From the very beginning the company focused on the conception and execution of practice-oriented modules of training and further education. Soon FAA´s competence was extended through consulting contracts for personal and organisational development with the focus on management and IT.
Against the backdrop of Austria’s EU accession in 1995 FAA invested major capacities in the opportunities of EU funding for Austria as a new member state. Several international tenders were already won the same year. Focus was on consulting projects for governments in the field of EU accession, harmonisation of legislation and institution building in the EU candidate countries.
In 1997 FAA Holding took over two well-established organisations in the seminar sector: MDI – Management Institute of the Industry, and SPIDI – Language Institute of the Industry, both belonging to the Federation of Austrian Industries. Following two years of restructuring the corporate organisation, the cost management and the product portfolio, both companies were successfully sold through a management buy-out in 1999.
Since 1999 a further area of competence has been change management within public administration reform projects, mergers etc. FAA experts take over overall responsibility – from analysis through project design up to implementation, monitoring and evaluation. The methodological approach in place is the FAA Model – a result-oriented array of consulting services, combining coaching, training and, upon request, mediation and moderation.
In 2001 the Austrian Federal Ministry of Economy appointed FAA to implement the EU-programme “EQUAL”, funded by the European Social Fund; a 7-years outsourcing project for the Austrian labour market. Based on the excellent assessment of the European Commission further contracts from Austrian ministries have been awarded to FAA.
In 2002 FAA´s initiative to establish an Austrian Twinning platform was implemented by the Austrian Federal Ministries of Finance and Foreign Affairs, as well as by the Federation of Austrian Industries.
2003 FAA has been appointed the EU-Project office of AEI – Agency for European Integration and Economic Development. FAA has successfully managed more than 80 EU Twinning projects in more than 20 countries.
Since 2012 FAA is exclusively contracted by aed – Agency for Economic Cooperation and Development for development and management of Austrian reform projects in partner countries within respective EU programmes for Pre-Accession countries as well as EU Neighbourhood countries.
After years of successful cooperations with institutions and major business clients, partly spanning over more than a decade, and following numerous awards, FAA is concentrating on the further expansion in Central and South-Eastern Europe. FAA adopts an enforced interface position between the public administration and the private sector and contributes to a successful implementation of sustainable projects in the beneficiary countries; among others within the frame of the EU Strategy for the Danube Region.
Through third-party financing from international funding projects FAA achieves a significantly increased added value for its clients in key- and emerging markets. Moreover, an efficient and coordinated use of Austrian funds fosters future projects of international donor institutions.