Technological Research Institutes Case of Austria

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Technological Research InstitutesCase of Austria
Reinhold Hofer JOANNEUM RESEARCH reinhold.hofer_at_jo
anneum.at
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Introduction

• Technological Research Institutes in Austria
• ACR, ARC, JOANNEUM, Salzburg Research, Upper
  Austria Research
• Historical Remarks
• from quite small and separated institutes to a
  structure of a few larger and a lot of smaller
  institutes
• Functions of RTOs
• From testing and certification to international
  cooperative research partners
• Positioning today?
• Not only bridge-technology-function but
  hub-systems-functions, also heavily
  participating in the national structural
  programmes

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RTOs in Austria Structures
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RTOs in Austria Structures
Austrian Research Centers (ARC)
Upper Austria Research

• Austrian Cooperative Research Centres (ACR)
• - Institute for Building Technology
• - Inst. F. Tescting and Research in Constructions
  Salzburg
• - Research Institute for Housing, Building and
  Planning
• - Holzforschung Austria
• Inst. F. Technical Fire Protection and Safety
  Reserach
• Austrian Inst. f. SME Research
• Food Testing and Research Institute
• Austrian Foundry Institute
• Austrian Inst. f. Applied Telecommunication
• Austrian Textile Research Institute
• Austrian Research Inst. f. Chemistry and
  Technology
• Vienna Model Basin
• Austrian Inst. f. Material Science and Welding
  Technology
• Institute for Cereal Processing
• Research and Testing Centre of the Austrian
  Stove Fitters
• Research Inst. of the Austrian Cement
  Association
• Centre for Electron Microscopy Graz

Salzburg Research
JOANNEUM RESEARCH
3,3 of research performed 4,5 of
employees in research
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RTOs in Austria Structures
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Historical Remarks
Austrian Research Centres, 1997 merging with
Arsenal Research several reorganisations.
Programme-oriented
Österreichisches Forschungszentrum Seibersdorf,
1980 research in non-nuclear areas since the
1970s, increasing contract research
Austrian Research Centre Seibersdorf,
1990 reorganisation technology transfer
Österreichische Studiengesellschaft für
Atomenergie, 1956 Nuclear energy research
Reactor installed
Bundesversuchs- und Forschungsanstalt Arsenal,
1950 Testing, Certification, Development
Bundesforschungs- und Prüfzentrum Arsenal
Climatic wind tunnel, 1961
Arsenal Research new facilities 1997
Four associations (Verein zur Förderung der
Elektronenmikroskopie, Rechenzentrum,
Reaktorinstitut, Institut für Tieftemperaturforsch
ung), 1950s Funding facilities
Umbrella association, Forschungszentrum Graz,
1960s additional institutes
Renamed Forschungsgesellschaft Joanneum in
1984 additional institutes
JOANNEUM RESEARCH founded, 1988 contract research
increases
Several times renamed Number of institutes
increased till founding of JOANNEUM RESEARCH
ACR Several programmes for cooperative research
implemented, since 1995
ACR founded as umbrella association, 1954 Lobbying
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Historical Remarks

• Austrian Cooperative Research Institutes (small
  institutes)
• 1909 Technisches Versuchsamt
• main function testing and certification
• after WW II only 6 survived- between 1947 and
  1953 8 institutes founded
• 1954 foundation of ACR as an umbrella
  organisation
• several new institutes joined and special public
  programmes since 1995 for support in equipment
  and cooperative research
• functions not only testing, but increasing part
  of contract research for applied research and
  development expecially for SMEs
• JOANNEUM RESEARCH after being full member till
  1988 is now an associated member
• Arsenal Research also was full member (founded in
  1950) till merging with ARC in 1997
• Austrian Research Centres (largest
  non-university research organisation)
• 1956 Nuklearforschungszentrum
• main function basic and applied research in
  nuclear research
• several organisational changes fulfilling roles
  defined by several Austrian Research and
  Technology Concepts
• since the 1970s function basic and applied
  research in environmental and energy research
  (Austrias decision against nuclear power
  Zwentendorf 1978 resulting in laws against use of
  nuclear energy)
• increasing part of contract research in other
  areas and internationalisation of research
• integrating Arsenal Research 1997 (testing and
  experimenting)
• shut down of research nuclear reactor ASTRA 1999
  and disassembling till 2004

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Historical Remarks

• The developments from 1950s till today present a
  pattern with
• Firstly, an increase in (free) public core
  funding till the 1980s, being changing towards
  strategic plan-based and bargained public core
  funding, which are being more and more reduced
  untill recent years demanding for alternative
  contract income.
• Secondly, the public subsidizing of technology
  development becoming more programme oriented,
  which resulted in a number of participations of
  PROs in competence centres etc.
• Thirdly, a growth of the larger research
  organisations, being supported by merging
  activities.
• Fourthly, an increasing part of international
  cooperations and projects especially since
  joining EU.
• Fifthly, recently some new role vis-a-vis
  Universities, as they start to increase their
  contracted income.

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Functions

• Development of functions
• testing, certification and support for
  development in SMEs have been starting points
• providing special (large) research facilities has
  been important argument in the 1950s/1960s
• implementing interdisciplinary research for
  social needs have become important in the 1970s
• an increasing part of contract research with
  private enterprises was demanded in the 1980s to
  support growth time of consolidating JOANNEUM
  RESEARCH to second largest research organisation
• also transfer role - science-industry linkages -
  became more prominent in 1980s/1990s
• demanded internationalisation integrating in
  the EU - forced a role towards participating in
  new policy initiatives in 1990s/2000s
• The derived pattern shows an extending field of
  roles and functions in the RTOs history,
  representing a development from being a quality
  element and bridge in NIS towards becoming
  more and more a hub-function with an
  entrepreneural role

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Positioning seen more traditional
Public
Private
Development, Testing, Certification
Research Enterprise
ACR
JR
ARC
Applied Research
AAS
UNI
LBI
Basic Research
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Positioning new network-participation
PPP Models - Austria competitive funding
Development, Testing, Certification
EU RP etc.
Compentence centres for technology clusters
Kind
Applied Research
Competence networks
Knet
Compentence centres for cooperation
science-industry in applied science
Kplus
Basic Research
Labs for applying basic research to industrial
demand
CDG
Regional
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Conclusions for RTOs position in NIS of Austria

• Structure
• two large RTOs and a lot of small institutes
• while a few small (sectoral) institutes had to be
  closed, on the regional level two new players
  appeared
• Functions
• while testing and certification is still in
  place, contract research and internationalisation
  has increased
• some larger non-ACR organisations hold
  participations and act for the regional
  governments
• Positioning
• public funding is given more competitive
  resulting in increased network-participation
  and cooperative projects
• regional governments interpret their PROs partly
  as executive tool for regional technology policy
  measures
• following characteristics of concepts of open
  innovation the RTOs have to manage their
  relationships with other actors
• a sectoral (technology) perspective is changing
  for a innovation system (functions) perspective