In today’s world, new knowledge, technological and societal developments chase each other with unprecedented speed, generating opportunities but also new, complex challenges.
The University of Vienna spans a wide range of disciplines, from natural and life sciences to arts and humanities, and can therefore play a unique role in addressing these challenges. Building on our established strengths, we have identified six strategic priorities where we aim to make a meaningful impact by harnessing the insight and expertise of our scholars and educators.
Culture, Education, Democracy
What are cultural identities and political systems? How can we guarantee high-quality education? What roles do language, religion and demographic change play in the pluralistic society of the 21st century?
The Culture, Education and Democracy strategic priority addresses the foundations of human coexistence and communication in the face of racial, gender, and political conflicts.
Working on this strategic priority:
Research networks
Research platforms
- The Challenge of Urban Futures: governing the complexities in European cities
- Transformations and Eastern Europe
- Mediatised Lifeworlds: Young people's narrative constructions, connections and appropriations
- Mobile Cultures and Societies
- Responsible Research and Innovation in Academic Practice
- Gender: Ambivalent In_Visibilities (GAIN)
Interinstitutional research networks
- Joint Research Network Elfriede Jelinek! with the Music and Arts University of the City of Vienna (MUK)
Recent ERC grants
Kitzinger, Katharina
ERC Synergy Grant for the RECLESS research project
About the project
Marine oxygen-depleted zones account for just 0.1% of the ocean’s volume. Yet, they have a large impact on the ocean’s health, its ability to capture carbon, and its greenhouse gas emissions. Microbes ‘breathe’ nitrogen instead of oxygen. This nitrogen loss leads to emissions of nitrous oxide, a highly potent greenhouse gas that contributes to global warming. In their ERC project RECLESS Katharina Kitzinger and an international team will work on a better understanding of of nitrogen cycling in the ocean by identifying key microbial players, studying their responses to environmental conditions, and building the first global microbial ecosystem model for oxygen-depleted marine regions.
Digital and Data-Driven Transformations of Science and Society
New technologies, especially artificial intelligence and machine learning, are rapidly and radically changing our private and professional life. Can we harness their power and ensure a sustainable, human-centred application?
The University of Vienna is perfectly positioned to contribute to the development of these technologies and to explore their impact on society, ethics and law.
Working on this strategic priority:
Research networks
Research platforms
- Governance of digital practices (until 2024)
Latest news
Kitzinger, Katharina
ERC Synergy Grant for the RECLESS research project
About the project
Marine oxygen-depleted zones account for just 0.1% of the ocean’s volume. Yet, they have a large impact on the ocean’s health, its ability to capture carbon, and its greenhouse gas emissions. Microbes ‘breathe’ nitrogen instead of oxygen. This nitrogen loss leads to emissions of nitrous oxide, a highly potent greenhouse gas that contributes to global warming. In their ERC project RECLESS Katharina Kitzinger and an international team will work on a better understanding of of nitrogen cycling in the ocean by identifying key microbial players, studying their responses to environmental conditions, and building the first global microbial ecosystem model for oxygen-depleted marine regions.
Climate, Environment, Sustainability
How can we contribute to making Earth’s ecosystem stable, sustainable and fair? Can climate change be stopped, and how?
Academics from different disciplines join forces and investigate these key issues in the Climate, Environment, Sustainability strategic priority in depth.
Working on this strategic priority:
Research networks
Research platforms
- Secondary metabolomes of bacterial communities
- Plastics in the Environment and Society (PLENTY)
- The Comammox Research Platform
Interinstitutional research networks
- Vienna Network for Atmospheric Research (VINAR) with Geosphere Austria
Recent ERC grants
Kitzinger, Katharina
ERC Synergy Grant for the RECLESS research project
About the project
Marine oxygen-depleted zones account for just 0.1% of the ocean’s volume. Yet, they have a large impact on the ocean’s health, its ability to capture carbon, and its greenhouse gas emissions. Microbes ‘breathe’ nitrogen instead of oxygen. This nitrogen loss leads to emissions of nitrous oxide, a highly potent greenhouse gas that contributes to global warming. In their ERC project RECLESS Katharina Kitzinger and an international team will work on a better understanding of of nitrogen cycling in the ocean by identifying key microbial players, studying their responses to environmental conditions, and building the first global microbial ecosystem model for oxygen-depleted marine regions.
Global Health: Physical, Mental and Social Dimensions of Health
Social inequalities, nutrition, physical activity and the media affect our identity, health and well-being.
In the Global Health strategic priority, academics connect across disciplinary boundaries to investigate how we can promote physical and mental health for all people.
Working on this strategic priority:
Research networks
Research platforms
Interinstitutional research networks
- Post-Covid Care
(Inter-university cluster project with MedUni Vienna) - Harnessing AI to Strengthen Vaccination Communication
(Inter-university cluster project with MedUni Vienna) - AICARD - Transforming Cardiac Research
(Inter-university cluster project with MedUni Vienna)
Recent ERC grants
Kitzinger, Katharina
ERC Synergy Grant for the RECLESS research project
About the project
Marine oxygen-depleted zones account for just 0.1% of the ocean’s volume. Yet, they have a large impact on the ocean’s health, its ability to capture carbon, and its greenhouse gas emissions. Microbes ‘breathe’ nitrogen instead of oxygen. This nitrogen loss leads to emissions of nitrous oxide, a highly potent greenhouse gas that contributes to global warming. In their ERC project RECLESS Katharina Kitzinger and an international team will work on a better understanding of of nitrogen cycling in the ocean by identifying key microbial players, studying their responses to environmental conditions, and building the first global microbial ecosystem model for oxygen-depleted marine regions.
Systems of Life
Can we explore life in all its facets, ranging from molecular secrets to planetary connections?
Under the Systems of Life strategic priority, researchers from diverse disciplines explore the complex networks that underpin our world.
Working on this strategic priority:
Reearch networks
Research platforms
- Mineralogical Preservation of the Human Biome from the Depth of Time
- Next Generation Macrocycles to Address Challenging Protein Interfaces
- Single Cell Regulation of Stem Cells
- Vienna Metabolomics Center
Interinstitutional research networks
- Human Evolution & Archaeological Sciences (HEAS)
(interinstitutional research network with the Austrian Academy of Sciences and the Natural History Museum, Vienna)
Recent ERC grants
Kitzinger, Katharina
ERC Synergy Grant for the RECLESS research project
About the project
Marine oxygen-depleted zones account for just 0.1% of the ocean’s volume. Yet, they have a large impact on the ocean’s health, its ability to capture carbon, and its greenhouse gas emissions. Microbes ‘breathe’ nitrogen instead of oxygen. This nitrogen loss leads to emissions of nitrous oxide, a highly potent greenhouse gas that contributes to global warming. In their ERC project RECLESS Katharina Kitzinger and an international team will work on a better understanding of of nitrogen cycling in the ocean by identifying key microbial players, studying their responses to environmental conditions, and building the first global microbial ecosystem model for oxygen-depleted marine regions.
Quantum Systems and Materials for the Future
Ready to face the challenges of the future? At the University of Vienna, scientists in the fields of quantum physics, materials science, mathematics and computer science investigate fundamental questions on space, time and gravity and develop technologies and materials of the future, such as quantum computing or intelligent and green materials.
The University of Vienna discussed this topic intensively as part of the 2025 semester question. Read about it in the Rudolphina, the research magazine of the University of Vienna.
Working on this strategic priority:
Research platforms
- Research platform Accelerating Photoreaction Discovery
- Research platform MMM Mathematics-Magnetism-Materials
Interinstitutional research networks
- Interinstitutional research network Quantum Aspects of Spacetime (TURIS) (with the Austrian Academy of Sciences)
Latest news
Kitzinger, Katharina
ERC Synergy Grant for the RECLESS research project
About the project
Marine oxygen-depleted zones account for just 0.1% of the ocean’s volume. Yet, they have a large impact on the ocean’s health, its ability to capture carbon, and its greenhouse gas emissions. Microbes ‘breathe’ nitrogen instead of oxygen. This nitrogen loss leads to emissions of nitrous oxide, a highly potent greenhouse gas that contributes to global warming. In their ERC project RECLESS Katharina Kitzinger and an international team will work on a better understanding of of nitrogen cycling in the ocean by identifying key microbial players, studying their responses to environmental conditions, and building the first global microbial ecosystem model for oxygen-depleted marine regions.