Excellence initiative
The Austrian Excellence initiative excellent=austria is a joint project of the Austrian Science Fund (FWF) and the Federal Ministry for Women, Science and Research. Its goal is to strengthen top-level research at universities and non-university research institutions.
To this end, two funding lines have been established: Clusters of Excellence and Emerging Fields. The University of Vienna has successfully secured funding under both initiatives.
Clusters of Excellence
Clusters of Excellence are characterised by the successful combination of cutting-edge research on topics of the future, research-led education, the promotion of early stage researchers as well as the exchange of knowledge at national and international level. The University of Vienna is involved in all seven Clusters of Excellence.
The 'Microbiomes Drive Planetary Health' cluster is coordinated by the University of Vienna.
Microbiomes Drive Planetary Health
Goal: To understand the importance of microbiomes for planetary health
Board of Directors and Participating Research Institutions:
- Michael Wagner (Director of Research, University of Vienna)
- Andreas Bergthaler (Austrian Academy of Sciences, CeMM)
- Christina Kaiser (University of Vienna)
- Bernhard Lendl (Vienna University of Technology)
- Christine Moissl-Eichinger (Medical University of Graz)
- Alexander Moschen (University of Linz)
- Leonid Sazanov (Institute of Science and Technology Austria)
- Angela Sessitsch (Austrian Institute of Technology)
FWF funding awarded: 21 million euros
Quantum Science Austria
Goal: To unravel the mysteries of the quantum world
Board of Directors and Participating Research Institutions:
- Gregor Weihs (Director of Research, University of Innsbruck)
- Markus Aspelmeyer (University of Vienna)
- Francesca Ferlaino (Austrian Academy of Sciences)
- Johannes Fink (Institute of Science and Technology Austria)
- Armando Rastelli (University of Linz)
- Oriol Romero-Isart (University of Innsbruck)
- Hannes-Jörg Schmiedmayer (TU Wien)
FWF funding awarded: 21 million euros
Knowledge in Crisis
Goal: To understand and overcome the crisis of knowledge
Board of Directors and Participating Research Institutions:
- Tim Crane (Director of Research, Central European University)
- Marian David (University of Graz)
- Katalin Farkas (Central European University)
- Max Kölbel (University of Vienna)
- Hans Bernhard Schmid (University of Vienna)
- Paulina Sliwa (University of Vienna)
- Charlotte Werndl (University of Salzburg)
FWF funding awarded: €8.9 million
Materials for Energy Conversion and Storage
Goal: To discover new materials for an emission-free future
Board of Directors and Participating Research Institutions:
- Günther Rupprechter (Director of Research, TU Wien)
- Ulrike Diebold (TU Wien)
- Stefan Freunberger (Institute of Science and Technology Austria)
- Leticia González (University of Vienna)
- Julia Kunze-Liebhäuser (University of Innsbruck)
FWF funding awarded: €20.6 million
EurAsian Transformations
Goal: To explore the cultural heritage of Eurasia
Board of Directors and Participating Research Institutions:
- Claudia Rapp (Director of Research, Austrian Academy of Sciences)
- Birgit Kellner (Austrian Academy of Sciences)
- Tijana Krstić (Central European University)
- Melanie Malzahn (University of Vienna)
- Walter Pohl (Austrian Academy of Sciences)
- Robert Rollinger (University of Innsbruck)
- Jens Oliver Schmitt (University of Vienna)
FWF funding awarded: €9.2 million
Neuronal Circuits in Health and Disease
Goal: To better understand brain functions and thereby lay the foundation for personalized therapies
Board of Directors and Participating Research Institutions:
- Tibor Harkany (Director of Research, MedUni Wien)
- Manuel Zimmer (University of Vienna)
- Francesco Ferraguti (Medical University of Innsbruck)
- Thomas Klausberger (MedUni Wien)
- Gaia Novarino (ISTA)
- Noelia Urbán Avellaneda (Institute of Molecular Biotechnology, Austrian Academy of Sciences)
- Peter Jonas (ISTA)
FWF funding awarded: €16 million
Circular Bioengineering
Goal: Transition from petroleum-based to bio-based materials for a circular bioeconomy
Board of Directors and Participating Research Institutions:
- Roland Ludwig (Director of Research, BOKU University)
- Gunda Köllensperger (University of Vienna)
- Wolfgang Kroutil (University of Graz)
- Marko Mihovilovic (TU Wien)
- Bernd Nidetzky (Graz University of Technology)
- Chris Oostenbrink (BOKU)
- Antje Potthast (BOKU)
FWF funding awarded: €16 million
A new Geometry for Einstein’s Theory of Relativity & Beyond
Objective: Measuring space and time anew “Einstein’s significant finding showed that gravity is nothing more than the curvature of space-time. Our Emerging Field develops a completely new approach to the curvature of space-time, which holds great potential for applications in the theory of relativity and quantum gravity,” says Roland Steinbauer, coordinator at the University of Vienna, about the objectives of the Emerging Field.
Members of the consortium and research institutions:
- Roland Steinbauer (Coordinator, University of Vienna)
- Michael Kunzinger (University of Vienna)
- Raquel Perales (University of Vienna)
- Chiara Rigoni (University of Vienna)
- Clemens Sämann (University of Vienna)
FWF funding amount: 7 million euros
- Roland Steinbauer (Coordinator, University of Vienna)
REMASS: Resilience and Malleability of Social Metabolism
Objective: Designing crisis-resilient and sustainable global supply chains
Members of the consortium and research institutions:
- Helmut Haberl (Coordinator, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna)
- Stefan Giljum (Vienna University of Economics and Business)
- Fridolin Krausmann (University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna)
- Shonali Pachauri (International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA))
- Anke Schaffartzik (Central European University)
- Cornelia Staritz (University of Vienna)
- Stefan Thurner (Complexity Science Hub Vienna)
FWF funding amount: 7.1 million euros
- Helmut Haberl (Coordinator, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna)
Crucial steps in evolution: The rise of genome architecture
Objective: Investigating the origins of complex life
Members of the consortium and research institutions:
- Frédéric Berger (Coordinator, GMI – Gregor Mendel Institute of Molecular Plant Biology, ÖAW)
- Christa Schleper (University of Vienna)
- Florian Schur (Institute of Science and Technology Austria (ISTA))
FWF funding amount: 4.4 million euros