Prizes
for
young scientists

Wissenschaft Zukunft Preis - WZP

The Wissenschaft Zukunft Preis (WZP) of the Gesellschaft für Forschungsförderung Niederösterreich m.b.H. (Society for Research Promotion Lower Austria) aims to highlight high-quality scientific achievements of academics who are at the beginning of their scientific career. This award is intended to increase motivation for further employment in the respective scientific field.

The WZP is open to all topics, covers all scientific disciplines and has no age limit. The WZP exclusively rewards academic theses that have been assessed as "very good" (or equivalent) and have a connection to Lower Austria.

The awards are announced and presented at the annual Lower Austrian Science Gala in autumn.

Mag. Bettina Pilsel
Awards, Events and Public Relations

T +43 2742 275 70-42

M +43 664 911 54 03

WZP 2025

The Wissenschaft Zukunft Preis 2025 will be awarded as follows:

• 3 Master's/Diploma theses € 1,500 each
• 2 Dissertation/PhD theses € 3.000,- each

Submission deadline: February 26 to April 7, 2025 (00:00) at preise.einreichsystem.at.
Only complete, timely and formally correct submissions with a direct reference to Lower Austria will be forwarded to the jury for review. The prizes will be announced and awarded in fall 2025.

Guidelines

• There is no age limit.
• There are no thematic restrictions: theses from all scientific disciplines can be submitted.
• Lower Austrian reference: The thesis must have a comprehensible, direct connection to Lower Austria (see criteria for the Lower Austrian connection below).
• Theses must meet the following criteria:
  • The final thesis was assessed as “very good” (or equivalent).
  • The degree program in which the thesis was written - a UAS degree program or regular university degree program at an Austrian or European university - must have already been successfully completed.
  • The submission and thesis may be written in German or English.
  • The thesis must not be older than three years, i.e. it must have been approved in 2022 at the earliest.
  • Only theses from a first degree program (first Master's degree, first diploma program and first doctoral thesis/dissertation) are accepted.
• Theses from university and university of applied sciences courses are not eligible.
• Theses with a blocking notice will not be accepted.
• Submission is only possible online. It must be complete, on time and formally correct

Criteria for Lower Austria reference

The reference to Lower Austria is given if at least one of the four criteria listed below is fulfilled.

• The thesis was written at a Lower Austrian research institute / in the course of studies in Lower Austria.
• The research dealt with in the thesis is directly related to Lower Austria.
• The thesis was written as part of a cooperation with companies in Lower Austria.
• The study was largely carried out in Lower Austria. This means that at least 50% of the surveys, interviews etc. were carried out in Lower Austria.

Further details on the eligibility requirements, the assessment procedure and the assessment criteria can be found in the WZP 2025 funding guidelines below  Fundig Guidelines WZP 2025.

Please note that if the Science Prize of the Province of Lower Austria is awarded, the Science Future Prize will no longer be awarded.

WZP 2024

The Wissenschaft Zukunft Preis 2024 is awarded in two categories and is funded with the following prize money:

• Master-/Diplomarbeit              € 1.500,-
• Dissertation/PhD-Thesis          € 3.000,-

Three master's theses and two PhD theses will be awarded. The winners will be announced and awarded at the Science Gala of the Province of Lower Austria in autumn 2024.

Submission deadline: 26 February to 10 April 2024.

Submissions can only be made online at preise.einreichsystem.at.

Only complete, timely and formally correct submissions with relevance to Lower Austria will be forwarded to the jury for review.

General requirements

There is no age limit.

• There is no thematic restriction. Papers from all scientific disciplines can be submitted.
• Submissions can only be made online. The submission must be complete, on time and formally correct.
• There must be a comprehensible reference to Lower Austria. The criteria for the reference to Lower Austria are explained below.
• The final papers must fulfil the following criteria:
  • The thesis was assessed with "Very good" (or equivalent).
  • The degree programme in the context of which the thesis was written - an FH degree programme or regular university degree programme at an Austrian or European higher education institution - must have already been successfully completed.
  • The submission or the thesis may be written in German or English.
  • The thesis must not be older than three years, i.e. it must have been approved in 2021 at the earliest.
  • Only theses from a first degree programme (first Master's degree and first doctorate) are accepted.
• Theses with a blocking notice are not accepted.

Criteria for NÖ reference

The reference to Lower Austria is given if at least one of the four criteria listed below is fulfilled.

• The thesis was written at a Lower Austrian research institute / in the course of studies in Lower Austria.
• The research dealt with in the thesis is directly related to Lower Austria or originated from the "Themenbörse Abschlussarbeiten". www.gff-noe.at/themenboerse
• The thesis was written in the context of a cooperation with companies in Lower Austria.
• Part of the research was carried out in Lower Austria. This means that at least 50% of the surveys, questionnaires, etc. were conducted in Lower Austria.

For further details on the funding requirements, the review process and the review criteria, please refer to the funding guidelines below (available in October 2023).

Please note that if the Science Prize of the Province of Lower Austria is awarded, the Wissenschaft Zukunft Prize will no longer be awarded.

WZP 2023

The Wissenschaft Zukunft Prize 2023 for academic theses is awarded in three categories and is endowed with the following prizes:

• Bachelor's thesis € 500
• Master's/Diploma Thesis € 1.000,-
• Dissertation/PhD € 2.000,-

A total of up to four theses will be awarded.

Submission deadline: 27 February to 12 April 2023

You can submit your entry at preise.einreichsystem.at. Please note that this is only possible online and that we only accept complete, timely and formally correct submissions.

The award will be presented at the Lower Austrian Science Gala in autumn 2023.

General requirements:

• Only complete, timely and formally correct online applications will be considered.
• The submitted work must be related to Lower Austria in terms of content. This is given if at least one of the four criteria below is met. Residence in Lower Austria of the person submitting the work is not relevant for the evaluation for the reference to Lower Austria.
• The thesis was submitted in 2020 at the earliest and was graded as "very good".
• The corresponding course of study – an FH course of study or university studies at an Austrian or European university – has been successfully completed.
• Work with a blocking notice will not be accepted.
• The Submission is possible in German or English language.
• There is no specific age limit for the submitting persons.

Criteria for content relation to Lower Austria:
At least one of these criteria must be met

• The thesis was written at a Lower Austrian research institute or in the course of studies in Lower Austria.
• The research dealt with in the thesis is related to Lower Austria.
• The thesis was written in cooperation with a company located in Lower-Austria.
• At least part of the research was carried out in Lower Austria.

For further details on the funding requirements, the selection procedure and the assessment criteria, please refer to the funding guidelines, which will be available in November 2022.

Submissions are only possible online at preise.einreichsystem.at.

Please note that if the Wissenschaftspreis of the Province of Lower Austria is awarded, the Wissenschaft Zukunft Preis will no longer be awarded.

Folder & Flyer

WZP 2023 Folder

PDF | Download WZP 2023 Folder (3.79 MB)

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Funding guidelines Bachelorarbeit WZP 2023

PDF | Download Funding guidelines Bachelorarbeit WZP 2023 (397.85 KB)

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Funding guidelines Master-/Diplomarbeit WZP 2023

PDF | Download Funding guidelines Master-/Diplomarbeit WZP 2023 (397.88 KB)

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Funding guidelines Dissertation / PhD-Thesis WZP 2023

PDF | Download Funding guidelines Dissertation / PhD-Thesis WZP 2023 (398.21 KB)

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WZP 2022

The Wissenschaft Zukunft Preis (WZP) for academic theses is awarded in three categories and carries the following prize money:

• Bachelor thesis € 500,-
• Master/Diploma thesis € 1.000,-
• Dissertation/PhD € 2.000,-

Deadline:

The submission deadlines is April 11 to May 31, 2022

Up to four final theses will be awarded

You can submit at preise.einreichsystem.at. Please note that this is only possible online and that we only accept complete, timely and formally correct submissions.

General Requirements:

• The submitted final thesis must be related to Lower Austria in terms of content.
• The final theses has been approved in 2019 at the earliest and has been assessed as "Very good".
• The corresponding study program - a UAS degree program or regular university study program at an Austrian or European university - has been successfully completed.
• Work with a blocking notice will not be accepted.
• Submission is possible in German or English.

AGE of submitting person:

• for bachelor theses from the year of birth 1995 (and younger)
• for Master and Diploma theses: from the year of birth 1994 (and younger)
• for dissertations and PhD: from the year of birth 1987 (and younger)

For further details on the eligibility requirements, the selection procedure and the review criteria, please refer to the funding guidelines.

Funding guidelines WZP 2022

WZP 2022 Funding Guidelines Bachelor Thesis

PDF | Download WZP 2022 Funding Guidelines Bachelor Thesis (267.11 KB)

WZP 2022 Funding Guidelines Master Thesis

PDF | Download WZP 2022 Funding Guidelines Master Thesis (292.50 KB)

WZP 2022 Funding Guidelines PhD Thesis

PDF | Download WZP 2022 Funding Guidelines PhD Thesis (268.10 KB)

Folder & Flyer

WZP 2022 Folder

PDF | Download WZP 2022 Folder (3.79 MB)

WZP 2021

Thematic focus of the Wissen schaf[f]t Zukunft Prize (WZP) 2021:

Climate Change & Climate Justice

The WZP was awarded to the following prize winners* in the three prize categories:

Academic Theses:

Markus Scharler
Claudia Gusenbauer
Patrick Zöchling

Who for: Master's/diploma thesis and dissertation/PhD graduates who have written an academic thesis on the topic of climate change & climate justice with reference to Lower Austria. Funding guidelines

Pre-scientific theses or diploma theses

Victoria Kastner, Hanna Leitner, Lena Oppitz
Linda Haselböck, Christina Wiesenhofer

Who for: High school graduates of the AHS upper level or BHS who go to or have gone to school in Lower Austria. Funding guidelines

Call for Concept: a competition for ideas

Birgit Teufer

Who for: Individuals or groups of individuals with an innovative and ready-to-implement project concept on the topic of climate change and climate justice that will be implemented in Lower Austria. Funding guidelines
Prize money:

Prize money per project:

Master and diploma theses: € 1.000,00
Dissertations and PhD: € 2.000,00
Up to three academic theses (master/diploma thesis and dissertation/PhD) will be awarded.

Pre-scientific theses or diploma theses of high school graduates: € 200,00 per author of an awarded thesis.
Up to two VWA or diploma theses will be awarded.

Call for Concept: up to € 3.000,00
One project idea will be awarded.

Mag. Bettina Pilsel
Awards, Events and Public Relations

T +43 2742 275 70-42

M +43 664 911 54 03

Folder & Flyer

WZP 2021 Tender folder in total

PDF | Download WZP 2021 Tender folder in total (3.24 MB)

WZP 2021 Tender folder English

PDF | Download WZP 2021 Tender folder English (1.58 MB)

Postcard pre-scientific thesis/diploma thesis

PDF | Download Postcard pre-scientific thesis/diploma thesis (411.26 KB)

WZP 2020 Award Winners

The winners of the WZA 2020 were

Category pre-scientific thesis/diploma thesis:

Fotos zu WZP Pre-scientific thesis/diploma thesis 2020Videos zu WZP Pre-scientific thesis/diploma thesis 2020

Video-Beitrag

Video ID 411: Externe Medien zulassen

Category Call for Concept:

Fotos zu WZA Call for Concept 2020Videos zu WZA Call for Concept 2020

Video-Beitrag

Video ID 410: Externe Medien zulassen

WZP 2019 Award Winners

The winners of the WZA 2019 were

Category pre-scientific work/diploma thesis:

Category Call for Concept:

Category academic theses / master theses:

Category academic theses/dissertations/PhD:

WZP 2021 Award Winner

WZP 2021 Award Winners are:

Fotos zu WZP 2021 Preisträger*innenVideos zu WZP 2021 Preisträger*innen

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Video-Beitrag

Video ID 619: Externe Medien zulassen

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