Christian Doppler Research Association
The Christian Doppler Research Association (CDG), funded in 1988, is a non-profit organization considered a pioneer in Austria for successful cooperation between science and the private sector (see some facts and figures).
The CDG:
- Funds the joint application-orientated basic research of companies and universities, universities of applied sciences and research institutions as the basis for future innovation
- Gives companies effective access to new knowledge
- Operates at the interface between business and science
More specifically, the CDG realises its objectives through the establishment and financing of Christian Doppler Laboratories Christian Doppler Laboratory (CD Laboratories) at universities and non-university research institutions, and Josef Ressel Centre (JR Centres) at universities of applied sciences
Engagement activities
Research groups at these laboratories and centres remain compact (3-15 people). Scientists are guaranteed scientific freedom and perform bottom-up and application-oriented basic high-quality research.
The members of the association are small or large companies that are active in CD Laboratories and/or JR Centres. The corporate members are expected to enter into a long-term partnership with one or more research units and to be able to implement the knowledge gained there in new products or procedures.
Within the scope of a Public Private Partnership arrangement, the companies jointly finance the research of the CD Laboratories and JR Centres with the Federal Ministry for Digital, Business and Enterprise and the National Foundation for Research, Technology and Development.
This way of working would thus integrate several engagement activities:
Business-focused research
The research programme of a CD Laboratory or a JR Centre is based on a research issue of a company. Any and all topics that a company needs to research are important and allowed.
Joint research
Research is processed jointly by science and business. In this sense companies are encouraged to perform basic research and scientists to cooperate with business.
Sharing research facilities
CD Laboratory or a JR Centre are established at universities in general, universities of applied sciences and non-university research institutions. The integration into an academic environment places them in an ideal scientific environment, and the limited term can be easily implemented.
Stakeholders involved
- Researchers and highly skilled professionals
- Companies
- RPOs and RFOs
What can EURAXESS/your institution learn from this?
EURAXESS centres can encourage researchers to propose basic research to companies in other to start implementing an idea of joint research laboratories.
This kind of activity is useful for EURAXESS centres as it allows them to give further support to researchers in their career development.
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