The PhD in Economics and the PhD Program in International Business Taxation – have been awarded doc.funds grants from the Austrian Research Fund (FWF), which means that WU has won two of the seven grants available in total. These coveted and highly competitive grants are intended to strengthen the training of highly qualified doctoral students within existing doctoral programs. They support universities in providing the best possible training for their most promising early-stage researchers. 

In the current round of applications, only a few projects from across Austria won the acclaim of the jury, and two of these rare grants will go to WU. WU Rector Rupert Sausgruber is proud of this great success and says, “There is always fierce competition for these grants. The fact that WU has won two of them underscores the excellent reputation of our PhD programs, which attract researchers from all over the world. At the same time, this also shows how important it is to address economic and legal issues in depth to come up with answers to the social and economic challenges of our time. These programs contribute significantly to raising WU’s international profile and strengthen Vienna as a hub of academic research.” 

WU’s PhD Program in Economics tackles key questions of our time 

In the PhD Program in Economics, doctoral students investigate a wide range of economic issues. At WU’s Department of Economics, they are closely involved in ongoing research activities and are integrated into the international scientific community early on. Ongoing and upcoming research projects address key economic issues such as trade networks in times of crisis, the influence of social norms on trust and behavior, the impact of automation on energy consumption and climate targets, and the long-term development of real interest rates and their role with regard to inflation and monetary policy. Further research topics include the question of why children of migrants often have poorer health outcomes than their parents. The program combines research on macroeconomics, markets, and individual behavior and refines state-of-the-art scientific methods to gain a better understanding of the key challenges of the 21st century. Previous graduates have been extremely successful and hold positions at renowned international universities or important political institutions such as the Oesterreichische Nationalbank and the European Commission. As program coordinator Klaus Gugler points out, “We’ve put together a program that delivers rigorous research on key social challenges. It makes economics tangible and highlights its relevance. I believe this was the key reason why we’ve been selected to receive this important grant that certifies our research excellence. The strong commitment and collaborative spirit of everyone working in our department has made this possible. The program will take economics to a whole new level.” 

Global tax research at WU 

The PhD Program in International Business Taxation has consistently received FWF funding since it was established, and it has now been selected for yet another doc.funds grant. To date, around 50 researchers have completed the program, which explores the links between taxation, corporate decision-making, and society. The influence of taxation extends far beyond business considerations and also encompasses key social objectives. Therefore, the program’s focus is on issues of international corporate taxation, which researchers analyze from the perspective of environmental considerations, society, and responsible management. The researchers carry out their work in an international and interdisciplinary environment. Insights from law, economics, and business administration provide a research-grounded basis for tax policy decisions and shed light on the impact these decisions have on companies, the economy, and society. Program coordinator Michael Lang says, “We’re delighted to be chosen for this grant again. Our past graduates now work as professors at renowned universities in Europe, North and South America, and Asia. In this way, WU has established itself as the world’s leading center of international tax research. The renewed FWF funding will enable us to continue on this path in the coming years and further expand WU’s position as a leading global player in this field.”