Clusters of Excellence
Clusters of Excellence are inter-university collaboration projects as part of the excellence initiative excellent=austria of the Federal Ministry of Education, Science and Research which aims at promoting cutting-edge research and strengthening Austria as an academic location. The University of Vienna is involved in all five Clusters of Excellence launched in 2023 and is responsible for coordinating the Microbiomes Drive Planetary Health Cluster.
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 the national and international level. Equal opportunities and diversity as well as knowledge and technology transfer in form of collaboration projects with business and society are key concerns.
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At a glance
"Microbiomes Drive Planetary Health"
Aim: Understanding 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)
Austrian Science Fund (FWF) funding amount: 21 million euros
More info: "Understanding the importance of microbiomes for planetary health"
"Quantum Science Austria"
Aim: Resolving the mysteries in the world of quanta
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 (Vienna University of Technology)
Austrian Science Fund (FWF) funding amount: 21 million euros
"Knowledge in Crisis"
Aim: Understanding and overcoming the crisis of the 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)
Austrian Science Fund (FWF) funding amount: 8.9 million euros
"Materials for Energy Conversion and Storage"
Aim: Discovering new materials for a zero-emission future
Board of Directors and participating research institutions: Günther Rupprechter (Director of Research, Vienna University of Technology), Ulrike Diebold (Vienna University of Technology), Stefan Freunberger (Institute of Science and Technology Austria), Leticia González (University of Vienna), Julia Kunze-Liebhäuser (University of Innsbruck)
Austrian Science Fund (FWF) funding amount: 20.6 million euros
"EurAsian Transformations"
Aim: Investigating 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)
Austrian Science Fund (FWF) funding amount: 9.2 million euros