The Institute of Technology Assessment

The Institute of Technology Assessment () performs inter-disciplinary scientific research at the interface of technology and society. Its work focuses on development trends, on societal consequences and on options for shaping technological change. The research results provide the basis, inter alia, for giving advice to decision-makers.

Technology assessment (TA) aims to develop insights into the societal consequences of new technologies in order to be able to shape the structural conditions for technological change. In concrete terms, societal benefit from technological progress should be maximised while avoiding negative impacts (–> more on TA).

investigates the applications of new technologies in their societal context. The analysis of technological and social conditions, of risks and opportunities provides the basis for developing technological and organisational design alternatives and regulatory options. To this end it is important to seek systematic and interdisciplinary empirical verification and to present the results in a highly transparent form. In addition, a pre-condition for 's work is a considerable amount of basic research and an effort to detect fields of future problems as early as possible.

The results are processed into decision-related options. The reports address all those who are interested in the conditions and consequences of technological change. In particular, they are aimed at decision-makers involved in the shaping of this change. Many of 's projects for national and supra-national organisations highlight this function. Furthermore, international co-operation, particularly within the European Union, represents a significant part of 's work.

Organisational set-up

The Institute of Technology Assessment () is a research facility of the Austrian Academy of Sciences (AAS). It was founded in its present form on January 1st, 1994, based on its predecessor, the Technology Assessment Unit (TAU). At present, the Institute employs about a dozen scientific researchers. Their expert knowledge of economics, business management, sociology, political science, communications technology, telecommunications, molecular biology, genetics, chemistry and law is combined in the interdisciplinary field of technology assessment (TA). The core group is formed by teams of employees of the Institute, who are assisted when required by external experts.

The institute is supported by a scientific board that was set up by the Austrian Academy of Sciences.

is financed by the Austrian Academy of Sciences as well as by third parties (such as the Austrian Fund for Scientific Research FWF, different Austrian ministries, the Commission of the European Union etc.).