Institutional Research Strategies and Profiles Examples from Austria

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Tyrone Phelps
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1 Institutional Research Strategies and Profiles Examples from Austria Heinz W. Engl Vice-Rector for Research and Career Development, University of Vienna Palermo, 22 October 2010

2 The Austrian University system 21 universities, among them - 4 general universities (Vienna, Graz, Salzburg, Innsbruck) - 3 medical universities (separated in 2004) and - specialized universities (economics, veterinary medicine, agriculture, arts) In addition: - Universities of Applied Science (Fachhochschulen), Pedagogical Institutes; - Research Institutes held by the Austrian Academy of Sciences and the Ludwig Boltzmann Society

3 Since 2002, wide autonomy: no interference of Ministry into daily affairs complete freedom in hiring decisions (including salaries) aims and budget negotiated with the government for 3-year periods ( Leistungsvereinbarung ), monitored on a yearly basis Problems: in some fields, very unfavorable student-teacher-ratios, universities have control over admission of students only in a few fields (e.g. medicine) under-funding of basic research: comparison of yearly funds of national funding agencies

4 under-funding of basic research: comparison of yearly funds of national funding agencies Note that Switzerland and Austria are of comparable size!

5 Some examples of Austrian universities with quite different missions and strategies 1. Johannes Kepler Universität Linz Founded in 1964, mainly based on local needs: originally social sciences, economics, business administration ( Hochschule für Sozial- und Wirtschaftswissenschaften ), law school added soon Linz is the industrial centre of Austria; local industry (especially VoestAlpine) demanded engineering faculty.

6 Compromise: Faculty for Technical Sciences founded in 1969; originally, technically oriented institutes in mathematics, physics, computer science; later: chemistry. Especially in mathematics strong industry orientation; Chair in industrial mathematics in 1988; in the meantime, large centre for applied mathematics (joint with Johann Radon Institute for Computational and Applied Mathematics, Austrian Academy of Sciences).

7 Local industry still demanded engineering, resistance from traditional technical universities. Compromise: establishment of mechatronics in Has developed very successfully, many strong cooperations with industry, Mechatronics Competence Centre (co-funded by industry and government). Next (recent) step: change in emphasis in chemistry after simultanious retirements: Borealis set up its research centre in Linz, university used free resources in chemistry to build up polymer chemistry in teaching and in research

8 In teaching: Recent strengthening of links between technical sciences and other faculties: - Wirtschaftsingenieurwesen Technische Chemie (combination chemistry-economics-law) - Master curriculum Management in polymer technology Recent emphasis in the law faculty: distance learning; quite successful curriculum (in addition to traditional law curriculum)

9 Linz is one of those universities founded in the 1960s which have been successful in finding its own profile. Central for the further economic development of the region (75% of graduates stay in Upper Austria).

10 Some examples of Austrian universities with quite different missions and strategies 2. Technische Universität Graz (Graz University of Technology) Founded in 1811 by the Habsburg Arch Duke Johann, who was at that time also promoting industry in Styria Graz is centre of Austrian car-related industries (Steyr Daimler Puch, Magna, AVL) Especially after autonomy TU Graz built up research in fields closely related to the industrial base in Styria (and beyond: strong cooperations, e.g. with Siemens)

11 Human- & Biotechnology Advanced Materials Science Mobility Research and Production Sciences 5 Fields of Expertise Research&Education Information, Computing, and Communication Technologies Sustainabiliy in Design, Construction & Energy Systems

12 Fields of excellence have priority in resource allocation. Highly successful in obtaining funding for cooperative research with industry (Christian Doppler Laboratories, Competence Centres) TU Graz is Austrian leader in granted patents Cooperations: - Nawi Graz : close coordination and cooperation in natural sciences between TU Graz and Karl-Franzens-Universität Graz, led to considerable strengthening of chemistry, physics, mathematics - TU Austria: New basis for joint (political?) action between TU Vienna, TU Graz and Montanuniversität Leoben

13 Some examples of Austrian universities with quite different missions and strategies 3. University of Vienna Founded in 1365; 18 faculties: Faculty of Business, Economics and Statistics Faculty of Catholic Theology Faculty of Chemistry Faculty of Computer Science Faculty of Earth Sciences, Geography and Astronomy Faculty of Historical and Cultural Studies Faculty of Law Faculty of Life Sciences Faculty of Mathematics Faculty of Philological and Cultural Studies Faculty of Philosophy and Education Faculty of Physics Faculty of Protestant Theology Faculty of Psychology Faculty of Social Sciences Centre for Molecular Biology Centre for Translation Studies Centre for Sports Sciences and University Sports

14 85,000 students 175 study programmes More than 50 locations all over Vienna Size needs different organisational models compared to universities discussed above. Faculties have large autonomy; aims and budget negotiated once a year between deans and rectorate. Hiring of professors and tenure-track personnel via rectorate.

15 Aims: a leading provider of tertiary education in central Europe a European research university To pursue both aims simultaneously is not easy! Very different situation at faculties: some (e.g., Social Sciences) have very unfavorable studentteacher ratio in some fields, leading research at world level (e.g. quantum physics)

16 This situation makes it necessary to keep balance of teaching and research in resource allocation, and to keep the link between teaching and research as much as possible Key: Hiring of scientific personnel: at the professorial level: very international hiring introduction of a (nearly) true tenure-track-system

17 Emphasis on basic research: While the University of Vienna amounts to, in government funding, 13 % of the Austrian university system, it obtains more than 25 % of competitive funds from the Austrian National Science Foundation FWF. More recently: More emphasis on applications-oriented research, innovation and patent strategy The Rectorate links funding increases of faculties to their success in third party funding

18 Emphasis in doctoral education: Currently more than doctoral students (open access!); but only about 600 degrees awarded annually re-design of curricula (broad frameweork curricula allowing for individualized studies), faculty-wide presentation of dissertation plan ( real acceptance), supervision contracts, large program of transferable skills University invests into structured doctoral programs in addition to (and as seed money for) externally funded doctoral schools

19 Essential: Cooperations within university - Research platforms - build-up of cooperations between researchers at different faculties, funding for 3 years (renewable) after international refereeing Current research platforms: Alternative Solvents as a Basis for Life Supporting Zones in (Exo)Planetary Systems Characterisation of Drug Involved Mechanisms Computational Science Center Human Rights in the European Context Life Science Governance Migration and Integration Research Molecular Food Science Platform for Interdisciplinary Research and Documentation of Inner and South Asian Cultural History Religion and Transformation in Contemporary European Society Rethinking Women's and Gender History in the New European Context Sensitive Mountain Limits of Snow and Vegetation Structural and Functional Analysis of mrna Molecules Targeted by the RNA-binding Protein Tristetraprolin Theory and Practice of Subject Didactics Translational Cancer Therapy Research Vienna Institute for Archaeological Science Wiener Osteuropaforum

20 Max F. Perutz Laboratories for Molecular Biology (MFPL): Joint legal structure between University of Vienna and Medical University, joint dean. Partly different personnel structure (e.g., junior group leaders), possible via MFPL GmbH (limited liability corporation). Research clusters between University of Vienna and Medical University of Vienna: Call for proposals for joint projects to build bridges between basic research and patient-oriented research are co-funded for up to three years by both universities. Large potential shown by 10-fold over-subscription

21 Cooperation with Austrian Academy of Sciences: Because of many overlaps between Academy institutes and University departments Recent cooperations with Vienna University of Technology: Vienna Supercomputing Centre, Joint cleanroom investment, joint master s program in Material Chemistry (to be expanded!) Big challenges ahead if the number of students increases further!

22 Completely new recent activity in Austria Institute of Science and Technology Austria (I.S.T.A.) Originally termed Excellence University by media Unique new legal and funding framework different from other universities

23 Institute of Science and Technology Austria (IST Austria) An ambitious experiment: New Institute (established by law 2006, campus opened 2009) Dedicated to basic research Committed to world-class research Natural Sciences, Mathematics, Computer Science 12 research groups (Biology, Computer Science) by Jan research groups (500 persons overall) in various fields by 2016

24 IST Austria: Some Specific Properties Graduate School awarding PhD degrees; no undergraduates No predefined fields, recruitment based only on merit Independent research groups led by Professors and Assistant Professors Tenure-track system according to international standards Focus on multidisciplinary approaches Providing world-class conditions or none Independent boards and leadership Internationality, English language

25 IST Austria: Starting From Scratch - Trying to Build the Best of All Worlds

26 Scientific Careers at IST Austria

27 THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION.

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