Endowed professorship
The establishment of endowed professorships is designed to strengthen important areas of knowledge for Austria’s innovation system and contribute to promoting cooperation between science and industry. The Austrian Federal Ministry of Climate Action, Environment, Energy, Mobility, Innovation and Technology (BMK) as funding body supports endowed professorships in relevant research areas that are characterised by substantial academic expertise but still show some gaps. Endowed professorships are meant to strengthen R&D structures and to engage research capacity and human potential for Austrian companies.
Endowed professors build bridges by connecting industry and academia and give universities room to make their mark, to open up new research areas and to respond to current trends. They meet industry’s demand for highly trained experts and cooperation partners at the universities and they enhance the overall attractiveness of Austria as a research location.
Companies benefit in the long term from the sustained development of human potential in areas that are of strategic relevance to them. An endowed professorship has a positive impact on a company’s image and helps harness commitment from qualified young researchers