Austrian Council for Research and Technology Development (RFTE)
Lawmakers set up an independent Austrian Council for Research and Technology Development (RFTE) on 11 July 2000 and made it a legal entity under public law effective 1 September 2004. Its work covers the entire national innovation system and its recommendations may be requested by both federal and regional institutions.
The Research and Technology Funding Act (FTFG) provides the statutory basis for the establishment of the RFTE and also defines its tasks. A business office assists the RFTE in its work.
The RFTE draws up and publishes strategy documents, studies and recommendations. Another one of its tasks was to prepare an annual report on the scientific and technological performance capacities of Austria. The report was sent annually to the National Council together with the Research and Technology Report.
How the Austrian Council for Research and Technology Development (RFTE) views itself
According to its definition of itself, the task of the RFTE consists in providing the Austrian Federal Government with systematic, independent and thorough advice on all policy issues pertaining to research, technology and innovation. Its work is aimed at making a substantial contribution to achieving a future-oriented RTI policy. In doing so, the RFTE sees itself as a central node in the network of the vast technology and research landscape, as a coordinator and amplifier of the multi-faceted activities, as a bridge between players, as a filter, and most of all as a setter of priorities. The primary strategic foundation of the RFTE is its Strategy 2010 and the successor document, the current Strategy 2020.
Organisation of the Austrian Council for Research and Technology Development (RFTE)
The RFTE has eight members with voting rights, four of whom are appointed by the Federal Ministry of Education, Science and Research and four by the Federal Ministry of Transport, Innovation and Technology. The RFTE members with voting rights are appointed for a five-year term of office and may be reappointed for one further term. The Federal Minister for Transport, Innovation and Technology, the Federal Minister for Education, Science and Research, the Federal Minister for Digital and Economic Affairs and the Federal Minister for Finance or their designated representatives hold seats on the Council but have no voting rights.
Hannes Androsch, industrialist and inter alia Supervisory Board Chairman of the Austrian Institute of Technology (AIT), has served as Council chair since 2010.
You can find the Research and Technology Funding Act (FTFG) [Research and Technology Funding Act (FTFG)] in the legal information system of the Federal Government (RIS) (in German only).