On January 16, 2025, Ambassador Vũ Lê Thái Hoàng and the Head of the Vietnam Trade Office in Austria visited the Austrian Institute of Technology (AIT). AIT is Austria’s largest non-university research organization, with seven research centers and 1,450 staff members working across facilities in Vienna, Seibersdorf, Wiener Neustadt, Ranshofen, and Graz.
AIT serves as a strategic research and development partner for Austria’s key industries, focusing on energy, low-emission transportation, healthcare and bioresources, digital safety and security, visual computing, automation, and technology experience. The institute provides tools, technologies, and solutions that shape Austria’s future innovation landscape. AIT’s ownership structure includes 50.46% held by the Federal Ministry for Climate Action, Environment, Energy, Mobility, Innovation and Technology, and 49.54% by the Federation of Austrian Industries.
AIT’s Expertise in Digital Safety and Emerging Technologies
Dr. Helmut Leopold, Director of the Center for Digital Safety and Security, along with experts, presented an overview of AIT’s key programs. The center has 200 specialists developing advanced ICT systems to ensure safety and reliability in an increasingly digitized global environment.
Its main research areas include:
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Distributed IT systems and the Internet of Things (IoT)
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Cybersecurity for IT and industrial control systems
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Advanced encryption (post-quantum cryptography)
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High-assurance software and systems
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Data science, Artificial Intelligence (AI), and blockchain technologies
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Quantum and photonic technologies
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Next-generation wireless networks (5G)
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Sensor and biometric systems for critical infrastructure protection and digital identity
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Digital solutions for environmental management and crisis response
The center collaborates closely with industries in semiconductors, automotive, energy infrastructure, financial systems, and public safety, conducting strategic R&D projects from prototype design to real-world application.
Global Partnerships and Research Programs
AIT actively participates in national and international innovation programs such as KIRAS, Horizon Europe, ECSO (European Cyber Security Organisation), and EU Public Safety Communications initiatives. It also contributes to European leadership in electronics and system design through platforms like EARTO/EUROTECH task forces.
Key international partners include:
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International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)
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Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE)
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UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC)
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UN Office of Counter-Terrorism (UNOCT)
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Interpol and Europol,
as well as the Austrian Federal Ministries of Interior and Defense.
Opportunities for Vietnam–Austria Scientific Cooperation
Ambassador Vũ Lê Thái Hoàng praised AIT’s expertise in digital safety and advanced technology, noting its alignment with global scientific trends and Vietnam’s innovation and digital transformation priorities.
He emphasized Vietnam’s development vision toward becoming a high middle-income country by 2050, focusing on:
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Digital transformation and high-tech applications,
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Semiconductor and new material technologies,
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Biotechnology,
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Climate change response,
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E-commerce and digital payments.
With its 100-million-strong domestic market, Vietnam seeks to accelerate per capita GDP growth and expand scientific partnerships—particularly with European nations like Austria. Both sides expressed their intention to enhance collaboration between Vietnam and AIT, as well as with other international research institutions, to advance applied science, technology innovation, and upgrade bilateral cooperation in the near future.