Interim evaluation

One of the main objectives of the VRG programme is to enable recipients to pursue a career path that leads to a full professorship. In Austria, this typically occurs via a career position, in accordance with UG2002 (for organizations that fall under the UG2022). Obtaining a full professorship is, however, not part of the VRG program rationale, since it requires either an open external appointment procedure or an internal call for applications for a certain number of dedicated positions.

However,Therefor, VRG leaders are expected to advance to Associate Professorship within the duration of the Vienna Research Group. Upon starting work at the host institution, VRG leaders are offered a qualification agreement („Qualifizierungsvereinbarung“, „QV“). Depending on the institution, this either happens immediately upon entry to the university, or after a few months (WWTF asks for a maximum of 3 months upon start of the work contract, until the QV is offered and signed). Once a QV has been signed, the VRG leader is listed as an „assistant professors“. These positions are temporary. 

In the QV, the criteria for promotion to associate professorship are defined. After a certain period of time (depending on the institution and the individual agreement between host institution and VRG leader), usually 2-4 years, an interim evaluation of the VRG leader's performance is carried out at the host institution.

ThereFrom WWTF's perspective, there are different scenarios for the interim evaluation:

Scenario

1:

WWTF organisiert Evaluierung

In the first up to five years, the group is mainly financed by the WWTF (in general about 70-80%Evaluation of the funding).QV Beforeinvolving external experts
WWTF wishes to be involved in this process, as stipulated in the endcontract. This is typically done by WWTF appointing an external reviewer. As soon as the QV review process is initiated, the host institution approaches WWTF regarding the nomination of a reviewer.

Scenario 2: Evaluation of the firstQV phase,with anpredominantly formal internal assessment.
If the university's evaluation (“interimprocess evaluation”)does takesnot place.include Thisexternal reviews, WWTF will conduct its own, moderate, evaluation willafter consider3-4 the publication record as well as the research profileruntime of the groupproject. leader,WWTF's asevaluation wellcan astake furtherplace criteriaat defineda later date than the QV evaluation by the host institution. The

interim

Scenario 3: Interim evaluation shouldby be co-organized bythe WWTF andwithout a QV agreement.
If there is no QV agreement (e.g. if the hostVRG institution.leader Involvementstarts ofas anassociate internationalprofessor reviewer,or nominatedhigher), byWWTF WWTF,will isconduct mandatory.its own, moderate, evaluation after approximately three to four years.

The evaluation step usually takes place in the fourthbetween year and at the latest at the beginning2-4 of thea fifthVRG year.grant. Earlier dates are possible. 

In case of a positive evaluation, the second phase will run for one to three years. This phase is characterized by a tenured position of the VRG leader and is mainly financed by the host institution. This means funding from WWTF should be supplemented by a significant increase in financial contributions from the host institution and/or other third party funding, in the second phase of the grant (after the interim evaluation, usually years 5-8, depending on the duration of the grant). In case of a negative result in the interim evaluation, the funding of the group will be discontinued after a “phasing out” period (max. 1 year).