Supporting Young Talent

The Austrian Institute for SME Research regards the support of early-career researchers as an integral part of its educational responsibility and as an investment in the quality of applied economic research.

At the Austrian Institute for SME Research , students are given the opportunity to work at the Institute alongside their studies – as active contributors to ongoing research projects. This practical involvement fosters methodological skills, deepens their technical understanding of various topics in applied economic research, and also makes a concrete contribution to the quality of their academic work. For particularly committed graduates, the institute offers a pathway into an academic career within an institutional environment that combines specialist depth, thematic diversity and close collaboration with experienced researchers. As experience and expertise grow, clear career progression opportunities open up at the Institute – ranging from independent project management and development, through taking on thematic areas of focus, to senior roles in research and institutional management.

The Austrian Institute for SME Research offers its staff a broad range of topics – from sector and economic analyses, through innovation and transformation studies, to the research fields of entrepreneurship and the labour market – and thus a fertile environment for professional and personal development. The institute’s application-oriented approach and close collaboration with economic policy institutions, funding agencies and universities equip staff for demanding roles in academia, public administration and economic policy consultancy alike.

The Institute’s staff are actively involved in teaching at universities and universities of applied sciences, bringing their expertise from applied research directly into academic education. They supervise final-year dissertations and support students in their academic engagement with issues relevant to the economy and business. Close cooperation with local universities as well as national and international research institutes creates a vibrant academic network from which early-career researchers benefit directly.

The Institute also provides targeted support to students and their dissertations through its proprietary databases (e.g. economic and financial data), analyses and subject-specific expertise. Senior researchers at the Institute offer guidance to students as they carry out their independent research, for example in the fields of economic statistics and practical economic policy.