The programme is sponsored by Nationalstiftung für Forschung, Technologie und Entwicklung and Österreich-Fonds, supported by the Federal Ministry for Climate Action, Environment, Energy, Mobility, Innovation and Technology (BMK). The focus lies on funding industrial PhD projects to improve qualifications of research and innovation staff in companies and non-university research institutions. An Industrial PhD project is a three-year PhD project performed by an employee of an Austrian company/non-university research institution, who is enrolled as a PhD student at a university during the whole project. Thus, the PhD student will not only get access to industrial research and development, but work as fully integrated professional supporting the transfer of scientific results from academia to industry. Especially for young scientists, a successful research career in an industrial PhD project might lead to being hired as regular staff after the funding period. Moreover, half of the budget is reserved for female applicants to support their career in natural sciences and technology. The application for funding at the Austrian Research Promotion Agency (FFG) is performed by the company.
Funding Facts:
- Applicants: Companies or non-university research institutions with R&D activities in natural science and technology located in Austria
- The Industrial PhD candidate must be employed by an Austrian company/non-university research institution for the duration of the PhD project (at least 50 % of a full-time equivalent).
- Topic of the Industrial PhD thesis: Natural Science and Technology - especially Information technology, mobility, materials and production, environment and energy.
- The funding project must not be started before the funding application is received by the FFG.
- Proposals can be submitted continuously and are continuously evaluated by independent experts.
- Funding decisions are made following the meetings of the advisory board of the FFG General Programmes (advisory board of the FFG Basisprogramme). The dates of the advisory board meetings can be found at the FFG-Website.
- 50 % of the funds are dedicated to female students
- As soon as the funding is exhausted the call will be closed.