The Research Financing Act. A New Framework for Publicly Funded Research in Austria and its Impact on Evaluation.

On 7 July 2020, the National Council – the first chamber of the Austrian Parliament – passed a package of legislation introducing a new framework for the methods of allocating federal budgets to research, technology, and innovation (RTI). Its core is the Research Financing Act (RFA), complemented by several amendments to existing laws that are necessary for its implementation. Entry into force was on 25 July 2020, the amendments became effective as of 1 January 2021 (BGBl1. I No. 75/20202). The RFA is the biggest legislative project in the field of RTI policy since 2004 when the Research Funding Agency (FFG) was established (Pichler et al. 2007, pp. 329-336; Stampfer et al. 2010, pp. 775-776). For the first time, budget law regulations are now aligned with the needs of institutions performing or funding RTI (Pichler 2021). This article outlines the background and content of the RFA and concludes with a view on the significance of evaluation within the new system.

Paleofluid flow: answers in the quartz.

The search for carbon-free energy sources is at the heart of our concerns. It has become necessary to develop our capacities to harness the active energy flows of our environment while trying to have the lowest possible impact. Among these flows, one of the most stable is that linked to terrestrial thermal anomalies. Geothermal energy is an attractive option due to its regularity and the development of knowledge is encouraged, in France, by the national research funding agency. Geothermal systems are mainly associated with active hydrothermal circulations, fluids can be considered as a source of heat but also of metals. However, fluid circulation within active hydrothermal fields occurs at considerable depths and cannot be observed directly. In this study we propose a method for reconstructing the paleo-flow velocities recorded by quartz. The relative thickness of quartz growth bands is used to deduce the sense and velocity of the paleofluid flow. This contribution highlights the paleofluid flows velocities and the recharge/discharge area in the Limagne Basin geothermal province, which is currently under investigation. Finally, this study provides a tool to be used to study fossil hydrothermal systems containing quartz veins with comb textures.

Paleofluid flow: answers in the quartz.

The search for carbon-free energy sources is at the heart of our concerns. It has become necessary to develop our capacities to harness the active energy flows of our environment while trying to have the lowest possible impact. Among these flows, one of the most stable is that linked to terrestrial thermal anomalies. Geothermal energy is an attractive option due to its regularity and the development of knowledge is encouraged, in France, by the national research funding agency. Geothermal systems are mainly associated with active hydrothermal circulations, fluids can be considered as a source of heat but also of metals. However, fluid circulation within active hydrothermal fields occurs at considerable depths and cannot be observed directly. In this study we propose a method for reconstructing the paleo-flow velocities recorded by quartz. The relative thickness of quartz growth bands is used to deduce the sense and velocity of the paleofluid flow. This contribution highlights the paleofluid flows velocities and the recharge/discharge area in the Limagne Basin geothermal province, which is currently under investigation. Finally, this study provides a tool to be used to study fossil hydrothermal systems containing quartz veins with comb textures.

Between internationalising science and multilingualising knowledge

This article raises the question of the conditions for the internationalisation of universities, its links with linguistic practices and its impact on the dynamics of scientific knowledge. First, it questions the notion of internationalisation, defined in a variable manner and affecting both institutions and knowledge. The links between internationalisation and language (non-)choices (monolingual or plurilingual) have been established. They challenge both the governance of universities and the implementation of curricula. Secondly, this article proposes a reflection on three major functions of language and discourse: communication, representation and contextualisation. It shows that policies in favour of monolingualism in science generally favour the function of communication. The importance of these functions varies, moreover, according to the nature of the scientific practices considered, more or less contextualised and more or less central for the development of knowledge. Third, the article looks at a study carried out within the framework of a national research funding agency in a multilingual country. It describes language practices in research evaluation across a variety of disciplines but focuses in particular on the representations of research advisers regarding the links between science and language(s). In conclusion, this article emphasises the importance, for academic institutions, to develop an explicit, socially responsible language policy that is aware of the consequences of decisions made along the entire educational chain.