IIASA develops partnerships with organizations in member countries and a global network of researchers and policymakers. These collaborations aim to deliver high-quality research and enhance the impact of its research on shaping evidence-based policy and building bridges between countries.

In 2020, IIASA partnered with:

  • 24 National Member Organizations (2 observers and one prospective member) that govern IIASA and provide core funding
  • 681 research partners in member countries and worked on 190 externally funded projects where IIASA was a lead or partner
  • 2,702 coauthors from 548 institutions in 61 countries on 439 joint publications
  • 23 UN bodies, international NGOs, and other structures as a member or observer
  • Different organizations worldwide through 17 new formal collaborative agreements.

National Member Organizations

IIASA is funded and governed by its National and Regional Member Organizations (MOs) – often highly prestigious scientific organizations such as a country's national academy or premier research funding agency.

Research funders

Top ten research funders in 2020 by funds invested in IIASA research:

  1. European Commission
  2. Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors
  3. Research Institute of Innovative Technology for the Earth (RITE)
  4. Joint Stock Company SUEK
  5. Austrian Research Promotion Agency (FFG)
  6. Austrian Climate Research Program (ACRP)
  7. Higher School of Economics (HSE)
  8. Bank of England
  9. Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (NORAD)
  10. DBFZ German Biomass Research Center

Research collaborators

Top ten research collaborators in 2020 (Source: SCOPUS):

  1. Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research, Germany
  2. Ultrecht University, Netherlands
  3. National Institute for Environmental Studies, Japan
  4. National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS), France
  5. PBL Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency, Netherlands
  6. University of Vienna, Austria
  7. Kyoto University, Japan
  8. Leibniz Association, Germany
  9. Imperial College London, United Kingdom
  10. Lomonosov Moscow State University, Russia

IIASA formal memberships and accreditations

Intergovernmental organizations: IIASA is formally a member or observer of a number of intergovernmental organizations in order to enhance the impact of its research. These organizations include:

International non-governmental organizations

IIASA is a formal member of a number of international non-governmental organizations to join expertise and research efforts:

Other structures where IIASA is a member

Strategic partners

The focus of IIASA research on finding solutions to challenges that cross international boundaries results in strategic collaboration with a range of international and regional organizations.

IIASA recent new collaborations include:

  • A partnership with the International Science Council (ISC) to bring a transdisciplinary systems perspective to the COVID-19 crisis and to identify how best to build forward a world that is more resilient, sustainable, and just.
  • The start of a strategic partnership with SAS Institute Inc., the multinational developer of analytics software, to implement the next generation of crowd-driven artificial intelligence (AI) to help power AI algorithms to better track deforestation.
  • Membership of Africa-UniNet, a research network to create a long-term, stable basis for international scientific cooperation between African universities and research institutions, and those based in Austria.

Established strategic partnerships are also progressing. Among these were:

  • Publication of a joint report by IIASA and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). The report demonstrated that putting systemic thinking at the centre of policymaking is essential to addressing global issues in an era of rapid and disruptive change.
  • The Integrated Solutions for Water, Energy, and Land (ISWEL) four-year project jointly led by IIASA, the Global Environment Facility (GEF), and the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) successfully achieved its objectives in 2020.
  • The World in 2050 (TWI2050) initiative by IIASA, the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), and the Vienna Energy Forum organized a side-event at the UN High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development where TWI2050 third report was released.

In 2022 IIASA signed Memoranda of Understanding with 19 organizations to facilitate research collaborations and the use of IIASA research by institutions in a number of countries, including Austria, Canada, China, Czech Republic, Germany, Japan, Korea, Mauritius, Netherlands, Slovakia, South Africa, Thailand, UK, Ukraine along with 4 intergovernmental organizations, including the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). IIASA also became a founding partner of an initiative to organize the International Year of Basic Sciences for Sustainable Development in 2022, which was successfully proclaimed by the UN General Assembly in 2021.

Vienna Diplomatic Hub

IIASA works closely with the diplomatic corps in Vienna and worldwide to integrate science in international diplomacy, to support informed decision-making, and to facilitate negotiations. This engagement also supports national policies and increases visibility of IIASA research and activities.

Goodwill Ambassador

The Vienna Philharmonic is a goodwill ambassador for the work of IIASA. The partnership brings together music and science for the broader good of humanity.