News from the Research Support Center

• Empowering SFU's Research Community: Highlights & Developments 
• Building Capacities: Effective FWF Proposal Training
• From Application To Impact: Meet Pure
• New Guidelines for Third-Party Funded Projects

Funding Opportunities

• BiodivConnect (EU - FWF / 📆 7.11.2025)
• European Partnership OHAMR (EU - FWF / 📆 Q4/2025)

Mobility Programmes

• Erwin Schrödinger Programme (FWF / 📆 continuous submission)

Research News: Spotlight on the Faculties

• Highlights from the Faculty of Psychotherapy Science
• Latest Research News from the Faculty of Psychology
• Research Advances from the Faculty of Law
• What's New in Research at the Faculty of Medicine

Third Mission & Outreach

• Share Knowledge, Spark Curiosity: Funding for Science Communication

In the academic year 2024/2025, the Research Support Center (Zentrale Forschungstelle – ZFS) continued to expand and strengthen research expertise across the SFU community. Through a combination of individual consultations and institutional capacity building, we offered tailored support and shared resources to support researchers at every stage of their work.

• Highlights of the past months included the publication of our research newsletters in March 2025 and June 2025, featuring funding updates, success stories, and key insights into national and EU programmes. 

• Our FWF Coaching Workshops offered researchers hands-on training in the art of proposal writing and funding strategy development. 

• We launched and continue to update our new Research Intranet, a central hub designed to provide the SFU research community with easy access to guidelines, tools, and upcoming opportunities. 

• A major step forward was also achieved with the Expression of Interest Programme for ERC Grants, developed in line with the future research vision of the new rectorate. This initiative, launched in summer 2025, aims to attract leading researchers and foster high-profile projects at SFU.

In line with SFU’s vision to strengthen capacity for third-party funding acquisition, the university  fully covered the costs of coaching workshops on submitting FWF proposals. 

These online workshops took place on 8 May and 23 July 2025. Combining expert input with practical exercises based on real proposals, they guided participants through FWF funding principles, decision-making processes, and application dos and don’ts. 

Researchers from all disciplines attended, especially those planning to submit FWF proposals soon. Participant feedback underlined the workshops’ value: 

"The workshop was very good and clearly structured. The facilitators guided us comprehensively through the process and addressed questions carefully. The practical parts were very helpful. Even with an unfamiliar proposal, the review criteria were well explained.” 

Take advantage of upcoming training opportunities to sharpen your proposal design skills and check out the next available sessions.

We are excited to announce the launch of Pure, our new research information management system. Pure brings together all aspects of the research process in one place – from project applications to reporting – making administration easier and research more visible.

Thanks to this new platform, you benefit from faster approvals, fewer emails, automatic data imports for improved accuracy, and effortless creation of CVs and public research profiles. The portal also fosters collaboration and increases the visibility of our university’s research worldwide.

To help you get started, faculty-specific Q&A sessions via MS Teams are available, along with a detailed user guide. Get all the resources and support materials you need at our  Research Intranet.

Pure is here to streamline your work and showcase your achievements — get started now and help shape our shared research profile!

We kindly ask for your support in enhancing transparency in reporting research achievements by entering all required data by December 1.

Accurate and complete research reporting is crucial not only for internal planning and evaluation but also for communicating our achievements to the public.

Please ensure that all relevant information is carefully and completely entered to maintain high data quality. This not only supports the SFU’s acrreditation and reporting requirements but also enhances the visibility of your research in the public portal.

After the deadline, please continue to add past research outputs to keep your profile and scientific record as comprehensive as possible.

The public portal will go live in December 2025.

We are pleased to inform you that the new Guidelines on the Acquisition and Conduction of Third-Party Funded Projects are now in effect and available in our research information system Pure. 

The guidelines clearly define responsibilities throughout all phases of a project and aim to increase transparency, improve reporting, and ensure consistent documentation across all research activities. 

These measures are designed to: 

• streamline project management and approval processes, 

• strengthen compliance and accountability, and 

• provide better support for researchers in managing administrative requirements. 

Effective immediately, all new projects must go through the approval process in Pure before they can begin. 

All relevant information and documents are available on the Research Intranet. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact the Research Support Center. 

BiodivConnect – Restoration of Ecosystem Functioning, Integrity, and Connectivity 

EU – FWF (Austrian Science Fund)

The BiodivConnect call aims to foster innovative research that can be integrated into nature restoration practices for interconnected, well-functioning ecosystems and habitats, with special emphasis on long-term sustainability and the future-proofing of restoration efforts.

This call focuses on three main topics:

Topic 1: Setting restoration targets and measuring success

Topic 2: Transferability and scaling of nature restoration efforts

Topic 3: Resilience and sustainability of restoration efforts

Proposals may address one or more of these topics. The call covers biodiversity restoration in all types of ecosystems and habitats, across all regions of the world.

Research proposals must demonstrate significant transnational added value. In addition, they are expected to be interdisciplinary, involving – where appropriate – multiple academic disciplines (natural sciences, technical sciences, social sciences, humanities and the arts).

Funding volumne: max. € 450000 for 36 months
Deadline: 7 November 2025, 12:00 CET

European Partnership OHAMR – European Partnership One Health Antimicrobial Resistance  

EU – FWF (Austrian Science Fund)

The mission of the European Partnership One Health Antimicrobial Resistance (EUP OHAMR) is to strengthen One Health research and innovation for improved surveillance of resistant pathogens, better diagnostics, effective treatments, and preventive measures that reduce antimicrobial use and the spread of AMR.

The requirements and specifications for the FWF programmes Principal Investigator Projects or Clinical Research apply.

The first call for proposals is scheduled for late 2025.

The Erwin Schrödinger Programme is aimed at highly qualified postdocs of all disciplines in the early stages of their research careers.

Key objectives:

• Providing the opportunity to work on projects at research institutions abroad, gaining valuable international experience during the postdoc phase and strengthening career prospects
• Opening up new fields of research as well as new approaches, methods, procedures, and techniques
• Contributing to the advancement of research in Austria
• Supporting knowledge transfer back to the Austrian research community
• Variable basic fellowship for principal investigators (rates depend on host country)
• Allowance of €300 per month for career-development measures

Where applicable: Principal investigator’s salary (based on the current senior postdoc rate) and project-specific costs (flat rate), depending on the duration of the return phase (maximum €15,000)

Outgoing phase: 10 to 24 months abroad
Return phase: up to 12 months in Austria, depending on the length of the stay abroad

Applications are accepted on a continuous submission basis.

The Faculty of Psychotherapy Science has taken a pioneering step as the first Faculty at SFU to undergo the newly introduced internal research evaluation process, developed and supported by the Department of Quality Management. The process will be implemented across all faculties at three-year intervals and — as a formative evaluation — will complement existing re-accreditation procedures.

As part of this voluntary evaluation, the Vice Deanery for Research has prepared a comprehensive self-report outlining the faculty’s research structure and infrastructure, strategic research goals, and its research outputs from the evaluation period of the past two academic years.

At the end of August 2025, the self-report was submitted to three distinguished external reviewers from the City University of New York, Trinity College Dublin, and the Otto von Guericke University Magdeburg. The reviewers are renowned scholars in the interdisciplinary field of psychotherapy science. Their expertise and insights will help shape and strengthen the faculty’s long-term vision and strategic positioning within the evolving landscape of psychotherapy science.

The Faculty of Psychotherapy Science looks forward to receiving the reviews by the end of 2025.

Professor Reinhold Popp, Head of the Institute for Futures Research in Human Sciences, has successfully secured continued funding for a collaborative research project with Gefäßforum Österreich.

Building on the three-year pilot study Technological Humanism as a Catalyst for Work Quality and Efficiency in the Austrian Healthcare System (2023–2025), the cooperation will now be extended from September 2025 to January 2029 with financial support of € 30,000.

We warmly congratulate the research team and look forward with great interest to the outcomes of this open science initiative!

The research team of the Psychotherapeutic Outpatient Clinic for Adults at SFU Vienna has received the 2025 ÖAS (Österreichische Arbeitsgemeinschaft für systemische Therapie und systemische Studien) Research Award, endowed with €3,000. With this award, the ÖAS supports early-career researchers and promotes the development of systemic theories and their practical implementation.

The winning project, Disappointments in Psychotherapy – A systemic Perspective on Disappointments among Psychotherapists in Training under Supervision, was initiated by motivated students, led by Dr. Birgitta Schiller and Mag.a Stella Becher-Urbaniak and supported by the Clinic Head, Dr. Lisa Winter. The project contributes to quality assurance and fosters a culture of reflection in both training and care.

During the 2024-2025 academic year, the Faculty of Psychology supported one interdisciplinary research cluster and eight internal projects in developing applications for grant-funded research through its seed funding initiative.

As of September 2025, the seed funding provided by the Faculty of Psychology has led to the submission of eight funding proposals, one of which has already been approved. The following projects received seed funding:

Sustainability Research Cluster

The Sustainability Research Cluster at SFU, headed by Prof. Ivo Ponocny, Ass. Prof. Katharina Hametner and Dr. Markus Wrbouschek, brings together cross-faculty activities to address pressing sustainability challenges through innovative, interdisciplinary approaches. For further information, please visit the Research Cluster Sustainability.

South Tyrolean Conspiracy Theories: Between Autonomy and Unity

The project, led by Dr. Markus Brunner and Franziska von Zieglauer, MSc., employs a qualitative research design to investigate conspiracy theories in South Tyrol as forms of problem-solving and social critique. By analysing social practices within “conspiracy scenes” and individual biographies in order to uncover regional and transregional interrelations as well as psychosocial conflicts that arise from the tension between German- and Italian-speaking regions.

Alexinomia - If Only I could Say Your Name

Alexinomia refers to a phenomenon that has received little research attention to date, in which  affected individuals are unable to address others by name due to fear or emotional overload, resulting in avoidance behaviour. The project, led by Assoc. Prof. Thomas Ditye, investigates the experience, prevalence, effects, diagnosis and neural basis of alexinomia. For further information, please visit the Alexinomia project website.

Transdiagnostic Insights and Novel Interventions in Tourette's Syndrome: Exploring Metacognition and Impulsivity with Non-Invasive Brain Stimulation

This project, led by Prof. Mattia Ferro investigates Tourette’s Syndrome by combining neurostimulation techniques with psychological assessments to identify stratification factors, target transdiagnostic domains such as metacognition, impulsivity, and inhibitory control, and ultimately develop personalised therapeutic approaches to improve patient outcomes.

Longitudinal Trajectories and Network Models of Post-Traumatic Stress Symptoms in Adults and Youths Exposed to Natural Disasters

This project, headed by Barbara Forresi, PhD and Annalisa Oppo, MSc, explores long-term trajectories and symptom interactions of trauma-related disorders following natural disasters. Using meta-analytic and network modeling approaches in adults and youths, the study aims to enhance early intervention strategies.

The Psychosocial Load of Getting Better

The project, led by asst. prof. Dr. Nora Ruck, Dr. Sara Paloni, Charlotta Sippel, MSc. and Univ.-Prof.Dr. Iris Laner (University Mozarteum Salzburg) critically examines the “psychosocial load” associated with the pursuit of wellbeing. Employing participatory, arts-based research in collaboration with women’s counseling centers, the project integrates empirical analysis, social impact assessment, and artistic imagination.

Strengthening Personal Resources for a Life With Epidermolysis Bullosa. An Intervention Study

This international mixed-methods study, led by MMag. DDr. Gudrun Salamon, aims to design and validate a resource-strengthening workshop for people with epidermolysis bullosa and their families, while evaluating its impact and developing recommendations for effective psychological support.

The Efficacy of a School-Based Universal Prevention Programme for Cognitive Disengagement Syndrome (CDS) difficulties in childhood: a pilot study

This project led by Prof. Simona Scaini aims to validate an Italian screening scale for Cognitive Disengagement Syndrome in children and test a school-based intervention to improve their emotional, social, and academic well-being.

Preparation of Network Application for Theoretical Psychology

The history and diverse interpretations of theoretical psychology highlight its critical potential for redefining the field. SFU — drawing on its interdisciplinary expertise and alternative perspectives — aims to lead this discourse by fostering reflection, collaboration, and practical impact beyond disciplinary boundaries. Contact: Dr.Dr. Alexander Nicolai Wend.

The Faculty of Psychology is proud to announce an exciting digital exhibition now featured on the Psychology’s Feminist Voices (PFV) platform. Curated by Emelie Rack, MSc, asst. prof. Dr. Nora Ruck, and Desiree Salis, the exhibition explores and celebrates the rich yet often overlooked history of feminist psychology in Austria. At its core are a series of oral history interviews with feminist psychologists, psychotherapists, counselors, social workers, and psychiatrists that showcase the voices and experiences of those who played a formative role in developing a feminist psychosocial counterculture in Vienna over the past fifty years. These interviews illuminate not only personal journeys and political commitments but also the broader social and intellectual movements that shaped feminist thought within the Austrian psychological landscape.

The project is also featured in episode #8 of the SFU podcast. Host Cheyenne Scheuch, MA, invited asst. prof. Dr. Nora Ruck to talk about their research project, which aims to raise international awareness of the work of feminist psychologists and psychosocial professionals.

The project Academic Freedom under Pressure examines the growing political, economic and societal challenges faced by universities and scholars in Europe and beyond. It analyses how these pressures affect institutional autonomy and the work of individual scholars, as well as the resilience of existing legal safeguards.

A workshop with scholars from Hungary underscored the urgency of this issue. The discussions laid the foundation for an international workshop and a forthcoming book project currently in preparation. To expand the debate globally, a panel on academic freedom was organised at the ICON.S World Conference 2025 in Brasília, bringing together global and comparative perspectives.

Within this broader framework, the PhD project of Eleonóra Wagenknecht investigates the challenges to academic freedom in Hungary and situates them within the European legal framework.

The Clinical Competence Center (3C) has designated Viedoc as the electronic data capture (EDC) system of choice for the conduct and management of clinical trials.

Viedoc is a cloud-based EDC and clinical trial management system (CTMS) that supports the full lifecycle of clinical studies. It is widely adopted across the life sciences industry — including pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and medical device research — for managing clinical data in compliance with international regulatory standards such as ICH-GCP, 21 CFR Part 11, and EU Annex 11.

The SFU MED Research Promotion Fund supports basic medical research and selected clinical (“translational”) research with a clear connection to the SFU Faculty of Medicine.

Projects will only be funded if a detailed cost breakdown is submitted with the application, and if any additional costs required to complete the overall project are covered and confirmed in writing by the project leader. 

Project applications must be submitted by email to the SFU MED Research Unit.

Funding Volume: Each approved project can receive funding of up to €50000. 
Deadline: 31 October 2025

Do you want to make new research findings and knowledge accessible to the general public?

Do you want to make science and technology more understandable and trustworthy in an innovative way?

Is your goal to spark interest in science education and careers?

Then the Understanding Science Funding by the Vienna Business Agency is perfect for you. The programme provides support in communication activities that aim to present research and scientific results in an clear and easily accessible manner. Funding may cover:

• Payroll costs
• Costs for services, including fees for speakers or knowledge acquisition
• Travel expenses for speakers, moderators, or lecturers
• Purchase of equipment or software licenses
• Acquisition of intellectual property rights