Vienna – June 18, 2026: The IMF and Austrian authorities have renewed their cooperation agreement on the Joint Vienna Institute (JVI), reaffirming its long-established role as a hub of economic learning, policy dialogue and international cooperation. On 18 June 2026, Kristalina Georgieva, Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Markus Marterbauer, Minister of Finance of Austria, as well as Martin Kocher, Governor of the Oesterreichische Nationalbank (OeNB) and OeNB Vice Governor Edeltraud Stiftinger, signed the agreement underpinning their continued cooperation on the JVI over the next four years.
“Our continued partnership on the JVI demonstrates the importance that the IMF and Austria ascribe to its mission: equipping public sector leaders across this diverse region with the tools, knowledge and networks needed to build innovative, inclusive and resilient economies,” noted Ms. Georgieva. “In an increasingly complex and uncertain world, such investment in the next generation of policymakers is essential. The IMF is extremely grateful for Austria’s enduring support of the JVI – a key pillar of the IMF’s global capacity development network – and all it delivers across the region.”
“The region served by the JVI includes some of our closest economic partners as well as countries of increasing importance to Austria and the EU. Strengthening the capacities of their public and monetary authorities is therefore not only beneficial to the countries themselves but also strengthens Austria’s role as a bridge builder in an increasingly challenging world. With training guided by cooperation and partnership, countries can benefit from each other’s experiences and building networks amongst officials is facilitated. The JVI thereby contributes to sustainable economic prosperity from Europe to Central Asia,” observed Mr. Marterbauer.
“The JVI provides a unique forum for knowledge transfer and peer-to-peer learning for central bankers and public officials,” commented Mr. Kocher. “By strengthening individual and institutional capacity, we collectively promote economic and financial stability in the regions covered by the JVI.”
The JVI’s multilateral approach perfectly complements our bilateral cooperation activities in the region,” added Ms. Stiftinger. “Given the active engagement and strong commitment of the JVI and its partners, we collectively ensure that the JVI’s activities remain relevant and tailored to the countries’ needs.”
The JVI is an independent international organization and the oldest in a global network of IMF-affiliated regional capacity development centers. It is a policy-oriented training hub for central bankers and public sector officials, combining foundational and cutting-edge topics with modern training delivery methods. It provides a uniquely collaborative learning environment where policymakers exchange experience, build networks and develop practical solutions to common economic challenges. The JVI covers countries in Central, Eastern and Southeastern Europe, the Caucasus, Central Asia as well as Iran and Türkiye.
Since its establishment in 1992, the JVI has trained almost 60,000 country officials from 31 countries, and now delivers close to 100 courses, seminars, peer-to-peer and other events every year on macroeconomics, fiscal and financial sector policies, public governance, structural policies, digitalization and emerging policy challenges. Among the JVI’s alumni are heads of state and government, many current and former central bank governors, government ministers and other high-ranking officials.
JVI training is typically delivered by experts from the IMF, Austrian government institutions, the OeNB and JVI staff, as well as partner organizations, including the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), the European Investment Bank (EIB), the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD), the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), and the World Trade Organization (WTO), as well as the European Commission, the International Labour Organization (ILO), the European Central Bank (ECB) and a growing number of national central banks, including of France, Germany, Poland, Slovakia, the UK and the USA.
The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the IMF and Austria calls for a review every four years, with the previous review completed in 2022. The renewed MoU determines the details of the cooperation between the IMF and Austria in the context of JVI until 2030.
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