The Research Financing Act. A New Framework for Publicly Funded Research in Austria and its Impact on Evaluation

Abstract

On 7 July 2020, the National Council – the first chamber of the Austrian Parliament – passed a package of legislation introducing a new framework for the methods of allocating federal budgets to research, technology, and innovation (RTI). Its core is the Research Financing Act (RFA), complemented by several amendments to existing laws that are necessary for its implementation. Entry into force was on 25 July 2020, the amendments became effective as of 1 January 2021 (BGBl1. I No. 75/20202). The RFA is the biggest legislative project in the field of RTI policy since 2004 when the Research Funding Agency (FFG) was established (Pichler et al. 2007, pp. 329-336; Stampfer et al. 2010, pp. 775-776). For the first time, budget law regulations are now aligned with the needs of institutions performing or funding RTI (Pichler 2021). This article outlines the background and content of the RFA and concludes with a view on the significance of evaluation within the new system.