IST Austria supports EU plans to strengthen European research

The Institute of Science and Technology Austria (IST Austria) warmly welcomes the EU’s financial plans for the years 2021 to 2027, presented last week by EU Budget Commissar Günther Oettinger. The expansions in the areas of research and innovation are of particular import, and represent a timely and positive signal for the future of European research. “If Europe wants to remain competitive, it must invest in science and research. By proposing an increase of around 100 billion euros to the research budget, the European Commission is setting an important and significant example in this area,” says Tom Henzinger, President of IST Austria, in an initial statement.

Research began at the Institute’s campus in Klosterneuburg, near Vienna, in 2009. Since that time, IST Austria has received nearly 110 million euros in third-party research funding. More than 70 percent of this comes from EU sources, including the ERC, the seventh Framework Program, and Horizon 2020. “IST Austria has a performance-dependent budget, and without these highly competitive research funds from Brussels, the Institute’s successful development would not have been possible,” adds Tom Henzinger.

The proposed budget would play a key role in the further development of European research, and would increase European global competitiveness. “IST Austria is proof that the European Union, by taking measures to expand competitive research funding, can increase Europe’s attractiveness world-wide as a center for science and research, thereby adding value to Europe as a whole. Without question, the potential for top research already exists—but the European Commission’s budget proposal would also provide a significant boost to this potential,” concludes Tom Henzinger.