Lower Austria and Vienna extend research partnership
Wednesday 26th August 2026 on 16:00 in
Austria
Lower Austria and Vienna have extended their research partnership until October 2028, ORF reported. The cooperation between the state of Lower Austria and the Vienna Science, Research and Technology Fund has aimed to link research in the two regions more closely since 2019.
The partnership is intended to combine scientific excellence with technological development and advance joint innovations from basic research to applications and solutions for business and society. The extension was announced on Wednesday at the House of Digitization in Tulln.
Since the cooperation began, 17 research projects with a total value of 11.7 million euros have been completed. A further three million euros will now be made available for research projects through October 2028.
Lower Austria Deputy Governor Stephan Pernkopf said the partnership showed how research cooperation between the two states could work successfully.
An important part of the agreement is the participation of Lower Austrian research institutions in projects funded by the Vienna Science, Research and Technology Fund. They can contribute between 20 and 49 percent of a project, with the state covering the share of the Lower Austrian institutions. Nine different Lower Austrian research institutions have participated in this way so far.
The partnership also produced Heurika, a research event where scientific topics are discussed in an informal setting. Health has been another focus. Projects involving the University of Vienna and the University College of Teacher Education Lower Austria have examined psychological stress among children and young people.
Michael Häupl, the former mayor of Vienna and president of the Vienna Science, Research and Technology Fund, said coordinated action between Vienna and Lower Austria was necessary because science was international. He also stressed the importance of clear and reliable funding agreements.
One funded project examined online hate commentators. Working with 300 young people, researchers explored ways to respond to hate on the internet and developed an app that uses artificial intelligence to generate replies to hateful comments.