Austria's Competitiveness in Key Enabling Technologies

Key technologies are fields of technology that are either widely applicable and therefore central to competitiveness in many industries or are of great importance for solving social challenges. A profile of Austria's strengths and weaknesses in these technologies is drawn on the basis of patent, trade and company or start-up data and interviews with key technology platforms, as shown in the following figure.

The findings serve as an evidence base for options for action to promote key technologies in Austria. It is not only important to promote research, but also to support companies in the use or application of the technologies. As cross-sectional technologies, companies usually have to master several of these technologies in order to maintain their competitiveness.

Options for action open up against the background of a well-developed research and innovation funding system in Austria, for example with regard to direct research funding, but also support for infrastructure or non-university applied institutions that are active in this field. The study suggests examining four options in particular to support key technologies in Austria:

• A stronger anchoring of computer science or basic digital education in schools. In upper secondary schools, computer science accounts for less than 2 percent of all compulsory weekly lessons.
• A separate programme to promote the use of key technologies with a focus on small and medium-sized enterprises.
• Strengthening universities, especially technical universities, in the field of key technologies. The Vienna University of Technology (TU Vienna) or the Graz University of Technology (TU Graz), for example, have far fewer resources than the Federal Institute of Technology Zurich (ETH Zurich) or the Technical University of Munich (TUM). However, it is precisely there that young talent for artificial intelligence is being trained.
• Increased funding of basic research in the field of key technologies, e.g., through an open-topic programme of the Austrian Science Fund (FWF).