Industrienahe Dissertationen 2024 (Industrial PhD)

The aim of this call is to structurally improve the availability of excellent research personnel to meet the needs of Austrian industry in the defined call topics. Existing cooperative relationships between science and industry are strengthened.

Eligible for funding are PhD projects that address a scientific or technical research question in the following call topics:

• Energy Transition
• Mobility Transition
• Circular economy and production technologies
• Climate-neutral City
• Space and aviation technologies
• Digital and key technologies
• AI for green

• Companies with research and development activities located in Austria
• Non-university research organisations with located in Austria

A maximum of 3 applications can be funded per organisation. If companies are affiliated with other organisations, their applications are added and are subject to this cap. Around 50% of the funds in each call topic are earmarked for women.

A maximum of EUR 110,000 per project or a maximum of 50% of the total costs are funded. The focus of the funding is on the costs of the doctoral candidate.

• The PhD candidate must be employed at least 50 % of a full-time equivalent
• Personnel development measures and good integration into the organisation (mentor)
• Supervision at a university (confirmation of supervision)
• Enrolment at a university during the entire project period
• Project start at the earliest after submission of the funding application and within 12 months of submission

Projects can be submitted via eCall from 1 March 2024 until 28 February 2025 at the latest. If the funding is exhausted before 28 February 2023, the call will be closed before the scheduled end (completely, or for individual call topics).

The funds in the following call topics are exhausted:

• Circular economy and production technologies (Only funds for female doctoral candidates are still available.)
• Mobility Transition

A decision can be expected approximately two to three months after the submission of the application.