SOTB: Some Of The Best (working title)

SOTB^[a] is an initiative to attract U.S.-based researchers to the Vienna Region

(draft 1.1, Author MS, 300425)

  Our Approach

Who are we?

SOTB is an initiative to attract scientists of all nationalities based in the U.S. to the Vienna region. The informal group consists of top managers / owners of important Vienna-based companies, top representatives from foundations and funders, leaders of major universities, and engaged citizens. This document should help stakeholders to better orient and answer FAQ. In a next step targeted documents, e.g. for potential funders, will be produced.  

Why do we act together now?

The recent U.S. government actions on science are unprecedented. They might for a long period weaken the U.S research system and endanger international cooperation and fulfilment of SDGs and health related targets. Substantial cuts are executed: https://www.science.org/content/article/nsf-has-awarded-almost-50-fewer-grants-trump-took-office. The attached letter from ASCINA (Austrian Scientist Network in the U.S.) gives an additional flavor.

In Vienna institutions and stakeholders shape a dynamic, growing and well interconnected science and technology ecosystem. We can act place-based and driven by strong quality imperatives: We want to be advocates for top science as well as for the Vienna region as a prime research location. Therefore, we agree on a goal more of a pragmatic than of a moral nature, which means we shall and will act now to realise opportunities for the Vienna region.

What is our goal and what are the “Three T’s”?

We join forces to attract great scientists to the Vienna region. We focus on established researchers and rising stars, as other sources will be available for junior PostDocs and PhD students. We act now, but all know that the initiative will be a mid-term endeavor.

The SOTB initiative focuses on clear messages and instruments, therefore on “Three T’s”: Topics, Tools, and Tickets. At the core it is all about money:

• The Topics are clearly visible, covering a wide range of disciplines, based on Vienna strengths and Vienna needs (below).
• The Tools are all there, ranging from opportunity hiring^[1] and speeding up of recruitment procedures to joint Vienna-U.S. affiliations or the dedicated Vienna Research Group (VRG) program to attract younger top talent.
• The Tickets, however, still have to be drawn. Tickets are invitations to private wealth (corporate, foundations, individuals) to contribute to the recruitments. The SOTB initiative is a formidable call for action to raise private funds … and, yes, we would say this also in absence of the current federal budget crisis.  

N.B.: There are numerous goals of great importance which our initiative does not target: Data sovereignty, integrity of global databanks and flows, science diplomacy, public research budgets in Austria, and many more. We are aware of these challenges.

What makes Vienna a special place?

The Vienna region is a large, strong and quickly improving research location. It houses numerous universities and research institutions, approx.200.000 students and 50.000 researchers and many research-intensive companies.

The academic landscape shows great strengths in various fields within clusters like quantum technologies, (micro-)biology, medicine and health, environmental sciences incl. advanced materials, and computer sciences. The collaborative spirit and cross-disciplinary work have grown dramatically in the last years, both within and beyond institutions. Institutional success stories include IMP (private, life sciences), CeMM and IMBA (Academy, life sciences); AITHYRA (new AI center, Academy and private foundation); Quantum Physics (Univ. Vienna, TU Wien, Academy); ISTA (multidisciplinary); microbiology research (Cluster of Excellence / CoE, Univ. Vienna and others); bilateral AI (CoE, TU Wien and others); two CoE for circular economy (BOKU and others) and materials for energy conversion and storage (TU Wien and others.)

Therefore, many academic top landing places do exist, and they are the primary attractors for top people. As a secondary location factor, Vienna offers all that is needed^[2]:

• A beautiful city full of cultural wonders
• According to many rankings, the most livable city in the world, providing for fantastic public infrastructures, and working as a global hub
• A strong and vibrant economy
• A city allowing for relatively low cost of living, including housing, childcare and education, health and social services

What is still needed?

The intervention logic is clear: It is all about strengthening already strong areas to make Vienna a global leader in certain scientific fields with strong ties to the economy. Top talent attracts and breeds top talent, and it serves economic and societal needs best. The U.S. situation is an opportunity to increase now the efforts in scale and speed.  

“Three T’s” and what we can we do: Attract to the Vienna Region

Topics, the first “T”: where to pragmatically focus on?

The topics are selected in a pragmatic way for the SOTB initiative as a kind of common denominator along the following criteria:

• Existing research community of global significance (CoE, ERC as proxy indicators)
• Recent successes and growth (tbd, examples by the universities)^[b]
• Societal and economic importance (CDL and Wien 2030 as proxies)

The following table gives a quick overview, based on readily available indicators. In each of the fields mentioned a critical mass of top research groups is present.

Criteria: A first overview

Explanations

VR = Vienna Region: Provinces of Vienna and Lower Austria 

ERC: European Research Council, indicator for top academic research for a European comparison. Accumulated ERC grants 2007-2024 including grants applied from an Austrian institution but research conducted elsewhere / not started at all. Austria ranks 5th in terms of ERC grants / 100.000 population. The most successful countries are Israel, Switzerland, Netherlands and Denmark.

ERC-VR: cumulative number of ERC in the Vienna region in the respective fields. ERC-VR %AT is the share ERC grants in the Vienna Region with regard to Austria.

ERC field definitions: Quantum Science & Technologies: search term in abstracts: “quantum”; Computer Science includes ERC Panels PE6&7; AI/ML: search terms in abstracts: “artificial intelligence”, “machine learning”, “AI”, “ML”, includes projects in SH and LS which use AI/ML methods; Life Sciences: all ERC Life Sciences Panels; Health and Medicine includes ERC Panels LS4-7; Environmental Sciences includes ERC Panels PE10 & LS8; Soc. Sci. & Hum.: All ERC panels included. Adjusted for population size, Austria ranks 7 in the Soc. Sci. & Hum domain in Europe. Particular strengths are in the fields of history, cultural sciences, demography, political sciences and cognitive sciences.  

FWF Funded Center of Excellence: large collaborative research clusters with multiple institutions involved, funding period: 7 years. Counting the number of CoE with the lead institutions in Vienna (VR) or elsewhere in Austria. Viennese institutions are involved in all clusters.

CDL: Christian Doppler Labs, indicator for science-industry collaboration. All currently running CD-Labs are included (91). CD-Labs VR % AT is the share CD-Labs grants in the Vienna Region with regard to Austria. CD-Labs thematically clustered by authors.

Wien 2030: Field named in Vienna Innovation strategy as strategic priority. https://www.wien.gv.at/english/business-media/vienna-2030.html 

* Not as a separate topic but integral part of other fields.

Note that the federal RTI Strategy has no specific priority topics, but all topics mentioned are covered by specific programs and funds; and are also listed in the work program of the new Austrian government 2025-2030.

Tools, the second “T”: Which kinds of preferred recruitment instruments at hand?

1.          Top professor recruitment:

Who is the vis-à-vis of the donor? University leadership

Whom to attract? A university plans to recruit a five-star professor, leader in their field and a magnet for further talent. Recruitment is done by the university, e.g. directly via opportunity hiring.

Which kind of needs? Such a person needs both a considerable long-term funding (salary, a few PhD and PostDoc positions) and often a large starting package (lab, instruments, more positions).

Who should contribute? The long-term part must come from the university budget – as we cannot realistically expect 10+ Mio. € individual donations for an endowed professorship. The starting package has to be co-funded by private donors. The approx. range here is from 200.000 € (equals a PhD student or a less expensive instrument) to 1 Mio. € and more (significant part of instrument or lab cost).

2.        Specified fast-track recruitments

Similar to 1., top professor recruitment. Vienna universities plan to prioritise a number of professor / tenure track recruitments, i.e. open the calls much earlier than originally planned. Here the properties and instruments mentioned above also apply.

3.        Guest Professorships and Double Affiliations

Who is the vis-à-vis of the donor? University leadership

Whom to attract? A university plans to offer a temporary stay or a long-term second affiliation for a senior U.S.-based researcher. This can reach from a three-months visit (à TUM visiting professor example) to a permanent 20+% Vienna affiliation with the opportunity to expand it over time.

Which kind of needs? Broad. Universities need support in offering a visiting professor program for a temporary stay (many, individual low cost) and for individual double affiliations (some, individual cost varies).

Who should contribute? In principle, universities have resources for such activities, but here are attractive opportunities for donors to set a signal with more limited resources. The money can also come after a decision has been taken by the university. We speak here of a minimum of 100.000 € per donation.

4.          Rising stars to become professors in Vienna: WWTF Vienna Research Groups

Who is the main vis-à-vis of the donor? The Vienna Science and Technology Fund (WWTF) as funding organization

Whom to attract? WWTF makes calls along specific topics for rising stars. These are aspiring researchers from the best universities across the globe up to eight years after PhD. Universities pre-select candidates and promise a tenure track career, WWTF runs the international selection process and funds the successful candidates with up to 1.8 Mio. € (more information can be found in the Vienna Research Groups for Young Investigators Folder).

Which kind of needs? WWTF with its own means can only fund approx. three positions every year. Each donation increases the chances to bring more rising stars to Vienna, as every private Euro is being matched 1:1 by the City of Vienna.

Who should contribute and how? WWTF cares for the main cost of funding. The approx. range here for donations is from 200.000 € individual donation upwards. WWTF needs to have commitments when the funding decisions are being made (time schedules to be announced).

Tickets, the third “T”: How to place your contribution and how do donors profit ?

How much and when? Apart from smaller contributions to guest professorship programs, the SOTB initiative aims at donations ranging from 200.000 € to a seven-digit € sum. Such donations can come as one payment or in 2-8 annual instalments. Although recruitments and namely relocation will need time, upfront donations are highly valued to ensure a waterproof starting package.

How to start? Get in contact to university leaders or WWTF managing director. These institutions will also actively promote the initiative.

Are tax deductions possible? All three options allow for tax advantages: Donations to universities and WWTF can be deducted, there are also possibilities for cross-border tax-deductible donations. Donations to WWTF in addition trigger public matching funds.

Which other advantages for donors? As practiced in past cases, the private donors are offered privileged access to researchers and current research developments (e.g. dinners, lab visits, etc.) and strategic dialogue with university leadership. Donations always guarantee free research and publications, while exclusive IP or other preferential rights only come with additional and specific contract research.

How to enlarge the initiative? In a first step it is crucial to enlarge the circle of potential donors. A too quick enlargement of the other side however would not make the start easier.