Preamble

As a specialized agency of the United Nations, UNESCO plays a central role in promoting science, education, culture, and communication. In the field of science, the focus is particularly on strengthening international cooperation, knowledge exchange, and the development of joint strategies for addressing global challenges. Through its scientific programmes, UNESCO creates platforms that consolidate research findings, develop standards, and promote dialogue between states and scientific communities.

Among these programmes are the “International Geoscience and Geoparks Programme” (IGGP) and the “International Hydrological Programme” (IHP). The IGGP supports international cooperation in the geosciences and promotes research projects on the sustainable use of Earth resources, global change and the evolution of life, geohazards, hydrogeology, and geodynamics in the context of responsible environmental management. IHP is dedicated to the sustainable management of water resources and integrates basic scientific research, capacity building, and policy advice to address global water-related challenges.

In Austria, both programmes are coordinated by the UNESCO National Committee for Geo/Hydro-Sciences, which operates autonomously at the Austrian Academy of Sciences (ÖAW) and forms part of the Earth System Sciences programme. It acts as an interface between UNESCO's international activities and the national scientific community, thereby supporting the implementation and strengthening of global research initiatives in Austria.

Objectives

Funding is provided for projects that contribute to implementing the goals of at least one of the two programmes at the national level. The contribution to the programmes must be explained in the application.

Target Group

The call is aimed at individual applicants or teams of up to three early-career researchers. The corresponding Principal Investigator (PI) must be affiliated with an Austrian research institution. Eligible applicants are individuals up to five years after completing their doctorate (counted from the date of the final examination; reference date is the call deadline). Career interruptions of up to a total of 36 months due to parental leave, illness, care obligations, etc. may be taken into account in this calculation. Proof of such interruptions must be provided during the application process.

Applicants are also eligible if they are enrolled in a doctoral programme at an Austrian research institution and have demonstrably submitted their dissertation.

Duration of Funding

• Twelve months

Funding Amount

The budget may range from a minimum of EUR 20,000 to a maximum of EUR 50,000. Applications above EUR 25,000 are subject to international peer review.

A total of up to EUR 300,000 is available. The following types of direct costs are eligible:

• Personnel costs (if applied for, also for the project leadership; for pre-doctoral researchers, a maximum employment level of 75% is possible).
  Personnel cost calculations must be based on the collective agreement of the research institution. If no such agreement exists, the cost rates of the Austrian Science Fund (FWF) must be used.
• Costs for consumables
• Travel costs
• Other costs (e.g., infrastructure usage fees, workshops, services)

Large-scale equipment will not be funded, and overheads will not be paid.

Requirements for Application Submission

• The project must be carried out at an Austrian research institution.
• A research institution may support multiple applications.
• Applicants may submit only one application at a time.
• Up to three applicants may submit a joint application. One applicant must act as Project Leader (Principal Investigator); the others serve as Co-Principal Investigators. The Project Leader and all Co-Principal Investigators must hold an academic degree, and at least the Project Leader must be affiliated with an Austrian research institution. All investigators must meet the eligibility requirements of the call.
• Applicants must be willing to take an active role in public presentation of the programme and participate in related events.
• In justified exceptional cases, foreign partners may contribute up to a maximum of 25% of the project budget.
• Double funding is not allowed: The submitted project must not already be funded elsewhere. Applications to other funding bodies must be disclosed. If funding is granted elsewhere, the applicant must immediately report this, and the project will be excluded from further consideration.

Application Procedure

Applications must be submitted no later than 31 March 2026 to: ess-calls(at)oeaw.ac.at.

Applications must be submitted in English and include the following documents:

• Fully completed and signed application form
• Fully completed budget form
• Project proposal of no more than eight pages, including a Gantt chart and short CVs of the Principal Investigators
• Annex: long CVs, list of cited publications, and any letters of support

Downloads

• Application form
• Cost overview

Procedure Timeline

Start of Call: 01. December 2025

• All applications fulfilling the formal requirements (see Requirements for Application Submission) will be reviewed by members of the National Committee and, for project budgets above EUR 25,000, also by international reviewers.
• Members of the National Committee will make a funding recommendation based on their expertise and, where applicable, on the external review reports.
• The Committee’s funding decisions will be presented to the ÖAW Presidency and are expected to be communicated to applicants in the third quarter of 2026.

Data Protection and Good Scientific Practice

By submitting an application, applicants acknowledge that all associated data and documents may be forwarded to the committee and, if applicable, to external reviewers for the purpose of evaluation and funding decision-making (see also ÖAW data protection statement).    
The ÖAW adheres to the guidelines for good scientific practice issued by the Austrian Agency for Research Integrity (ÖAWI). All applications will be checked for plagiarism using the similarity detection software Turnitin. Violations of good scientific practice will result in immediate exclusion from the procedure.

Funding conditions (Excerpt)

• Selected projects must commence no later than six months after the award notification and have a maximum duration of 12 months. A funding agreement will be concluded with the Principal Investigator. A cost-neutral extension of the project for up to six months is possible in justified cases.
• Any changes to the project plan or project leadership require approval by the program management.
• A comprehensive final project report, including a final financial accounting of the used funds, must be submitted after project completion.

Contact

Austrian Academy of Sciences
Research Funding – National and International Programmes
Dr. Jörg Böckelmann
E-Mail: ess-calls(at)oeaw.ac.at
Tel.: +43-1-515-81-2772