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| Austrian Science Week | |
|---|---|
| Name | Austrian Science Week |
| Status | Active |
| Genre | Science festival |
| Frequency | Annual |
| Country | Austria |
| First | 2008 |
| Organiser | Federation of Austrian Scientific Institutions |
Austrian Science Week is an annual public engagement festival in Austria that showcases scientific research through lectures, exhibitions, workshops and outreach activities. The festival connects researchers from universities, research institutes and museums with schools, libraries and cultural venues across Austrian states such as Vienna, Salzburg (city), Graz, Innsbruck and Linz. It collaborates with national institutions including the Austrian Academy of Sciences, Austrian Science Fund, Austrian Research Promotion Agency, and international partners like the European Commission and the European Research Council.
Austrian Science Week presents themed programmes that span topics relevant to contemporary debates such as climate change, public health, digitalisation and energy policy while linking to institutions like the International Atomic Energy Agency, United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, World Health Organization, European Space Agency and European Southern Observatory. Events occur in venues ranging from the Natural History Museum, Vienna and the Technisches Museum Wien to university campuses including University of Vienna, University of Graz, University of Innsbruck, Johannes Kepler University Linz and the Medical University of Vienna. The festival emphasizes outreach models used by organisations such as the British Science Association, Max Planck Society, Fraunhofer Society and the Smithsonian Institution.
The initiative emerged in the late 2000s, drawing inspiration from science festivals like the Cheltenham Science Festival, Science Festival Edinburgh, Copenhagen Science Festival and campaigns such as European Researchers' Night. Early iterations involved collaborations with the Austrian Federal Ministry of Education, Science and Research, the Austrian National Library and municipal bodies from Salzburg (state), Styria, Tyrol (state), Carinthia and Upper Austria. Prominent researchers and public figures from institutions such as the Austrian Academy of Sciences and the University of Vienna contributed keynote talks alongside museum curators from the Kunsthistorisches Museum and directors from the Institute of Science and Technology Austria.
The festival is organised by a consortium of academic and cultural organisations including the Austrian Science Fund, the Austrian Research Promotion Agency, multiple universities (e.g., University of Graz, University of Innsbruck), museums (e.g., Natural History Museum, Vienna, Technisches Museum Wien), research centres (e.g., Institute of Science and Technology Austria, Austrian Institute of Technology) and media partners such as ORF (broadcaster) and publishing houses like Springer Science+Business Media. International collaboration involves the European Commission, European Research Council and networks like the EuroScience association. Educational partners include the Austrian Federal Ministry of Education, Science and Research, the Austrian National Library and city councils in Graz, Linz and Vienna.
Programme strands typically mirror themes seen in global science outreach: public lectures, hands-on workshops, science slams, exhibitions, debate forums and school programmes. Events have featured researchers from the Austrian Academy of Sciences, Medical University of Vienna, University of Salzburg, IST Austria and institutes such as the Erste Foundation and Wissenschaft im Dialog. Venues have included the Kunsthistorisches Museum, Haus der Musik, Wiener Stadthalle, local libraries and community centres in regions such as Burgenland and Vorarlberg. Formats draw on models from the Wellcome Trust, National Science Foundation, Carnegie Institution for Science and festival partners like the Vienna Biennale.
Audiences range from school pupils and university students to families, teachers, policymakers and industry representatives. Collaborating schools have included networks associated with the Austrian Teachers' Union and partner programmes with the Association of Austrian Universities. Industry participants have come from companies linked to research clusters such as the Silicon Alps Cluster, Austrian Space Forum and energy firms cooperating with the Austrian Institute of Technology. The festival reports engagement metrics comparable to events run by the Science Museum, London, Deutsches Museum and Musée des Arts et Métiers.
Evaluations use surveys, attendance figures and media analyses, referencing methodologies from organisations such as the European Commission and research bodies like the Austrian Academy of Sciences and the Institute for Higher Studies (IHS). Impact assessments consider outreach efficacy against benchmarks set by the Wellcome Trust and the European Research Council, measuring increases in public science literacy, school engagement and collaboration between universities (e.g., University of Vienna, University of Graz) and industry partners like AVL List and voestalpine AG. Academic analyses appear in journals and reports associated with the Austrian Science Fund and conference proceedings from forums such as the International Conference on Science Communication.
Funding sources include national bodies such as the Austrian Federal Ministry of Education, Science and Research, grants from the Austrian Science Fund and project support from the Austrian Research Promotion Agency. Corporate sponsors have included firms like Voestalpine, AVL List and technology partners connected to the Austrian Institute of Technology and Silicon Alps Cluster. European co-funding has come via the European Commission and collaborative programmes with agencies such as the European Research Council and foundations including the Erste Foundation and Fonds zur Förderung der wissenschaftlichen Forschung.
Category:Science festivals in Austria