Strategic priorities
Source: https://www.univie.ac.at/en/research/strategic-priorities Parent: https://www.univie.ac.at/en/research/prizes-and-awards/erc-grants
In today’s world, new knowledge, technological and societal developments chase each other with unprecedented speed, generating opportunities but also new, complex challenges.
The University of Vienna, a top 100 university, spans a wide range of disciplines, from natural and life sciences to arts and humanities, and can therefore play a unique role in addressing these challenges. Building on our established strengths, we have identified six strategic priorities where we aim to make a meaningful impact by harnessing the insight and expertise of our scholars and educators.
- Digital and Data-Driven Transformations of Science and Society
- Climate, Environment, Sustainability
- Global Health: Physical, Mental and Social Dimensions of Health
- Systems of Life
- Quantum Systems and Materials for the Future
What are cultural identities and political systems? How can we guarantee high-quality education? What roles do language, religion and demographic change play in the pluralistic society of the 21st century?
The Culture, Education and Democracy strategic priority addresses the foundations of human coexistence and communication in the face of racial, gender, and political conflicts.
Working on this strategic priority:
Research networks
- Research Network for Democracy and Human Rights
- Research Center for the History of Transformations (RECET)
Research platforms
- The Challenge of Urban Futures: governing the complexities in European cities
- Transformations and Eastern Europe
- Mediatised Lifeworlds: Young people's narrative constructions, connections and appropriations
- Mobile Cultures and Societies
- Responsible Research and Innovation in Academic Practice
- Gender: Ambivalent In_Visibilities (GAIN)
- Multilateralism Revisited: The Past, Present, and Future of International Negotiation and Cooperation
- Trustworthy Science Communication
Interinstitutional research networks
- Joint Research Network Elfriede Jelinek! with the Music and Arts University of the City of Vienna (MUK)
[#### Muschik, Eva-Maria
04.09.2025 ERC Grants
ERC Starting Grant for the SHOCKAGE research project](https://www.univie.ac.at/en/research/strategic-priorities/details/muschik-eva-maria)
[#### Zysiak, Agata
04.09.2025 ERC Grants
ERC Starting Grant for the CLASS-UP research project](https://www.univie.ac.at/en/research/strategic-priorities/details/zysiak-agata)
[#### Boykov, Grigor
05.12.2024 ERC Grants
ERC Consolidator Grant for the OttomanCORE research project](https://www.univie.ac.at/en/research/strategic-priorities/details/boykov-grigor)
[#### Erismann, Christophe
11.04.2024 ERC Grants
ERC Advanced Grant for the research project This_one_There](https://www.univie.ac.at/en/research/strategic-priorities/details/erismann-christophe)
[#### Lanzinger, Margareth
11.04.2024 ERC Grants
ERC Advanced Grant for the ALPINNKONNECT research project](https://www.univie.ac.at/en/research/strategic-priorities/details/lanzinger-margareth)
New technologies, especially artificial intelligence and machine learning, are rapidly and radically changing our private and professional life. Can we harness their power and ensure a sustainable, human-centred application?
The University of Vienna is perfectly positioned to contribute to the development of these technologies and to explore their impact on society, ethics and law.
Working on this strategic priority:
Research networks
Research platforms
- Governance of digital practices (until 2024)
[#### Quantum computers boost machine learning algorithms
06.06.2025 Press release
New findings published in Nature Photonics](https://www.univie.ac.at/en/research/strategic-priorities/details/quantum-computers-boost-machine-learning-algorithms)
[#### Flipping the Script: Inverse-Design as Game-Changer in Physics
04.02.2025 Press release
Novel processor uses magnons to crack complex problems](https://www.univie.ac.at/en/research/strategic-priorities/details/flipping-the-script-inverse-design-as-game-changer-in-physics)
How can we contribute to making Earth’s ecosystem stable, sustainable and fair? Can climate change be stopped, and how?
Academics from different disciplines join forces and investigate these key issues in the Climate, Environment, Sustainability strategic priority in depth.
Working on this strategic priority:
Research networks
Research platforms
- Secondary metabolomes of bacterial communities
- Plastics in the Environment and Society (PLENTY)
- The Comammox Research Platform
- Pollution of the Atmosphere by a Rapidly Growing Space Industry (PATSI)
- STRENGTH: Strengthening Resilience and Preparedness to Prevent and React to Emerging Socio-Natural Hazards and Risks
Interinstitutional research networks
- Vienna Network for Atmospheric Research (VINAR) with Geosphere Austria
[#### Wagner, Stefan
05.11.2025 ERC Grants
ERC Synergy Grant for the SUSTECH research project](https://www.univie.ac.at/en/research/strategic-priorities/details/wagner-stefan-1)
[#### Wöbken, Dagmar
17.06.2025 ERC Grants
ERC Advanced Grant for the WinMicAct research project](https://www.univie.ac.at/en/research/strategic-priorities/details/woebken-dagmar)
[#### Kitzinger, Katharina
05.12.2024 ERC Grants
ERC Synergy Grant for the RECLESS research project](https://www.univie.ac.at/en/research/strategic-priorities/details/kitzinger-katharina)
[#### Öztürk, Ugur
29.08.2024 ERC Grants
ERC Starting Grant for the UrbanSlide research project](https://www.univie.ac.at/en/research/strategic-priorities/details/oeztuerk-ugur)
[#### Herndl, Gerhard
11.04.2024 ERC Grants
ERC Advanced Grant for the NEREIDES research project](https://www.univie.ac.at/en/research/strategic-priorities/details/herndl-gerhard)
Social inequalities, nutrition, physical activity and the media affect our identity, health and well-being.
In the Global Health strategic priority, academics connect across disciplinary boundaries to investigate how we can promote physical and mental health for all people.
Working on this strategic priority:
Research networks
Research platforms
- The Stress of Life - Processes and Mechanisms underlying Everyday Life Stress
- AIPN - AI-powered Personalized Nutrition for well-being and disease prevention
- Non-Enzymatic Protein Modifications in Neurodegeneration
Interinstitutional research networks
- Post-Covid Care \ (Inter-university cluster project with MedUni Vienna)
- Harnessing AI to Strengthen Vaccination Communication \ (Inter-university cluster project with MedUni Vienna)
- AICARD - Transforming Cardiac Research \ (Inter-university cluster project with MedUni Vienna)
[#### Durnová, Anna
17.06.2025 ERC Grants
ERC Advanced Grant for the LONERS research project](https://www.univie.ac.at/en/research/strategic-priorities/details/durnova-anna)
[#### Haddad, Christian
28.02.2025 ERC Grants
ERC Starting Grant for the ALTERBIOTIC research project](https://www.univie.ac.at/en/research/strategic-priorities/details/haddad-christian)
[#### Muttenthaler, Markus
23.01.2025 ERC Grants
ERC Proof of Concept for the research project Theranostic Peptide Tracers for Breast Cancer](https://www.univie.ac.at/en/research/strategic-priorities/details/muttenthaler-markus)
[#### Nemec, Birgit
27.12.2024 ERC Grants
ERC Starting Grant for the research project Beyond Thalidomide](https://www.univie.ac.at/en/research/strategic-priorities/details/nemec-birgit)
[#### Kainz, Hans
05.12.2024 ERC Grants
ERC Consolidator Grant for the INSIDE-BONE research project](https://www.univie.ac.at/en/research/strategic-priorities/details/kainz-hans)
[#### Anderson-Wagner, Isabella
29.08.2024 ERC Grants
ERC Starting Grant for the MemoryLane research project](https://www.univie.ac.at/en/research/strategic-priorities/details/anderson-wagner-isabella)
Can we explore life in all its facets, ranging from molecular secrets to planetary connections?
Under the Systems of Life strategic priority, researchers from diverse disciplines explore the complex networks that underpin our world.
Working on this strategic priority:
Reearch networks
Research platforms
- Mineralogical Preservation of the Human Biome from the Depth of Time
- Next Generation Macrocycles to Address Challenging Protein Interfaces
- Single Cell Regulation of Stem Cells
- Vienna Metabolomics Center
Interinstitutional research networks
- Human Evolution & Archaeological Sciences (HEAS) \ (interinstitutional research network with the Austrian Academy of Sciences and the Natural History Museum, Vienna)
[#### Kurzbach, Dennis
09.12.2025 ERC Grants
ERC Consolidator Grant for the EVOCAT research project](https://www.univie.ac.at/en/research/strategic-priorities/details/kurzbach-dennis)
[#### Martens, Sascha
05.11.2025 ERC Grants
ERC Synergy Grant for the DegrAbility research project](https://www.univie.ac.at/en/research/strategic-priorities/details/martens-sascha)
[#### Sørensen, Megan
04.09.2025 ERC Grants
ERC Starting Grant für das Forschungsprojekt TRANSITIONS](https://www.univie.ac.at/en/research/strategic-priorities/details/soerensen-megan)
[#### Sachdeva, Himani
07.07.2025 ERC Grants
ERC Consolidator Grant for the Genes in Space research project](https://www.univie.ac.at/en/research/strategic-priorities/details/sachdeva-himani)
[#### Ries, Jonas
23.01.2025 ERC Grants
ERC Proof of Concept for the MINFLUX research project](https://www.univie.ac.at/en/research/strategic-priorities/details/ries-jonas)
[#### Bücker, Christa
05.12.2024 ERC Grants
ERC Consolidator Grant for the GENE-TUNE research project](https://www.univie.ac.at/en/research/strategic-priorities/details/buecker-christa)
Ready to face the challenges of the future? At the University of Vienna, scientists in the fields of quantum physics, materials science, mathematics and computer science investigate fundamental questions on space, time and gravity and develop technologies and materials of the future, such as quantum computing or intelligent and green materials.
In 2025, 100 years of quantum research were celebrated. The University of Vienna discussed the topic intensively as part of the 2025 semester question. Read about it in the Rudolphina, the research magazine of the University of Vienna.
Working on this strategic priority:
Research platforms
- Research platform Accelerating Photoreaction Discovery
- Research platform MMM Mathematics-Magnetism-Materials
- Materials At The Edge (MATE)
Interinstitutional research networks
- Interinstitutional research network Quantum Aspects of Spacetime (TURIS) (with the Austrian Academy of Sciences)
[#### Chemists provide new 'atlas' for reliable experiments
03.11.2025 Press release
Data and practical instructions for reliable experiments with polyoxometalates](https://www.univie.ac.at/en/research/strategic-priorities/details/chemists-provide-new-atlas-for-reliable-experiments)
[#### Measuring How Molecules Communicate
21.08.2025 Press release
New method enables direct measurement of partial charges in molecules](https://www.univie.ac.at/en/research/strategic-priorities/details/measuring-how-molecules-communicate)
[#### Quantum computers boost machine learning algorithms
06.06.2025 Press release
New findings published in Nature Photonics](https://www.univie.ac.at/en/research/strategic-priorities/details/quantum-computers-boost-machine-learning-algorithms)