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Jittery Austrian scientists have been assured that their ongoing research projects will continue to be financed, despite uncertainties over whether this year's science budget will be
slashed by 40%. The letter from Christoph Kratky, the president of the FWF, Austria's research agency, also said that no one will get a pay rise, and no new projects will be approved
until the government makes its intentions clear. Austria has been pumping up its research expenditure with special funds for several years. In 2006 it ranked fifth in research intensity
among the 27 member states of the European Union. But plans to eliminate these funding pots to help fight the financial crisis were leaked from the new government when it took office in
December. It is scheduled to make a final decision in April. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION SEE ALSO CORRESPONDENCE: Austria should invest in brains, not in bricks, banks or airlines RIGHTS AND
PERMISSIONS Reprints and permissions ABOUT THIS ARTICLE CITE THIS ARTICLE Austrian scientists rattled by threat to funding. _Nature_ 457, 648 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1038/457648c Download
citation * Published: 04 February 2009 * Issue Date: 05 February 2009 * DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/457648c SHARE THIS ARTICLE Anyone you share the following link with will be able to read
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