New Year’s Reception 2026: Meeting with members of the government

On the occasion of the ninth session of the Council, FORWIT’s traditional New Year’s reception took place on 26 January in the parliamentary premises. Beforehand, the members of the Council met together with the managing director for an informal exchange with Minister for Science and Research Holzleitner, Minister for Economic Affairs Hattmannsdorfer and State Secretary Zehetner.

Tom Henzinger, Chair of FORWIT, once again emphasised to the government members that a swift conclusion of the overdue RTI pact 2027-29 was urgent in order to establish financial security for the coming years. Federal Minister Hattmannsdorfer referred to the federal government’s industrial strategy published a week earlier and asked FORWIT to support the implementation of this significant government initiative. Minister Holzleitner explained that she wants the process for developing a higher education strategy 2040, which has now been launched, to be understood as a reform to make universities fit for the future. She thanked FORWIT for the work carried out thus far, together with the sounding board established for this purpose.

In the discussion, Henzinger emphasised the relevance of research and technology development in many of the federal government’s reform initiatives and offered FORWIT’s support. Among the council members, Georg Kopetz referred to the necessary framework conditions that are particularly relevant for the financing of deep tech companies. Helga Nowotny referred to Austria’s role in a technologically sovereign Europe. Finally, there was also discussion about how FORWIT could support the federal government with the initiative formulated in the government programme under the ‘research governance’.

New Year’s Reception 2026

Around 100 representatives from politics and all areas of the Austrian STI system gathered at the subsequent New Year’s reception. The welcoming remarks from the government members were followed by a compelling speech by Sylvia Schwaag Serger. Schwaag Serger, who is stepping down from her mandate at FORWIT at the end of March after ten years’ work on Austrian advisory bodies, took a critical but nonetheless positive view of Austria’s role in the world. Finally, guests took the opportunity for networking and informal exchange.