For the advancement of especially innovative research areas and interdisciplinary research projects, the implementation of Research Platforms as organisational units between the faculties is possible. The research projects supported by using this instrument are to open new perspectives, and to enable new opportunities in scientifically already well-established fields.

Research platforms are established on the basis of an international peer-review assessment carried out by the Rectorate after consulting with the Scientific Advisory Boards of the University of Vienna, for a limited period of time (usually, initially for three years), with an option of (also limited) extension after a positive interim assessment, in the course of which the use of the instrument of the research platform and long-term perspectives have to be evaluated.

All Research Platforms should contribute to the advancement of young scientists and should also support the implementation of structured doctoral programmes spanning the faculties. Successful Research Platforms could also develop into initial nuclei for main research areas.

Newly established Research Platforms (starting March 2011):

• Research Platform "Active Ageing"
  (Faculty of Life Sciences, Centre for Sports Sciences and University Sports)
  
  Head: Karl-Heinz Wagner

• Research Platform "Cognitive Science"
  (Faculty of Philosophy and Education, Faculty of Historical and Cultural Studies, Faculty of Psychology, Faculty of Life Sciences, Centre for Translation Studies)
  
  Head: Franz-Markus Peschl

Active Research Platforms:

• Research Platform "Vienna Institute for Archaeological Science (VIAS)"
  (Faculty of Historical and Cultural Studies, Faculty of Physics, Faculty of Earth Sciences, Geography and Astronomy, Faculty of Life Sciences)
  
  Head: Michael Doneus
  
  
• Research Platform "Kurt Gödel Research Center"
  (Faculty of Mathematics)
  
  Head: Sy-David Friedman
  
  
• Research Platform "Life-Science-Governance"
  (Faculty of Social Sciences, Faculty of Life Sciences)
  
  Head: Herbert Gottweis
  
  
• Research Platform "Institute for Ethics and Law in Medicine (IERM)"
  (Faculty of Protestant Theology, Faculty of Catholic Theology, Faculty of Law; established in Cooperation with the Medical University of Vienna)
  
  Head: Ulrich Körtner
  
  
• Research Platform "Center for Interdisciplinary Research and Documentation of Inner and South Asian Cultural History (CIRDIS)"
  (Faculty of Historical and Cultural Studies, Faculty of Philological and Cultural Studies)
  
  Head: Deborah Klimburg-Salter
  
  
• Research Platform "Repositioning of Women's and Gender History"
  (Faculty of Historical and Cultural Studies, Faculty of Philological and Cultural Studies)
  
  Head: Christa Ehrmann-Hämmerlehttp://www.univie.ac.at/mountainlimits/
  
  
• Research Platform "Human Rights in the European Context"
  (Faculty of Law, Faculty of Business, Economics and Statistics, Faculty of Philological and Cultural Studies, Faculty of Psychology, Faculty of Social Sciences)
  
  Head: Manfred Nowak
  
  
• Research Platform "Translational Cancer Therapy Research"
  (Faculty of Chemistry)
  
  Head: Bernhard Keppler
  
  
• Research Platform "Structural and Functional Analysis of mRNA Molecules Targeted by the RNA-binding Protein Tristetraprolin"
  (Centre for Molecular Biology, Faculty of Chemistry)
  
  Head: Pavel Kovarik
  
  
• Research Platform “Alternative Solvents as a Basis for Life Supporting Zones in (Exo)Planetary Systems“
  (Faculty of Earth Sciences, Geography and Astronomy, Faculty of Physics)
  
  Head: Gertrude Firneis
  
  
• Research Platform "Characterisation of Drug Involved Mechanisms" (Faculty of Life Sciences, Faculty of Chemistry)
  
  Head: Claudia Valenta
  
  
• Research Platform "Vienna Eastern Europe Forum"
  (Faculty of Historical and Cultural Studies, Faculty of Catholic Theology, Faculty of Law, Faculty of Philological and Cultural Studies, Faculty of Social Sciences, Faculty of Earth Sciences, Geography and Astronomy)
  
  Head: Oliver Schmitt
  
  
• Research Platform "Migration and Integration Research"
  (Faculty of Earth Sciences, Geography and Astronomy, Faculty of Law, Faculty of Psychology, Faculty of Social Sciences)
  
  Head: Christoph Reinprecht
  
  
• Research Platform "Theory and Practice of Subject Didactics/Teaching Methodologies"
  (Faculty of Historical and Cultural Studies, Faculty of Catholic Theology, Faculty of Protestant Theology, Faculty of Computer Science, Faculty of Philological and Cultural Studies, Faculty of Mathematics,  Faculty of Physics, Faculty of Chemistry, Faculty of Earth Sciences, Geography and Astronomy, Faculty of Life Sciences, Centre for Sports Sciences and University Sports)
  
  Head: Alois Ecker
  
  
• Research Platform "Religion and Transformation in Contemporary European Society"
  (Faculty of Catholic Theology, Faculty of Protestant Theology, Faculty of Law, Faculty of Philological and Cultural Studies, Faculty of Philosophy and Education, Faculty of Social Sciences)
  
  Head: Kurt Appel