02 Dec 2025

ELI Partner Day Engages Austria’s Scientific Community to Expand Collaboration

The Extreme Light Infrastructure ERIC (ELI) in cooperation with the Vienna University of Technology (TU Wien) invited leading Austrian stakeholders for the Austrian Partner Day bringing researchers, policymakers, and industry representatives together to explore concrete avenues for cooperation in high-power laser science and the wider European research landscape.

Held in the Prof. Dr. Arnold Schmidt Room at TU Wien and opened by Vice Rector for Research, Peter Ertl, sessions throughout the day introduced ELI’s scientific capabilities, including the wide range of available primary and secondary sources, and the access model that enables researchers from around the world to run experiments on some of the most advanced laser installations available today.

Professor Joachim Burgdörfer offered a theoretical perspective on the research potential at ELI and noted: “A significant part of the science driving ELI has roots in Austria. Closer engagement would be a natural step, opening new possibilities for Austrian researchers and reinforcing the contributions our scientific community has made to attosecond physics and strong-field science.”

The discussions highlighted Austria’s steadily increasing engagement with ELI. Austrian researchers have submitted close to 20 experiment proposals so far, with more than half accepted and allocated beam time. Currently, Austria ranks 12^thof 38 countries, a clear indication of sustained scientific interest.

“Research and innovation transcend borders,” says Allen Week Director General of ELI. “Austria is uniquely positioned to work closely with ELI, both geographically and through a long tradition of contributions to laser science. Deepening our engagement with Austrian researchers and students is an important step in building a world-class community in Central Europe.”

The programme showcased ELI’s scientific excellence, research opportunities for Austrian users, and the added value of formal membership. Presentations from Austrian institutions and industry, including TU Wien, JKU Linz, TU Graz, Photonics Austria, and MedAustron, illustrated the strong foundation for collaboration across both academic and applied research.

On the eve of the Partner Day, the Embassies of the Czech Republic and Hungary in Vienna co-hosted a reception at the Czech Embassy to celebrate the strengthening trilateral cooperation between Austria, Czechia, and Hungary in science and innovation.

Group photo from the Partner Day

Opening the evening, Deputy Head of Mission of the Czech Republic, Jan Brunner, on behalf of the Czech Ambassador, Jiří Šitler, underlined ELI’s unique contribution to the European Research Area as the largest scientific project in Czech history and a model of European collaboration.

The Hungarian Ambassador Edit Szilágyiné Bátorf emphasized ELI’s role as a bridge between nations, saying: “Central Europe is tied together by shared history, culture, and academic exchange, and ELI supports this tradition. Closer cooperation benefits not only science, but the wider economy, as research and innovation remain essential pillars of our competitiveness. ELI also gives young researchers a reason to build their careers here in the region, which is vital for our future.”

The clear interest from Austrian institutions in working more closely with ELI creates a solid basis for continued dialogue. Building on this momentum, ELI will maintain close contact with the Austrian scientific community to explore new avenues for cooperation and strengthen Central Europe’s contribution to European science.