Target group

The program is aimed at consortia of three to seven internationally outstanding researchers at one or more Austrian research institutions.

Funding goals

The program gives researchers the opportunity to undertake high-risk, pioneering work in basic research and to courageously depart from established approaches. The focus is on research projects that have the potential to generate groundbreaking findings. The risk inherent in such projects is also their greatest strength: Researchers' ideas must have the potential to open up a new field of research, transform an existing field of research, and/or bring about a paradigm shift within or between disciplines. Only by taking such risks can the disruptive innovations emerge that truly advance scientific research.

The program is particularly open to interdisciplinary teams, researchers involved in arts-based research who apply aesthetic and artistic methods, and transdisciplinary approaches that involve non-academic participants from outside the scientific community.

Funding period and funding amount

• €3 to 7 million for 60 months
• Continuation of the project depends on an interim review after three years

Requirements

• Consortium of three to seven researchers from universities and universities of applied sciences with outstanding research records by FWF standards
• High scientific quality by international standards
• No more than approximately 2/3 of the total number of consortium members may be men.
• For further details, please see the application guidelines.

Approval

• Single-stage submission with three-stage peer review
• Decision by the Scientific Board based on the recommendation of an international multidisciplinary jury; recommendations are based on an international written review and a hearing, where applicable.

Number of eligible projects

Approximately 4–6 projects

Funding institution

Austrian Science Fund (FWF)