COMET - Competence Centers for Excellent Technologies

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COMET - Competence Centers for Excellent Technologies mbH is a central funding program of Austrian technology policy . It serves to set up competence centers at selected branch-specific locations. It was founded by the "Research Promotion Agency Establishment Act" on September 1, 2004. The company is 100 percent owned by the Republic of Austria.

Basics

The COMET program intends to promote locations for competence in a certain subject area through close, location-specific networking of basic scientific research and applied and entrepreneurially oriented research and development . In selected regions of the Austrian economic landscape, these are to act as lead institutions for scientific and economic-technological competitiveness. The centers are intended to high academic knowledge and skills with concrete research needs on the part of the economy to bring together, and so high-school-related and non-university making research institutes to partners of local enterprises, and to facilitate cooperation in cooperation projects in such interfaces. As a result, scientists, because their research projects are in demand and their usefulness is assured, should also be able to work in areas at an international level for which the universities themselves cannot offer any infrastructure. This culture of cooperation in Austria has found international recognition and also follows the goals of the Lisbon Strategy .

The strategic objective is to strengthen the innovative economy and an increasing international orientation within the globalization of research as well as technological production. The program thus accommodates the specific circumstances of Austria, which, in terms of its basic requirements, has neither the economic strength for costly top-level research nor large-volume industrial production, but instead relies on international market leadership in niche applications, high-quality segments and socially relevant areas (front-runner strategy) , which in particular also takes place in the small and medium-sized enterprise  (SME) sector . In principle, the program is also open to foreign companies and universities in order to promote Austria's involvement in top European and international research.

history

In 1998, still at the BMWV under Caspar Eine ( Climate Government ), the competence center program Kplus and K_ind / K_net began .

In 2006, at the BMBWK under Gehrer and BMVIT under Gorbach ( Schüssel ), the successful concept was restructured and  continued as COMET by the Research Promotion Agency (FFG) established in 2004 . At that time there were 18 competence centers, with 270 participating business partners and 150 scientific partners.

In 2012 there were over 40 centers, 5 of them in the top class (K2) and 16 in the second level (K1), and - after the 4th call - 36 funded projects. At that time, a total of around 1,500 researchers from science and industry were working at these centers. In 2014, funding was approved for 10 of the newer K1 centers.

organization

COMET is operated as a program by the Austrian Ministry of Technology together with the Federal Ministry for Digitization and Business Location at federal level , and is  handled by the Research Promotion Agency (FFG). The evaluation is carried out by the FFG, the Fund for the Promotion of Scientific Research  (FWF) and the Christian Doppler Research Association (which itself identifies important competence institutes with the Christian Doppler Laboratories ). The federal states support the program with additional, own state funds.

The individual competence centers are mostly joint companies of the state economic development organization with resident universities and business people, but this is not a basic requirement. A third of all partners in the centers come from abroad, which shows the good international networking of the program.

financing

The competence centers are funded up to about half of the budget, the other amount must be raised by the corporate partners and at least 5% by the scientific partners.

The funding comes from the part of the federal budget earmarked for research funding. About half of the entrepreneurial financing comes from non-Austrian partners.

Structure of the program

The program comprises three program lines, whereby the existing formats "COMET-Zentrum (K1 or K2)" and "COMET-Projekt" (formerly "K-Projekt") have been expanded to include the line "COMET-Modul" to include new future-oriented topics with particularly high-risk research. The program lines differ primarily in the demands on the funded institutions in terms of internationality, project volume and duration.

Research priorities

The subject areas that are the most promising for Austria at the beginning of the 21st century (i.e. have the necessary potential in research and business), have particular general social relevance (and thus justify more extensive research funding), and are given priority under the COMET program are:

The location at which these priorities are promoted depends primarily on the existing economic infrastructure, on renowned scientific partners in the area, and the structural funding programs of the federal states. For example, the Wood Competence Center (New Biomaterials / Renewable Raw Materials) is located in Linz (composites, materials science at the Kepleruni in the Science Park), Lenzing (cellulose chemistry, Lenzing AG), St. Veit (Carinthia's wood and solar center), and at the Technopol Tulln (solid wood and materials, department for agrobiotechnology at BOKU, TU and Vetmeduni Vienna), which links some of the leading economic areas in the department.

COMET Centers (K2)

"The aim of the COMET Centers (K2) is to focus existing and develop new competencies through collaboration with internationally renowned researchers, scientific partners and companies in a joint, strategically oriented research program at the highest level."

K2 centers have a funding period of 8 years (from the 3rd call) or 10 years before that.

COMET Centers (K1)

“The aim of the COMET Centers (K1) is to develop and focus competencies through excellent cooperative research with a medium to long-term perspective. K1 centers conduct research at a high international level and provide new research impulses. A continuous international comparison must be ensured. With regard to future-relevant markets, they contribute to the initiation of new product, process and service innovations. "

K1 centers have a funding period of 8 years.

COMET projects

“The aim of the COMET projects (formerly K projects) is to carry out high-quality research in cooperation between science and industry with a medium-term perspective and clearly defined topics with future development potential. COMET projects contribute to the initiation of new product, process and service innovations. COMET projects give new consortia and topics access to the COMET program. "

K projects have a funding period of 3–4 years.

COMET module

“The aim of the COMET module program line is to establish future-oriented research topics and develop new areas of strength in order to prepare Austria as a research location for future challenges. COMET modules are characterized by particularly risky research that goes well beyond the current state of the art. "

COMET modules have a funding period of 4 years.

List of COMET competence centers

The column center sorts without "center" and Ä.
The column after K2 / K1 gives the funding period for K2 and the call for K1
Concentration camp. center precursor since country Locations
ACDP Austrian Center for Digital Production - K1 4th  July 2017 W, V, Lower Austria Vienna, Dornbirn
Pro2Future Products and Production Systems of the Future - K1 4th  July 2017 Upper Austria, Styria Linz, Graz, Steyr
ACCM Austrian Center of Competence of Mechatronics (LCM) - K2 1  Jan. 2013 Upper Austria Linz
K2 mobility K2-Mobility SVT Sustainable Vehicle Technologies   1999 ACC / 2002 Virtual Vehicle K2 2  Jan. 2008 Styria Graz
MPPE Integrated Research in Materials, Processing and Product Engineering (Materials Center Leoben MCL)   1999 K + K2 2  Jan. 2008 Styria Leoben ; Graz (Styria), Vienna
ACIB Austrian Center of Industrial Biotechnology - K2 1  Jan. 2010 Styria / W Graz , Vienna
XTribology Excellence Center of Tribology ( AC2T research GmbH )   2002 K + K2 1  Apr. 2010 Lower Austria Wiener Neustadt
BE 2020_2.0 Bioenergy 2020+   1999 K-net RENET / 2003 K + ABC K1 1 3  Apr 2008 Styria Graz ; Güssing (Bgld), Wieselburg (Lower Austria)
CEST Competence Center for Electrochemical Surface Technology (Center of Excellence in Electrochemical Surface Technology and Materials)   2000 K + ECHEM K1 1 3  Jan. 2008 Lower Austria, Upper Austria Wiener Neustadt ; Linz
CTR Competence Center for Advanced Sensor Technologies (Carinthian Tech Research)   1998 K + K1 1   2007 Ktn Villach
evolaris evolaris next level   2000 K-ind K1 1  Apr 2008 Styria Graz
FTW Telecommunications Research Center Vienna   1998 K + K1 1  Jan. 2008 W. Vienna
K1-MET Competence Center for excellent Technologies in Advanced Metallurgical and Environmental Process Development   2001 KnetMET K1 1 3  July 2008 Upper Austria Linz ; Leoben (Styria)
KNOW Know-Center Graz - competence center for knowledge-based applications and systems   2001 K + K1 1 3  Jan. 2008 Styria Graz
ONCOTYROL Center for Personalized Cancer Medicine   2002 K-Proj K1 1  July 2008 Tir Innsbruck ; Hall (Tir), Salzburg (Sbg)
RCPE Research Center for Pharmaceutical Engineering - K1 1 3  July 2008 Styria Graz
SCCH Software Competence Center Hagenberg   1999 K + K1 1 3  Jan. 2008 Upper Austria Hagenberg
Wood COMET Competence center for wood composites and wood chemistry   2001 K + K1 1 3   2008? Upper Austria Linz ; Lenzing (Upper Austria), St.Veit / Glan (Ktn), Tulln (Lower Austria)
ACMIT Austrian Center for Medical Innovation and Technology   2005 K-ind for microsystem technology K1 2  Apr. 2010 Lower Austria Wiener Neustadt
alpS Center for Climate Change Adaptation Technologies   2002 K + K1 2  Apr. 2010 Tir innsbruck
PCCL-K1 Polymer Competence Center Leoben   2002 K + K1 2  Jan. 2010 Styria Leoben ; Graz (Styria), Vienna
SBA 2 Secure Business Austria 2 - K1 2  Apr. 2010 W. Vienna
VRVis Visualization, Rendering and Visual Analysis Research Center   2000 K + K1 2  Jan. 2010 W. Vienna
ASSIC Austrian Smart Systems Integration Research Center (CTR) - K1 3  Jan. 2015 Ktn Villach
CBMed Center for Biomarker Research in Medicine   2010 K-Proj K1 3  Jan. 2015 Styria Graz ; Vienna
LEC EvoLET Evolutionary Large Engines Technology for the Next Generation of Gas and Dual Fuel Engines 1990s K-ind K1 3  Jan. 2015 Styria Graz

literature

Web links

Notes F.

  1. ↑ Austrian Research Dialogue . Documentation of results . Federal Ministry of Science and Research, 2012. - numerous amounts ( Austrian research dialogue - documentation of results (PDF; 4.3 MB), bmwf.gv.at).
  2. ↑ Austrian Research Dialogue . , 2012, introduction p. 7 col. 2.
  3. ↑ Otto Starzer: Competence centers as a successful interface between business and science. In BMWF: Austrian Research Dialogue , 2012, p. 160 col. 2.

Notes E.

  1. ↑ Clarisse Ehrfeld: Research Financing and Research Promotion in Austria in the Second Republic. A critical inventory. know.vernetzen.publiken # 457, 2002, especially Chapter V. Research funding until 1967 , pp. 99 ff and VI. Development of research financing from 1967 , p. 117 ff. ( Clarisse Ehrfeld: Research Financing and Research Promotion of the Second Republic - A critical inventory , textfeld.ac.at).
  2. ↑ In 1996, the research funding from the Research Promotion Fund (FFF) was € 100 million for international cooperation, € 120 million for industry, and € 150 million for the SME sector. Information according to Ehrfeld 2002, Section 2.2.4. A technology initiative to mark the 30th anniversary of the FFF , p. 203 ff.

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ https://www.ffg.at/content/ber-die-ffg
  2. ↑ see Schibany, Streicher, Gassler: Austria in the context of the Lisbon and Barcelona process. In: InTeReg Research Report No. 52-2006, Vienna 2006.
  3. ↑ see Research Funding and Financing - Final Result of the System Evaluation , bmvit.gv.at > Publications> Innovation / Technology> Research Policy > Intermediate Results (links to the full report).
    Republic of Austria: Exploiting potential, increasing dynamism, creating the future. The path to becoming an innovative leader. Federal Government Strategy for Research, Technology and Innovation (RTI Strategy 2020). Vienna, March 2011 ( The way to become an Innovations Leader ( Memento of the original from July 20, 2013 in the Internet Archive )     Info: The archive link has been inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this note. , bka.gv.at). @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / www.bka.gv.at
  4. ↑ This strategy is based on experiences made in the 1979 / 80s with the collapse of the European steel and textile industry, from which in Austria the Linz and Upper Styrian special steel sectors - in the lead innovation of the Linz-Donawitz process - or the Lenzinger special fibers have shown viable, or Austria’s technological leadership in sectors such as tunnel construction (NATM, Montanuni Leoben) , storage power plants ( Kaprun , Illwerke ) or directional drilling for oil ( OMV ) from the 1950s, in each of which the development to market maturity in Austria took place, as well as the large proportion of the supply industry of special parts instead of final production, such as the automotive industry. 1970 saw the founding of a separate Federal Ministry for Science and Research as a turning point. Compare also:
    Marianne Kager, Hermann Kepplinger: Research and Development in Austria: Analyzes and Perspectives . Volume 6 of the series of     publications of the Ludwig Boltzmann Institute for Growth Research , Verlag Orac, 1980.
    Gunther Tichy: Austria and the integration of European research: challenges and opportunities. Verlag Institute for Applied Social and Economic Research in Signum-Verlag, 1987, ISBN 978-3-85436-050-6 .
    Leo Hannes: The integration of excellence and risk in the Austrian research, technology and innovation landscape. 2008. ( The integration of excellence and risk in the Austrian research, technology and innovation landscape (PDF; 1.1 MB), rat-fte.at).
  5. ↑ "What is K-plus?" K-plus competence centers: characteristics. Technologie-Impuls-GmbH (TIG), archived from the original on April 6, 2003 ; Retrieved March 22, 2002 .
  6. ↑ The new competence center program of the FFG. iPoint - the information portal of the University of Innsbruck, June 16, 2006.
  7. ↑ Kplus. BMVIT, accessed on March 31, 2013 .
  8. ↑ COMET K projects. FFG, accessed on March 31, 2013 .
  9. ↑ COMET - The program. BMVIT, accessed on March 31, 2013 .
  10. ↑ Mitterlehner / Bures: The starting shot has been given for 10 new K1 centers. In: Archive 2014. BMDW, July 10, 2014, accessed on November 16, 2018 .
  11. ↑ a b Draft horse research funding in Austria - VIRTUAL VEHICLE competence center as an international showcase example . pr-inside online, March 7, 2013 ( Article as web clip  ( page no longer available , search in web archives )  Info: The link was automatically marked as defective. Please check the link according to the instructions and then remove this note. , PDF, vif. tugraz.at)@1@ 2Template: Toter Link / vif.tugraz.at  
  12. ↑ a b c d e COMET - program lines , BMK
  13. ↑ COMET Competence Centers for Excellent Technologies. In: ffg.at. Retrieved March 23, 2020 .
  14. ↑ a b [1] , FFG
  15. ↑ a b [2] , FFG
  16. ↑ a b [3] , FFG
  17. ↑ a b [4] , FFG
  18. ↑ Austrian Center of Industrial Biotechnology (acib.at)
  19. ↑ Research Center for Pharmaceutical Engineering (rcpe.at)
  20. ↑ Austrian Center for Medical Innovation and Technology (acmit.at)