Initiative

With advancing digitization and new technologies, the importance of the so-called STEM subjects - Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics – (German: MINT-Regions) increases. This also leads to a greater availability of professionals from these fields of education. Furthermore, research, technology, and innovation (RTI) stand for prosperity and quality of life in the innovation-driven country of Austria. RTI is therefore seen as the solution for societal problems, ranging from the Corona crisis, climate change, to issues such as an aging population and youth unemployment. Despite many initiatives and individual efforts, Austria still faces the problem of having too few young professionals from the STEM field. The shortage of skilled workers is not a new phenomenon in Austria, but it requires more regional cooperation to effectively consolidate the strengths of individual initiatives.

Thus, the federal government is now advocating for the development of STEM regions within the country to sustainably strengthen Austria's science and business location through young professionals in the fields of Mathematics, Informatics, Natural Sciences, and Technology.

The STEM-Regions Service Hub will therefore bring established regional networks into the spotlight, award them with a STEM Regions Label, and subsequently present them on this Austria-wide STEM Regions Portal.“

The STEM Regions Service Hub

The „Austria Wirtschaftsservice GmbH“ acts as the STEM Service Hub for the regions and sees itself as the nationwide support for all initiatives in the individual STEM regions.

The STEM Regions Service Hub:

Provides the service of nationwide networking and support activities for the STEM coordination offices in the federal states.
Acts as an advisory and supportive hub for the STEM regions.
Enables nationwide visibility of all STEM regions and thus all STEM initiators in the country through the STEM Regions Portal.
Supports and facilitates the networking of STEM activities, including the establishment and management of the "Network of STEM Regions Austria" group on LinkedIn.
Showcases various STEM projects through networking events, the STEM Regions Portal, and the LinkedIn group.
Certifies STEM regions through an annual competition with a STEM Regions Quality Label.
Organizes the awarding of the STEM Regions Quality Label by the Federal Ministry of Education, Science, and Research.

The contracting authority and partners

The contracting authority of this new initiative is the Federal Ministry of Education, Science, and Research.

The partners oft he initiative are „Industriellen Vereinigung“, the „OeaD“, „Austria Wirtschaftsservice“ and „MINTality Foundation".