Evidence-based, transparency and independence

WIFO is committed to taking an independent position on economic policy issues, free of particular interests. The foundations for the recognition of objectivity and impartiality across divergent interests are:

• scientific integrity,
• the pursuit of a scientific approach through evidence-based and transparent policy advice,
• independence.

Scientific integrity

WIFO is a member of the Austrian Agency for Scientific Integrity (ÖAWI) and follows the rules of good scientific practice to ensure the scientific integrity and accountability of its research results. WIFO pays particular attention to the transparent documentation of its publications:

• methods, data and literature sources,
• authorship,
• conflicts of interest,
• sources of funding.

Together with the Institute for Advanced Studies (IHS) and in coordination with the Austrian Agency for Scientific Integrity (ÖAWI), principles of scientific integrity for third-party studies have been developed. They are intended to help scientific staff and contractors to carry out third-party projects according to the standards of good scientific practice. The document is based, among others, on the guidelines of good scientific practice of the ÖAWI, the guidelines of the University of Vienna on scientific policy advice as well as on documents on scientific policy advice of the EU-funded platform Science Advice for Policy by European Academies (SAPEA).

Pursuit of a scientific approach through evidence-based and transparent policy advice

Policy-relevant findings and recommendations are based on a critical examination of a broad empirical evidence base, in particular the robustness of the underlying methodological approach.

The limits of the validity of the research results and the assumptions on which the available evidence is based are made transparent.

WIFO is aware that its statements and positions can only be a building block for the development of economic policy measures, especially in the case of challenges that require multidisciplinary evidence base due to their complexity.

WIFO's research results are always published and are thus accessible to a broad public. According to its statutes, WIFO's task is to disseminate the results of its research in the interest of the general public and to promote the understanding of economic interrelationships. Scientific understanding requires publication.

Independence

WIFO's statutes include a public mandate, which presupposes party-political independence. WIFO's activities are therefore directed less at individual contractor organisations than at the general public. The status of the institute as a non-profit organisation is reinforced in the statutes.

WIFO's independence is underlined by a wide range of sponsors with different interests and tasks. Third-party funds from national and international research funds and programmes are also used to finance multi-year research projects.

WIFO is independent in the recruitment of new staff. The selection process is based on performance-oriented and transparent eligibility criteria.