An analysis by Elsevier, opens an external URL in a new window, a leading global provider of quality-assured information and decision support for science and healthcare, clearly shows that, whilst Austria is a small country, it is also an excellent nation in the fields of science and technology.

With around 0.1 per cent of the world’s population, we generate approximately 0.8 per cent of global scientific output and, with a Field-Weighted Citation Impact (FWCI, a measure of research quality) of 1.54, achieve a visibility that is 54 per cent above the global average. Research “Made in Austria” thus has an impact across institutions, disciplines and regions and sends a clear signal to the public sector: investment in science and research pays off. This means that, even in the face of significant pressure on public budgets, reliable university budgets must be established to strengthen Austria’s and Europe’s competitiveness.

This country report is part of Elsevier’s “Science Nation” series, which provides comparative data analyses of national and regional research and innovation systems. These reports aim to assess a country’s performance in an international context, evaluate strengths and identify areas for further development:

• Download from TU Austria website: Elsevier country report “Austria as a science and technology nation”[pdf, 2026, English]
• Download from Elsevier website https://www.elsevier.com/academic-and-research-leader/science-nation

Value for money: strong publication and patent performance by universities

The performance of publicly funded universities (note: members of the Universities Conference uniko, opens an external URL in a new window) is impressively demonstrated in the latest report data: according to Elsevier, in the period 2020–2024, universities are primarily responsible for around 75 per cent of all scientific publications in Austria, whilst publicly funded universities of applied sciences account for 3 per cent.

Similarly, worthwhile public investment is reflected in the strong role universities play in the field of innovation: according to a study by the Austrian Patent Office from 2025, opens an external URL in a new window, universities account for 74 per cent (4,179 applications) – by far the largest share of patents and utility models among research institutions since the year 2000. Non-university institutions follow with 23.4 per cent (1,323 applications), and universities of applied sciences with 2.5 per cent (142 applications). These figures underline the central importance of universities as a cornerstone of Austria as a centre for science and innovation.

TU Austria: Austria’s Deep Tech Engine

TU Austria – the alliance comprising TU Wien, TU Graz, Montanuniversität Leoben and the associated partners BOKU and the technical faculties of the University of Innsbruck and JKU Linz – combines complementary strengths into an ecosystem that individual universities could not achieve on their own. This creates critical mass, reduces transaction costs for large consortia and makes Austria internationally competitive.

Measurable competitive advantage: value creation through science–business and industry cooperation

Austria’s research output is based on cooperation: 67 per cent of all publications result from international collaboration – significantly above the EU-27 average of 43 per cent.

This openness enhances visibility, accelerates knowledge exchange and boosts competitiveness in European funding programmes. Patent-related indicators and strong science-industry co-authorship show that technical research is deeply embedded in industry and feeds into inventions and technology development, which is particularly relevant for engineering sciences.

This close link between industrial companies and domestic research institutions is also evident in the fact that 8.8 per cent of Austrian publications are produced in collaboration with corporate partners (EU: 3.9 per cent, global: 2.6 per cent). The TU Austria Alliance, with a figure of 10.2 per cent, is once again significantly higher – clear evidence of the close integration of basic research and application, as well as a sustainable innovation ecosystem. Technical universities such as Graz University of Technology achieve top scores in co-publications with industry partners, which highlights the direct translation into usable technologies. This pattern is structural: technical institutions are particularly strong where research is directly linked to innovation.

Key technologies: high research intensity in Austria

Austria exhibits a research intensity above the global average in key areas:

• In the field of Artificial Intelligence, TU Wien (1,032 publications, FWCI 1.87) and TU Graz (724 publications, FWCI 1.86) form the backbone of Austrian AI research, with TU Austria’s corporate partners (Silicon Austria Labs, Infineon Technologies Austria AG, AVL List GmbH) acting as a central interface between science and industry.
• In the field of quantum technologies, Austria exceeds the global and EU averages (1.2 per cent of Austrian output compared to 0.8 per cent globally and in the EU), with its citation performance surpassing that of all G7 countries; the University of Innsbruck is Austria’s second most productive institution in the field of quantum technology (507 publications, FWCI 2.45).
• In the field of materials (advanced materials and critical materials), the Montanuniversität Leoben, TU Wien and TU Graz occupy the top three places. TU Austria records the highest number of cited patents in this field, with voestalpine AG being the leading industrial partner.

From evidence to impact: Austrian research relevant to policy decisions and the achievement of societal goals

8.9 per cent of Austrian research is cited in policy documents (reports from governments, NGOs or international organisations, think tanks, etc.) – above the EU average and significantly above the global benchmark. This shows that our universities provide evidence-based contributions to policy decisions and framework conditions. Universities thus contribute not only to technological development, but also to critical thinking, evidence-based discourse and democratic resilience. A strength that is gaining strategic importance in times of geopolitical uncertainty. Furthermore, SDG and policy signals position universities as implementation-oriented system partners for the energy transition, climate protection, industrial transformation and resilient cities. All areas characterised by high technical complexity and long investment horizons.

A key success factor: a collaborative and complementary higher education system

Austria’s higher education system is an ecosystem based on the division of labour: comprehensive universities ensure breadth, medical universities combine high publication output with consistently strong citation impact, whilst technical universities and non-university research institutions are particularly strong where research is directly linked to industry and innovation. This division of roles explains how Austria performs above average across several dimensions simultaneously.

Focus, talent, stability: sustainable framework conditions are a prerequisite

The data speaks for itself: Austria’s universities demonstrate scientific, economic and societal impact far beyond the boundaries of the system. To ensure this remains the case, they require stable framework conditions, sustainable talent development and a consolidated, open research and technology policy. Industry is already investing heavily and accounts for a significant share of total government R&D expenditure, but investment in projects with universities is declining noticeably. To secure Austria’s innovative strength and technological sovereignty, research and teaching institutions must rely on reliable public budgets, which serve as a powerful lever for private investment and as a guarantee for cutting-edge research and competitiveness.

The current country report also represents a data-driven contribution to the BMFWF’s “Higher Education Strategy 2040, opens an external URL in a new window”, which is currently in development; this strategy covers eight thematic areas and is based on broad stakeholder participation. The quantitative focus of the report lies primarily on the thematic areas to which bibliometrics can contribute (international visibility, excellence, knowledge transfer, policy implementation) and should be read in conjunction with complementary findings on teaching and learning conditions, inclusion, career pathways, governance and funding.

Austria is a “hidden champion” in science and technology, with international visibility, high quality, strong networking and a direct impact on the economy and politics. Every euro invested in our universities and the entire higher education system contributes to excellence, innovation, social progress and prosperity. TU Austria and its partners stand ready to continue actively shaping the Austrian research and innovation landscape in order to generate value, promote resilience and secure Europe’s technological sovereignty.

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