at the
highest international level, is made by the acquisition of third-party
funds. The University of Vienna has been participating in programmes
provided by the Austrian Science Fund (FWF) and the EU Framework
Programmes with a traditionally large number of projects.
Its
research aims at ensuring the highest quality and, reflecting its
objectives, is based on long-term considerations. A concerted transfer
of knowledge and technology illustrates the desire of the University of
Vienna to promote a continuing development of innovation potential of
and for both society and the economy.
Advancement of Young Scientists
Young
scientists and academics are the future of success and innovation, and
ensure the continuity of research. Therefore, the University of Vienna
has set up new, structured Doctoral Programmes, the so-called
Initiativkollegs (Initiative Groups)
to complement the previous doctoral studies with individual
supervision. Thus, the University of Vienna supports young scientists
and academics in shaping their careers according to international
standards.
High quality criteria govern the selection of these
Initiative Groups and the doctoral candidates studying there, and
supervision is carried out by international peers. By using such
structured Doctoral Programmes, the University of Vienna highlights the
variety of its research and develops its profile for the future. As
"early stage researchers", the doctoral candidates are integrated into
research teams that have already formed at these groups.
To date, twelve Initiative Groups – as well as several Doctoral Programmes funded by the FWF (Austrian Science Fund) – have been established at the University of Vienna.
Advancement of women in research
At
the University of Vienna, many initiatives have been taken to promote
the careers of women. Apart from so-called "in-house head-hunters" (Suchbeauftragte),
who address qualified female scientists and encourage them to apply for
a Chair, other measures, such as the Coaching Project, are offered to
support the careers of women in academia. Since 2000 121 mentees have
been supported by 32 mentors, both male and female, in the course of
the Mentoring Programme at the University of Vienna.
In order to ensure and enhance the current quality
of research, the University of Vienna has taken numerous measures, e.g.
establishing Scientific Advisory Boards (both for the entire university
and single faculties and centres), and regularly
conducting evaluations according to the method of "comprehensive
evaluation" (at the faculties and centres, all activities in the fields
of research, teaching, and administration are subject to a common
quality analysis). With the aid of these evaluations, the University of
Vienna aims to improve academic papers and to promote scientific
creativity and the readiness for innovation.
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