Transdisciplinary Research Pilot

In 2025, the mdw announced its first call for internal funding for pilot projects in the field of transdisciplinary research. This refers to the inception of cooperative and experimental research projects whose findings, resulting from collaboration between academia and social actors, contribute to the engagement about current issues.

Current social, ecological, socio-political and technological challenges require innovative forms of cooperation and social participation. By providing targeted support for specific projects that contribute to this, the mdw is positioning itself as a future-oriented, open and socio-politically effective research institution.

Funding is available for innovative research projects in all disciplines represented at the mdw with a proven methodology, involving at least one non-university partner (e.g. school, NGO, archive, cultural institution). Projects that incorporate methods of science communication (e.g. citizen science) and digital humanities are explicitly encouraged.

Preference will be given to transdisciplinary project partnerships that aim to build expertise in the area of national or international funding (e.g. the FWF's #ConnectingMinds programme, calls for proposals in the field of digital humanities and science communication, etc.).

Consortia consisting of mdw members from all academic disciplines, in particular early stage artists and researchers, including PhD and Dr. Artium students, are eligible to apply. The project partnership must include at least one partner from outside the mdw.

The projects to be funded will be selected by a jury comprising internal and external members, coordinated by the Research Support Office.

Approved Projects 2026

Irene Stepniczka (Wiener Zentrum für Musiktherapie-Forschung - WZMF): Musik und Prävention: Pilotprojekt zur Erarbeitung eines initialen Konzepts für musikbasierte Interventionen an Volksschulen

Patrik Lechner (Artistic Research Center - ARC): Artistic Research, Community & Media Ecologies

Barbara Wolfram (Filmakademie Wien – Institut für Film und Fernsehen): Re-Framing Masculinities. Feministische Männlichkeit in Film, Alltag und Gewaltprävention

Julia Fent (Institut für Musiktherapie): Von Konflikträumen hin zu Aushandlungsräumen über die Verbindung von Musiktherapie mit mediativen Ansätzen

Jury

Shilla Strelka

Anke Schad-Spindler

Monika Smetana

Beate Hennenberg

Malik Sharif

Research Support

Mag. Marita Schaaser, M.A.
Internal Funding

Tel. +43 1 711 55-6101
forschungsfoerderung@mdw.ac.at

Mag. Vitali Bodnar, MAS
Project Service | Research Support

Tel. +43 1 711 55 – 6114
bodnar@mdw.ac.at