Making a difference
“If I have seen further, it is by standing on the shoulders of giants.” (Isaac Newton)
Groundbreaking research requires more than just the knowledge of predecessors. It requires people who create the decisive framework for visionary thinking and action. Our credo: bringing the right people together to fuel innovation.
As Austria's second-largest university and a vibrant, international research and teaching institution, we offer a wide range of opportunities and a broad portfolio of participation and funding options. All options at a glance:
Shaping research with an Endowed Professorship
By endowing a professorship, innovative research achievements and academic careers are supported over the long term. Donors support relevant fields while outstanding researchers benefit from excellent conditions and opportunities.
Minimum contribution: Depending on the field and equipment, from €100,000 per year (guideline)
Minimum duration: 3 to 5 years
At the University of Graz, we were able to establish the endowed professorship for energy and resource innovation thanks to long-term funding.
Campus Infrastructure
Outstanding research requires outstanding infrastructure - for example, space for interdisciplinary sciences, future-oriented initiatives, innovative teaching, as well as specialized tools and laboratories. Through infrastructure funding, supporters increase their visibility on Austria’s second-largest campus.
Minimum contribution: from €100,000 (guideline)
Most recently, the construction of the Sermilik Greenland research station was made possible by a generous donation from Christian Palmers.
Promoting Talent
Excellent students and young talents are the architects of the future. A scholarship or early career program supports promising academic performance, opens doors to the next generation of researchers, and creates space for the development of potential.
Minimum contribution: from €50,000 per year (guideline)
Minimum duration: 5 years
The annual Rudi Roth Scholarship for South-East European Studies is an example of a successful program for promoting young academics.
Research Projects
Addressing major future challenges, thinking critically and independently, developing solutions for society: the University of Graz offers a wide-ranging portfolio of future oriented research projects that can be supported on an individual basis. The goal is to enable groundbreaking research and progress.
Minimum contribution: from €50,000 (guideline)
Practical examples:
- Funding for research on insects with social behavior by the Styrian Hunting Association
- Promotion of bee research by Spar Österreichische Warenhandels GmbH, Frutura Obst und Gemüse Kompetenzzentrum GmbH and former Formula 1 world champion Sebastian Vettel
Knowledge Transfer to Society
How can research results be made accessible? The Startup & Innovation Hub “Unicorn,” the Center for Scientific Communication, and the Interdisciplinary Digital Lab “IDea_Lab” connect science with society and industry—for example, by supporting entrepreneurially or young media-active researchers, through lecture formats, or via networking opportunities on topics such as AI, big data, and digital transformation. Donors can participate in startups and innovations in the field of knowledge transfer.
Minimum contribution: from €50,000 (guideline)
