As Austria's most traditional art university, the Academy of Fine Arts Vienna has been an important educational institution for artists for over 325 years and is now one of the most internationally renowned art universities, where teachers and students from all regions of the world work together.

We offer our approximately 1,500 students a range of curricula that span from painting and sculpture to photography, video, performance, and conceptual art and also include architecture, stage design, as well as conservation and restoration. Doctoral studies, an internationally acclaimed PhD-in-practice program, and the Critical Studies master program complement the diploma programs respectively the bachelor/master programs.

As a university, the Academy of Fine Arts Vienna places particular emphasis on arts based research and teaching. The results of art production and research flow into teaching in various ways and are communicated to a wider public in exhibitions, presentations, symposia, lecture series, and publications. We consider the presentation of a complex understanding of art for the knowledge society to be our substantial responsibility alongside the education of students.

The strength of the Academy lies, among other things, in its teachers’ international reputation and the internationality of its students, who come to Vienna from over fifty countries and, with their varied artistic biographies, represent the Academy of Fine Arts Vienna.

www.akbild.ac.at ​​​​​​

Membership: Since 2022

Representative:  

Mag. Michaela Glanz m.glanz@akbild.ac.at

Deputy: Teresa Beer, MA t.beer@akbild.ac.at

Michaela Glanz is Head of the Art | Research | Support Department at the Academy of Fine Arts Vienna. The department combines the working areas of research service, of the Center for Doctoral Studies, and of knowledge transfer for the fields of art, arts-based research, social sciences and humanities. Having been trained as a sociologist and economist, her expertise focuses on the fields of higher education research, social studies of sciences and organisational studies as well as questions and methods related to evaluation and impact studies.

The OeAW operates 25 research institutes in the field of innovative basic research in the arts and humanities and the social and natural sciences. The Academy stimulates pioneering research by taking up future-oriented topics and ensuring the preservation and interpretation of cultural heritage.

The institutes undertake research in the fields of Archaeology and Classical Studies, Asian Studies and Social Anthropology, Historical Sciences, Cultural Research and the Social Sciences, Life Sciences, Mathematics, Physics, Space Research and Materials Science.

The OeAW is especially committed to the sustainable support of promising young talents and offers fellowships and prizes. The OeAW initiates and maintains international research partnerships and represents the Republic of Austria in international scientific organisations, supporting collaboration between leading researchers and Austrian participation in large-scale international projects. Within Austria the Academy cooperates with several scientific organisations and funding bodies, actively helping to shape the country’s research landscape.

www.oeaw.ac.at

Membership: Since 2022

Representative:  

Univ.-Prof. Dr. phil. Heinz Fassmann

praesident@oeaw.ac.at

Heinz Fassmann is President of the Austrian Academy of Sciences. He took office on July 1, 2022. He was appointed Professor of Applied Geography at the Technical University of Munich (1996). Between 2000 and 2021 (with intermittent short leaves of absence), he was Professor for Applied Geography, Spatial Research and Spatial Planning at the University of Vienna. Between 1992 and 1995, and again from 2006 to 2017, he was Director of the Institute for Urban and Regional Research (ISR) at the OeAW, a function that he has taken up again in January 2022. Furthermore, Heinz Fassmann has performed many functions in Austria and abroad, among others as Vice-Rector of the University of Vienna (2011-2017).
During 2017-2019 and 2020-2021 he was Federal Minister of Education, Science and Research of the Republic of Austria.

ÖFSE – the Austrian Foundation for Development Research – is Austria's leading research and information centre on development cooperation and development policy. The foundation has been at the service of the interested public ever since its establishment in 1967.
Since 2009, ÖFSE operates the C3 Library for International Development in cooperation with BAOBAB and Frauen*solidarität. The C3 Library is Austria's largest academic library dedicated to international development, global learning and women/gender issues.
Research at ÖFSE is interdisciplinary and practice oriented. Its Science & Research department offers information, analysis and advice on the following topics:

• International development policy and development cooperation
• Public and private development policy and development cooperation in Austria
• Global economy and development economics
• Education – Research – Development

www.oefse.at

Membership: Since 2022

Representative:

Dr. Margarita Langthaler

m.langthaler@oefse.at

Margarita Langthaler is a researcher in the field of education and development. In her work, she focuses on education strategies in the context of development cooperation, on technical and vocational training and skills development as well as on education policies in developing countries. She is a political scientists and philologist by training and has been a researcher at ÖFSE since 2003.

Carinthia University of Applied Sciences (Fachhochschule Kärnten; CUAS) was founded in 1994 and educates almost 2500 students. Since its establishment, CUAS has played a key role within the educational landscape of the Alps-Adriatic region. The universiy degree programs are offered in the fields of engineering, management, healthcare and social issues. Currently (2019) CUAS runs 7 master and 1 bachelor degree programs taught completely in English and has an international student community of almost 1370. The increase in the number and quality of international students is a central part of CUAS' University Development Plan (Hochschulentwicklungsplan) spanning the period 20L5-2022. To achieve this aim, the internationalization strategy at CUAS which was introduced in 2015 puts a strong focus on further development of physical mobilities of both students and teaching staff as well as developing partnerships with Higher Education lnstitutions within and beyond the European Union. ln its internationalization strategy identified the Balkans and special regions of Africa as strategically important in terms of cooperation. African countries (such as South Africa and Namibia) were specified as of interest due to current successful collaboration of individual CUAS study programs and the wish to continue those. Since the south and southeast ofthe African continent is the region with the most rapid economic development, CUAS hopes through the academic cooperation with the best and biggest institutions from this region to attract students to Carinthia as well as foster international cooperation in didactics and thus fulfill some of the aims of its internationalization strategy. So far, CUAS has welcomed numerous incoming students from Africa including KA107 scholarship holders from Algeria and South Africa as well as Ernst Mach Scholarship holders from Ghana and South Africa. Other Africa-related activities are conducted via the Office of Educational and Scientific Cooperation with African Partners (0SECA), which is situated at the Department of Social Work. A good number of social research projects was realized through partnerships in countries of the EastAfrican Community (Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda) as well as in Ethiopia and Algeria (Western Sahara). Since 2017, CUAS is a member of the East Africa Centre in Research and lnnovation in Social Work (CRISOWO) whose main office is located at Makerere Unganda.

www.fh-kaernten.at

Founding member 
Membership: Since 2020

Representative:

Mgr. Mgr. MSc Aleksandra Jama; Head of International Relations Office

a.jama@fh-kaernten.at

Head of the lnternational Relations Office, Aleksandra Jama has been running numerous successful KA2013 and KA107 ICM projects including those with Algeria, South Africa and Namibia. She has extensive experiences in coordinating international projects. She is also supporting together with her team all the incoming and outgoing students and staff and is currently responsible for the strategic realignment of CUAS international ization strategy.

With almost 8,000 students, FH Campus Wien is the largest university of applied sciences in Austria. Its seven departments offer nearly 70 part-time and full-time degree programs, along with Academic Expert Programs. FH Campus Wien is a dynamic and fast-growing institution characterized by its diverse range of disciplines and a strong focus on healthcare, entrepreneurship, and innovation. The university has a student body, academic and administrative staff representing almost 90 different nationalities, along with numerous international partners. This diversity contributes varied perspectives, backgrounds, and expertise, fostering the development of innovative approaches to address present and future global challenges.

https://www.fh-campuswien.ac.at

Membership: Since 2024

Representatives:  

HS-Prof.ⁱⁿ Mag.^a Dr.ⁱⁿ Evelyn Süss-Stepancik and Mag. Elisabeth Brunner-Sobanski

evelyn.suess-stepancik@fh-campuswien.ac.at

elisabeth.brunner_sobanski@fh-campuswien.ac.at

Evelyn Süss-Stepancik has been Vice Rector for Teaching and International Affairs at the University of Applied Sciences Campus Wien since September 2023. Prior to that, she was Vice Rector at the University College of Teacher Education Vienna from 2020, initially for Teaching, Research and International Affairs and later for Teaching and Studies. She completed her teacher training in mathematics and German at the University of Vienna, where she earned her doctorate in 2008 after many years of experience as a teacher and researcher on the use of digital technologies. As a nationally and internationally recognized university didactics expert, her research focuses on competence orientation, the use of technology in STEM subjects and the professional development of teaching skills among university lecturers.

Elisabeth Brunner-Sobanski is Head of the International Office at the University of Applied Sciences FH Campus Vienna (since 2016). From 2009-2016 she was Head of the International Office of the University of Applied Sciences bfi Vienna. Elisabeth has extensive experience in strategic development of internationalisation, international networks and curriculum internationalisation. She was a steering group member and vice-chair of the European Association for International Education (EAIE) Expert Community Internationalisation at Home. She has facilitated workshops on various internationalisation topics at different national and international conferences and has experience as a reviewer and auditor. Since 2019, Elisabeth leads the "Committee for International Affairs" of the FHK - Austrian Association of Universities of Applied Sciences. Elisabeth lived abroad for several years and taught at universities in Central and Eastern Europe (Russia, Ukraine, Hungary) mainly within the Lecturer Programme of the Austrian Agency for International Cooperation in Education and Research.

FH JOANNEUM University of Applied Sciences was established in 1995. With its more than 40 degree programmes in the areas of Applied Computer Sciences, Engineering, Health Studies, Building, Energy & Society, Media & Design and Management, FH JOANNEUM is one of the leading universities of applied sciences (FHs) in Austria. FH JOANNEUM offers students sound academic training – our programmes are practice-oriented, project-based and interdisciplinary. We work in close cooperation with business and industry to put acquired knowledge into practice; we develop innovative solutions for topical issues in applied research projects and forge links to related disciplines. Our university’s large network enables students to complete internships with leading companies and institutions and spend a semester studying at one of more than 200 partner universities around the world.

FHJ is one of the first universities of applied sciences in Austria to extend its quality management system with the European Foundation for Quality Management (EFQM) model. The entire university achieved the second level ‘Recognised for Excellence’ in 2016.

Research and development is a core area of activity for FHJ. As a university of applied sciences, FHJ carries out research with the aim of contributing to social development and solving complex problems and issues of our time. The applied research offered by FHJ ranges from the transfer of results from basic research to innovative services and developments. This ensures a close link between research and teaching and a high relevance for practical application. We see modern research as a multidisciplinary mission to be fulfilled not only within the individual institutes but also within and across the six departments.

FH JOANNEUM has already participated in a large number of EU projects as coordinator and partner. Therefore, the organization can rely on many years of experience and highly qualified staff when it comes to national and international projects. The activities range from Development of Training Materials, Social Media, and Internationalization through Regional Development, Entrepreneurship & Intercultural Competences to Quality Management in HE and Labour Market Policy Instruments. FHJ is also the Austrian partner for the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor, the biggest study on entrepreneurship of its kind.

www.fh-joanneum.at

Founding member 
Membership: Since 2020

Representative:

FH-Prof. DI Dr. techn. Priv.Doz Christof Sumereder

christof.sumereder@fh-joanneum.at

As Professor for Energy Systems at FH Joanneum, University of Applied Sciences I am project manager of several research projects. One of our most important cooperation is the development of a bachelor degree program with UNI Zambeze in Chimoio / Mozambique, “RETEM: Capacity Building for Renewable Energy Technologies in Mozambique” which is founded by ÖAD in the APPEAR program. The main output is the knowledge transfer to the young generation in the topic of renewable energies. I am very pleased that I can be part of this new network to share our experience and broaden our collaboration with other African Universities.

The FH Kufstein Tirol currently has 2200 students from more than 50 nations who create an international, multicultural atmosphere. The fact that we have actually 210 partner universities worldwide means that more than 200 international incoming students are hosted by the FH Kufstein Tirol annually and that an even larger number of our students go out for a semester or year to study abroad. What’s more, with 500 Faculty members (Intern, Extern, Academics and Professionals) the FH Kufstein Tirol plays a significant role in the regional economy.   The range of bachelor and master degree programs – offered in both full- and part-time formats – have been conceived to meet the professional demands of the respective industries. The FH Kufstein Tirol has also developed a postgraduate program in cooperation with several internationally renowned partner universities. The graduates of our degree programs thus have excellent prospects for filling challenging positions in their field and for advancing their careers.  Since its establishment, the FH Kufstein Tirol has stood for a strong international orientation and innovative degree programs. Internationality represents the foundation for the mission statement of the FH Kufstein Tirol, and thus global mobility of both students and staff is a key aspect of our educational activities.

https://www.fh-kufstein.ac.at

Membership: Since 2022

Representative:

Prof. (FH) Dr. Thomas Madritsch

Thomas.Madritsch@fh-kufstein.ac.at

Thomas Madritsch began directing the University of Applied Sciences in Kufstein Tirol, in 2011, following more than ten years as Director of Studies and fifteen years of professional experience in Facility Management. During his leadership the University increased up to a highly ranked University with 2200 students from 50 nations and 210 international Partner Universities all over the world. Thomas holds many key positions on national and international committees and advisory boards and with professional associations.  He has published a multitude of papers and journal articles based on his combined practical and academic experience in real estate and facility management.  Thomas has lectured and given presentations on various facility management topics at universities and conferences throughout the European Union, Scandinavia, Central Europe, Asia and the USA. The quality and scope of his work in this field has been recognized and awarded by respected organizations both at home and abroad. Beyond his professional and academic interests, Thomas enjoys cross-country skiing, cycling, travelling and exploring other cultures.  A most important aspect of his life is family – his wife and two children
 

Located in the heart of the province of Lower Austria, IMC Krems is widely regarded as one of Austria’s most international universities of applied sciences, with one of the most highly developed networks and a practical focus that is second to none. IMC Krems has 140 partner universities, over 1,000 partner companies worldwide and more than 3,000 students from 50 countries. The university offers 32 fulltime and part-time bachelor and master degree programmes in business, digitalisation and engineering, health sciences and life sciences. IMC Krems has strong links with research and business – 39 research projects are currently under way at the university, with total funding of over EUR 8.1 million. English and German as the languages of instruction, internships in Austria and overseas, international exchange programmes and semesters abroad ensure that students are fully prepared for careers in Austria or other countries. Outstanding: IMC Krems has an excellent reputation outside Austria thanks to numerous awards, certifications and accreditations from international organisations, such as the European Foundation for Management Development (EFMD), a global network of business schools and companies. The university’s quality management system was recently certified by quality assurance agency evalag.

www.imc.ac.at 

Founding member

Membership: Since 2020

Representative:

Mag. (FH), MSc Iris Waringer

iris.waringer@imc.ac.at 

Mag. Iris Waringer has:

• long-lasting experience in international higher education projects and cooperation,
• designed and organisation of further education seminars, short courses and vocational trainings,
• many years of experiance in project management of transnational programmes including accreditation procedures, quality assurance measures, contracting, project controlling,
• worked in/on international consulting projects in (higher) education; feasibility studies and conception of secondary vocational schools and universities; project plans, implementation and training measures for educational projects,
• done Research in: Quality Management in Higher Education (EFQM), Early School Leaving and Dropout in Austrian Schools,
• teached: Research Methods, Intercultural Competence, Business Administration.

Founded in 1972, the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA) conducts policy-oriented research into problems of a global nature that are too large or too complex to be solved by a single country or academic discipline. IIASA is based in Austria and sponsored by its National Member Organizations in Africa, the Americas, Asia, and Europe.

Regarding collaborations with African partners over the last two years, IIASA has been part of 29 research projects in partnership with research partners and research users in Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Democratic Republic of Congo, Egypt, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Malawi, Nigeria, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia. The research topics range from identifying integrated solutions for water, energy and land along the Zambezi river to developing sustainable energy systems in north Africa to exploring demographic change across the continent.

Egypt and South Africa are both IIASA member countries and have particular interest in developing capacity in the field of systems analysis in their countries and the wider African region.

www.iiasa.ac.at

Founding member
Membership: Since 2020

Representative:

Mag. Monika Bauer, IIASA Network and Alumni Officer

bauer@iiasa.ac.at

I am the IIASA Network and Alumni officer. I build partnerships within the IIASA network, which includes staff, alumni, and National and Regional Member Organization (NMO/RMO) communities and act as a knowledge broker and liaison between IIASA and these stakeholders. I conceptualized and launched IIASA Connect, a virtual platform that brings together the global systems analysis network, and am currently responsible for the strategic development of the platform. Within this space, I launched two event series to bring together colleagues from across the IIASA network for meaningful exchange on topics that span research disciplines. I am also interested in science to society and science communication. From March to December 2023, I am also managing a horizon scanning project on climate change and biodiversity science to advise on the Horizon Europe 2025-2027 funding program on behalf of Future Earth via the Future Earth US Global Hub.

The Johannes Kepler University Linz is the region's largest institution for research and education, offering space to study, work, and live. Over 21,000 students can choose from over 70 academic degrees at Austria's most beautiful campus university. 3,300 employees conduct research, work and teach at four faculties and three schools. It is a young university with all of the academic departments available on one campus — the design supports collaboration as well as cross-faculty cooperation. 

Whether it's research between mechatronics and medicine, technology and law, or other faculties, at the JKU Linz, students and researchers network wherever there is synergy and common interests.

www.jku.at

Founding member 
Membership: Since 2020

Representative:

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Veronika Wittmann

veronika.wittmann@jku.at

Veronika Wittmann works as an Associate Professor for Global Studies at the Department for Modern and Contemporary History at Johannes Kepler University Linz, Austria. She was enrolled in the PhD Programme of the Austrian Academy of Science 2000-2001 and was a Junior Visiting Fellow at the Institute for Human Sciences in Vienna 2000-2001 as well as a Research Visiting Fellow at the Institute for Iberoamerica in Hamburg 2006. She also worked at the United Nations (UNDP) in Ecuador in 2002. She has undertaken several field research works in Africa, e.g. Zimbabwe 1997, Ghana 1998 and South Africa 19992000 as well as excursions for students, e.g. Uganda 2003 und Namibia 2004. Her conference and lecture activities include 14 states in East, West, Central, Northern and Southern Africa. Veronika Wittmann undertook co-operation work with African partner universities, such as the nomination and counselling for students of all faculties of JKU for an exchange semester at Makerere University, Martyrs University in Uganda, Universit of Dar es Salaam in Tanzania as well as the University of Cape Town and the University of the Western Cape in South Africa. She received her venia legendi for Sociology at Johannes Kepler University Linz in 2013. Veronika Wittmann holds the national Austrian leadership for SDG 17 — Global Cooperations — (partnerships for the goals) at UniNEtZ (universities and sustainable development goals). Her research areas include world society and globalization, sustainable development, gender and development Studies (focus on Sub-Saharan Africa).

Management Center Innsbruck (MCI) was founded in 1995/96 as a spin-off of the University of Innsbruck, a public comprehensive, research-oriented university, founded in 1669, with presently app. 30,000 students. Among MCI's owners are the Federal State of Tyrol and the City of Innsbruck, the Chamber of Commerce, the Chamber of Labor and the Association of Industries (“public-private-partnership”). 

MCI acts as an autonomous academic institution within this framework based on a public-private-partnership concept. MCI is offering fully accredited bachelor, master & executive programs, short courses, tailored trainings, tech transfer and start-up activities as well as numerous academic services.

Since its start-up in 1995/96, MCI has been developing very successfully and meanwhile enjoys the appreciation of app. 3,300 students, 1,000 full- & part-time faculty, 250 acknowledged partner universities and thousands of successful alumni around the globe.

MCI has been well-received in the market and successfully building up an acknowledged brand. We have been receiving numerous prestigious accreditations, awards and acknowledgements.

More information: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GM8-8s4iQtA.

www.mci.edu

Founding member 
Membership: Since 2020

Representative:

FH-Prof. Dr. habil. Belachew Gebrewold

belachew.gebrewold@mci.edu

Belachew Gebrewold, a short bio: Belachew.gebrewold@mci.edu Belachew Gebrewold is a professor of International Relations and the Head of Department and Studies of Social Work and Social Policy at MCI, Innsbruck. His main research areas are African politics, conflicts and migration. His publications include various peer reviewed articles, monographs and edited volumes such as Africa and Fortress Europe, Ashgate 2007; Anatomy of Violence, Ashgate 2009; Global Security Triangle, Routledge 2010; Understanding Migrant Decisions, Routledge, 2016; Human Trafficking and Exploitation, Routledge, 2017. He was also a member of the steering committee of the UN Global Compact for Regular, Safe and Orderly Migration preparatory process in 2017.

The Medical University of Graz – founded as a faculty in 1863 and established as an independent university in 2004 – was listed one of the “top 30 academic institutions under 30“ in the Nature Index of 2019, i.e. it ranks among the best “young” universities worldwide. As a part of its core values the university supports continuous development of the research environment while also preparing students and faculty for successful careers in international contexts. As a vital part of its mission, the university implements internationalization activities within the framework of the following fields of action: Cooperation, Incoming & Outgoing Mobility and Internationalization@Home.

The university employs about 2600 staff members (1500 academic) and enrolment is at about 4500 students in the diploma programs in medicine and dentistry (6 years), the Master’s program in nursing science (2 years) and the PhD and Doctoral Programs (instruction in English) in 2021. All curricula have received the quality label and are the first medical curricula in Austria to have been officially accredited.

The university runs 3 non-clinical research centers and 4 institutes and further cooperates closely with the LKH-University Hospital Graz in 19 clinical departments, 36 clinical divisions and 1 clinical institute. The LKH-University Hospital (KAGes) employs a medical staff of about 1,500, has about 1,600 beds and cares for around 477,000 outpatients and 83,000 inpatients per year (2019). The main focus of the university centers around the patient’s health and well-being (from bench – to bedside – to community) and thus all areas of the university concentrate on this – from the education of the students to the research projects and studies carried out and finally to the patient. The general research field of the university is personalized medicine, specific focus is laid on cardiovascular research, cancer research, molecular foundations of lipid-associated diseases and neurosciences.

https://www.medunigraz.at/en/

Membership: Since 2021

Representative:

Mag.a Heidrun Mörtl

heidrun.moertl@medunigraz.at

Heidi Moertl is the Director of the International Office at the University of Graz (since 2018). She has been working in both academic as well as administrative functions in Higher Education since 2008 and currently oversees the internationalization portfolio and the global footprint of Med Uni Graz. With over a decade of experience in academia she assists the rectorate of the university in the development and implementation of the internationalization strategy and is actively engaged in the acquisition and support of new and ongoing partnerships. She takes an innovative and solution-oriented approach to international education management at the university and is driven to facilitate opportunities for students, researchers and staff. She has been involved as presenter in workshops and conferences all over the world and has spent extensive amount abroad in the USA. Her educational background is in the humanities. Within the Africa-UniNet she sees herself as a facilitator in the health field (life sciences, medicine, etc.) and is looking forward to the engagement.

Set in the middle of the Tyrol, in the heart of the Alps, the Medical University of Innsbruck provides ideal conditions for academic achievement. Top level teaching, training and research, as well as high end medical treatment are the University’s core missions. Its various departments are organised into theoretical and clinical as well as administrative units. The Medical University of Innsbruck has a long history. Although it only became an independent university as recently as 2004, its roots go back much further, to 1562, when a Jesuit grammar school was established in Innsbruck. This later became the “Leopold-Franzens-Universität”, which was founded by Emperor Leopold I on 15 October 1669. It was financed with the help of the ‘Hall salt levy’, a special tax on salt, produced in the nearby town of Hall. The Medical University of Innsbruck was born out of one of the university’s four founding faculties – Philosophy (set up in 1669), Law (1670), Theology (1670) and Medicine (1674). Throughout its history, the Faculty of Medicine was always a flagship of the University. Three of the University of Innsbruck’s four Nobel Prize winners were members of the Faculty of Medicine in its Institute of Medical Chemistry. With approximately 3,000 students and around 2,000 staff, the Medical University of Innsbruck is western Austria’s most important medical research and education institution, and understands itself as a university for the Austrian provinces of Tyrol and Vorarlberg, the Trentino and Alto Adige/Südtirol provinces of Italy, and Liechtenstein.

https://www.i-med.ac.at

Founding member 
Membership: Since 2020

Representative:

Univ.-Prof-Dr. Erich Schmutzhard

erich.schmutzhard@i-med.ac.at

Department of Neurology, NICU; Innsbruck Medical University, Austria

Born: 29/08/1949, Neumarkt/M, Upper Austria

October 1968-February 1974: Medical School, University Innsbruck, Austria

December 1972-April 1973: Externship Highland View Hospital Cleveland/Ohio, USA

March 1974-August 1977: District Hospital Lienz, Austria-General practitioner

September 1977-December 1977: Diploma for Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, Liverpool, UK

Feb.-July 1978: Training in Neurology, Department of Neurology, Univ.-Hospital, Innsbruck, Austria

August 1978 - August 1982 Head of the Mnero Hospital, Nachingwea, Tanzania

Nov. 1982 – Oct. 1987 Training in Neurology, Dept. of Neurology Univ.-Hospital, Innsbruck, Austria

June-October 1986: Guest lecturer in Tropical Neurology Mahidol University Bangkok, Thailand

October 1987: Specialist in Neurology

November 1994: Specialist in Intensive Care Medicine

Specialities:

General practice: 1977, Neurology 1987, Intensive Care Medicine: 1994 Univ. Doz. (Associate Prof.) of Neurology: 1988

Since 1988: Head of the Neurointensive Care Unit, Department of Neurology, University Hospital Innsbruck, Austria

Since 1990: Deputy Director of the Department of Neurology, University Hospital Innsbruck, Austria

Since 1995 Member of the Ethics Committee of the Medical University Innsbruck, Austria

Since 1996 Guest lecturer for Tropical Neurology, Bernhard Nocht Institute, UKE, Hamburg, Germany

1998 – 2011 Guest lecturer for Tropical Neurology, Charite, Berlin, Germany

July 2001: Professor for Neurocritical Care Medicine, University Hospital Innsbruck, Austria

2003 – 2005 Guest-Professor for Neurology and Neurocritical Care Medicine, Osijek University, Croatia

2006 – 2010 Guest-Professor for Neurocritical Medicine, University of Tripolis, Neuro-Spine Centre, Tripolis Lybia

2004 - 2017 Vice-Chairman of the Ethics Committee / Internal Review Board of the Medical University Innsbruck, Austria

Current Positions:

Retired Head of the Neurocritical Care Unit, Medical University Innsbruck, Austria Professor of Neurology and Critical Care Medicine ongoing Senior Lecturer in Tropical Neurology, Bernhard Nocht Institut für tropenmedizin, hamburg, Germany ongoing Coordinator of ASEA Uninet and Eurasia Pacific Uninet; Medical Univ. Innsbruck, Austria Chairman of the EAN Task Force: Neurology and Africa Vice-Chairman of the EAN-Subcommittee on Infectious diseases of the Nervous System, Former Chairman and Member of the EAN Scientific Panel Neurocritical Care Management Group, Member of the EAN- and WFN Education Committees Austrian WFN Delegate Member of the “Nationales Poliomyelitis-Komittees am Österr. Bundesministerium für Soziales, Gesundheit und Konsumentenschutz (BMSGK), Member of the Nationales Masern-/Röteln-Verifizierungskomitees am BMSGK

Publications: 348 peer reviewed publications

Major Research Fields: Clinical Neurocritical Care Medicine, Translational Neurocritical Care, Medicine Tropical and Infectious Disease Neurology

The Medical University of Vienna (briefly: MedUni Vienna) is one of the most traditional medical training and research facilities in Europe. It is today the largest medical training institute in the German-speaking area with about 8,000 students. With its 26 university hospitals, three clinical institutes, 12 theoretical medicine centres and numerous highly specialised laboratories, it is included among the most important cutting-edge research institutes of Europe in the area of biomedicine. Its own laboratory building with highly specialised "Core Facilities" was inaugurated in June 2010 with the "Anna Spiegel Research Building”.

www.meduniwien.ac.at

Founding member 
Membership: Since 2020

Representative:

Univ.-Prof. Dr. med univ. Bertrand Lell

bertrand.lell@meduniwien.ac.at

Bertrand Lell studied medicine in Vienna. On completing his studies, Prof. Lell did diplomas in Public Health and Tropical Medicine at Danube University Krems, later going on to complete a Master of Science in Epidemiology at the London School of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene.

Prof. Lell came to spend his first placement in Lambaréné in 1995, at the Albert Schweizer Hospital, where he worked on clinical and epidemiological malaria studies. Afterwards he transferred to the Institute of Tropical Medicine of the University of Tübingen in 1996 and expanded his specialist knowledge via placements at the Kenya Medical Research Institute in Kilifi.

The small research laboratory at the Albert Schweitzer Hospital has now become the Centre de Recherches Médicale de Lambaréné (CERMEL), a large centre with more than 150 employees on a large campus. Lell manages this centre together with two colleagues.

The main focus of Lell's research is on the development of new treatments for malaria. For example, he was involved in the development of the first approved malaria vaccine. Series of studies are already being conducted with an attenuated, second-generation malaria vaccine.

Over the past few years, his attention has also been drawn to the subject of tuberculosis. Together with the Global Fund to Fight HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, Gabon is conducting research aimed at combating multidrug-resistant tuberculosis.

Other parasitic diseases, which come under the blanket term of "Neglected Tropical Diseases" and which include schistosomiasis and hookworms, are another of Lell's major research interests. Lell also runs the demographic information system, which is a regularly updated census of all households in Lambaréné and the surrounding area. The system serves as a basis for a series of studies

Montanuniversitaet Leoben (MUL) is an almost 200-year old global center of academic excellence in its core disciplines that are oriented along the value added life cycle from raw materials to high performance materials to recycling and secondary raw materials, accompanied by environmental and energy challenges. It offers BSc, MSc and PhD programs in all these fields. MUL and its scientific disciplines represent the future global trends of societal, industrial and scientific development, as outlined by the H2020 programs of the European Union. As a small and specialized university, it offers its 4000 students excellent infrastructure and excellent chances on the job market. MUL aims at contributing to the responsible development of our society by providing excellent education for young people, exceptional scientific results within its core disciplines as well as high quality transfer activities. The university is an active part of the international scientific community and to be able to keep up this position it reevaluates its activities constantly against its role within a global society and the challenges this imposes. Due to the applied nature, both research and education are delivered in close cooperation with the relevant industry in Austria, Europe and world wide.

www.unileoben.ac.at

 

Founding member
Membership: Since 2020

Representative:

Doz. Dr. Jürgen Antrekowitsch

juergen.antrekowitsch@unileoben.ac.at

Jürgen Antrekowitsch studied metallurgy at the University of Leoben. He earned his doctor degree in 2004 in the field of recycling of steel mill residues. Afterwards he was employed as postdoctoral research fellow at the Chair of Nonferrous Metallurgy, University of Leoben for the development of recycling strategies of Zn-, Pb- and Fe-containing residues. Since 2005 he is also active as consulting engineer in the field of nonferrous metals recycling. In 2010, he became associate professor at the Chair of Nonferrous Metallurgy and was from 2011 to 2018 head of the Christian Doppler Laboratory for Optimization and Biomass Utilization in Heavy Metal Recycling. Since 2018 he is responsible for a multi-disciplinary consortium, developing assessment strategies for metal bearing by-products. His field of research is the recycling of complex residues out of metallurgical industry, focusing on dust, sludge and slags.

Paracelsus Medical University (PMU) is a private not-for-profit foundation with campus locations in Salzburg and Nuremberg. Teaching, research and patient care are the three pillars on which the university was founded in 2002, and which continue to have the highest priority. With 22 university institutes, three research centers and six research programs, it was possible to build – together with the Salzburg University Hospitals – first-class education programs and excellent research at the Salzburg location. In February 2014, the Paracelsus Medical University built, in cooperation with the Nuremberg Hospital, a second location in Nuremberg, and has since then educated future medical doctors in Campus Nuremberg. The education programs of Paracelsus University in Salzburg comprises the degree programs in human medicine, pharmacy, and nursing science, as well as doctoral degree in medical science, and nursing & allied health sciences. The PMU also offers a number of university and further education programs.
The international networking in teaching and research is one of the central features of Paracelsus Medical University. The cosmopolitan attitude of the university is expressed in many ways: from the intensive competence exchange through the top class networks – in particular with institutions in other European countries and the United States – and up to the consistent support for the development of students’ foreign language competence. This clearly expressed international attitude has proved to be extremely attractive for students, teachers, and researchers.
In particular, the long and intensive cooperation with the Faculty of Natural Sciences at the University of Salzburg has to be mentioned, as well as the cooperation with the Salzburg University Hospital and 21 teaching hospitals in Austria and neighboring countries. At the Nuremberg location, the Paracelsus University cooperates with the Nuremberg Hospital and Georg Simon Ohm Technical University. 

https://www.pmu.ac.at/
Membership: Since 2022

Representative: 

Dr. Rosalyn Eder rosalyn.eder@pmu.ac.at 

Rosalyn Eder is the Head of International Office at Paracelsus Medical University in Salzburg. She holds a doctorate in Education from the University of Fribourg in Switzerland, and has been working in the field of international higher education since 2008. She was a research fellow at the Institute for Southeast Asian Studies in Singapore (2015), and at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education and Immigration and Pluralism Studies, at the University of Toronto in Canada (2010). She has extensive experience in international projects, especially with the Erasmus+ programme, as well as in developing international education programs. Her research focuses on education and globalization, education policy, and higher education. She currently teaches research methodology, qualitative research, and intercultural management. 

The University of Salzburg (in German: Paris Lodron Universität Salzburg PLUS), with over 18,000 students and 2,800 employees in research, teaching and administration is the largest educational institution in both the city and province of Salzburg.

As an integral part of the cultural and economic life of Salzburg, it is a meeting place between teachers and students, scientists and the public. Over 50% of academic staff and approximately 38% of the University’s students come from international backgrounds.

Salzburg is one of the safest cities in the world, and the University’s excellent student-to-staff ratio means students also enjoy a supportive environment and learning culture. The University’s twenty sites are located in and around Salzburg’s historical centre, which is a UNESCO listed world heritage site. Situated in the heart of Europe, Salzburg offers fantastic connections to neighbouring countries and to some of Austria’s most beautiful alpine national parks. It is also a culturally vibrant city, home to world-famous performing arts and music festivals. Operating in this setting, the University of Salzburg offers international students and scholars a broad and unique range of experiences.

The University of Salzburg is a very old but, at the same time, a very new and modern university. It was first founded in 1622 as a Catholic Benedictine University by the former Archbishop of Salzburg Paris Lodron, who was born in the small northern Italian city of Rovereto. During the Napoleonic Wars, at the beginning of the 19th Century, the University was closed down and was not reopened, even after Salzburg became part of the Austrian Empire. Many of our institution’s building are within walking distance of each other or in purpose-built research and teaching facilities nearby. Some of these buildings date back to the time of the university’s original founding, whilst others are newly built with striking modern designs. All are equipped with up-to-date facilities for teaching, learning and research.

www.uni-salzburg.at

Founding member 
Membership: Since 2020

Representative:

Mag. MA Peter Mayr; Director for International Relations

peter.mayr@sbg.ac.at

Director for International Relations at the University of Salzburg (since 2016) Other relevant professional experience: 2007 –2019 independent expert work for the different Directorate Generals for Research & Innovation and Education of the European Commission (2015; 2018-19), recently for the EU Delegation to Georgia (2019), the UNESCO (2011; 12. 13) or the World Bank (2007), or for different relevant working groups in Austria (2015-19);

2012-15 – associate lecturer at School of European Culture and Languages of the University of Kent in Canterbury (UK) focus: Media and the public sphere in Europe (academic position)

2009-2011 – Policy Officer for the Directorate General for Research and Innovation at the European Commission (END) in Brussels -focus: International Cooperation including EU R&I cooperation with Africa; coordination of national and regional programmes (ERA-NET; ERA-NET+; Joint Programming)

2004-2008 – Coordinator of the EU Framework Programme 6 project ‘The Southeast Europe ERA-NET’

1999-2003 higher education manager for the Austrian ERASMUS National Agency in Vienna (AT); Numerous academic publications in the field for Research and Innovation studies focussing Research and Innovation governance

Practical courses, a strong focus on research and plenty of opportunities.
Salzburg University of Applied Sciences offers its 3,200 students a first-rate academic education with a strong practical orientation in the following departments: Applied Social Sciences, Business and Tourism, Creative Technologies, Health Studies, Green Engineering and Circular Design and Infor-mation Technologies and Digitalisation. With its international outlook and focus on innovative research and teaching, the university is a pioneer of future-oriented solutions for business and society.

www.fh-salzburg.ac.at

Membership: Since 2021

Representative:

Mag. Annette Schatzmann

annette.schatzmann@fh-salzburg.ac.at

A trained linguist, Annette Schatzmann has worked in the field of education for over 20 years, within various international contexts at both public and private institutions in France. Currently, she is coordinating the FH Salzburg International Office strategy and team.

The University for Continuing Education Krems is the leading public university for continuing education in Europe. With its expertise in teaching and research it works to overcome societal challenges. As university for continuing education we specialize in enhancing the qualifications of working professionals. The strength of University for Continuing Education Krems is providing university courses that keep pace with the times and are oriented toward current and future societal challenges. Approximately 7,500 students are currently enrolled in University for Continuing Education Krems, more than 30,000 have already completed their studies successfully. Research at University for Continuing Education Krems is centered on contemporary and future challenges society faces. In a transdisciplinary context we build bridges between basic research and practice-oriented application, between individual disciplines and in particular to society. The University for Continuing Education Krems combines ongoing innovation in research and teaching with the highest standards and holds the seal of quality of the Agency for Quality Assurance and Accreditation Austria (AQ Austria).

www.donau-uni.ac.at

Founding member
Membership: Since 2020

Representative:

Mag. Friedrich Faulhammer; Rector

friedrich.faulhammer@donau-uni.ac.at

Since 2013, Friedrich Faulhammer has been rector of the University for Continuing Education Krems (Danube University Krems). Before that, he was head of section and secretary-general at the Federal Ministry of Science and Research, positions in which he played a key role in shaping the Austrian and European higher education policy over a period of more than two decades, for instance in implementing the Universities Act of 2002. Born in 1963, Faulhammer studied law in Vienna. The institute for legal history at the University of Vienna and the legal department of the university directorate were his posts from 1985 to 1990. In the 1990s, he joined the Federal Ministry of Science and Research and in 2005, he became head of the higher education section in the Federal Ministry of Science and Research and has been its secretary-general since 2009. In 2017 and 2018, Faulhammer served as president of the Danube Rectors' Conference (DRC), a network consisting of about 70 universities located in the countries of the Danube region. In 2018, he was elected to the board of directors of the Ludwig Boltzmann Gesellschaft (LBG) and in 2019 to the board of the Institute for the Danube Region and Central Europe (IDM). At present, he is chairman of the IDM board as well as a university board member of the University College of Teacher Education Vienna, the Verein für deutsches undinternationales Wissenschaftsrecht e. V. Münster and on the advisory board of the Europa Forum Wachau. Since January 2023, Friedrich Faulhammer has again been president of the Danube Rectors' Conference.

The University of Applied Arts Vienna is home to about 2,000 students, many of whom come from other European countries and from elsewhere abroad. As a leading centre of excellence in art, design and architecture, in teaching and research, “the Angewandte” has a strong international reputation. It provides societal impulses on various levels. It sees itself as a place of free artistic and academic expression, a forum for open debate and a laboratory for unfolding the potentials of artistic visions in today´s society and the societies of the future. The University offers a wide range of classical and exceptionally innovative study programs. By combining its own in-house expertise with relevant research partners in a transdisciplinary approach, “the Angewandte” contributes, in diverse project constellations, towards fulfilling innovative and sociopolitical goals. The University operates in a densely woven and structurally well-established network of internationally renowned institutions and experts, providing a fruitful ground for manifold forms of cooperation, in order to gain new insights and develop new forms and concepts of our capacity to act.

www.dieangewandte.at

Founding member
Membership: Since 2020

Representative:

Assoc.Prof.Mag.arch Baerbel Mueller

baerbel.mueller@uni-ak.ac.at

Baerbel Mueller is an architect and researcher based in Austria and Ghana, whose spatial practice is strongly informed by contextual approaches, with an interest of translating these into new typologies and contemporary responses. She is the dean of and associate professor at the Institute of Architecture (I oA) at the University of Applied Arts Vienna, and founder and head of [Applied] Foreign Affairs, a transdisciplinary lab, which investigates spatial, environmental and cultural phenomena in rural and urban Sub‐Saharan Africa. She is founder of nav_s baerbel mueller [navigations in the field of architecture and urban research within diverse cultural contexts], focusing on projects located on the African continent since 2000. Her work, comprises architecture, urban research, installations, scenography, and curatorial projects, and has been shown at i.a. the Venice Architecture Biennale, Marrakesh Biennial, Architekturmuseum Munich, Az W, and Vienna Biennale. She was awarded the Austrian Ars Docendi State Award for excellence in teaching in 2015, edited [applied] Foreign Affairs ‐ investigating spatial phenomena in rural and urban Sub‐Saharan Africa (Birkhäuser, 2017) and Structures of Displacement (Birkhäuser, 2020), designed Nubuke Extended, an arts campus and gallery in Accra in collaboration with Juergen Strohmayer (2019), and co‐curated the 2021 Vienna Biennale exhibition Ecologies & Politics of the Living. She is co‐editor of forA on the Urban (2021‐).

UAS Technikum Wien is Austria’s University of Applied Sciences for Technology and Digitization. Since its foundation in 1994, approximately 17,000 students graduated from Technikum. Currently, more than 4,500 students in more than 30 Bachelor’s and Master’s degree programs are being trained to become top professionals. The degree programs are offered in day or evening form. The courses offered are scientifically well-founded and at the same time practice-oriented. In addition to a high-quality technical education, great emphasis is also placed on business and personality-building subjects. Very good contacts and cooperation with business and industry open up excellent career opportunities for students and graduates. Both in teaching and in research, the integration of theory and practice is a top priority.

www.technikum-wien.at/en

Membership: Since 2024

Representative: Mag. Agnes Kriz

agnes.kriz@technikum-wien.at

Agnes Kriz has been active in the field of international higher education for nine years, among other activities as a representative of the Bologna implementation and as member of the International Affairs Committee of the University of Applied Sciences Conference for UAS Technikum Wien. Since March 2022, she is one of nine national experts for the European Higher Education Area as part of the 3-IN-AT-PLUS project. As an EHEA expert and member of the Bologna Follow-Up Group, she contributes her many years of experience in the field of internationalization and expertise from the UAS sector. For over six years, she is head of the International Office at UAS Technikum Wien.

University of Applied Sciences Upper Austria

Founded in 1994, the University of Applied Sciences Upper Austria is one of the leading universities of its kind in Austria. Our four schools are located in the heart of Austria:

• School of Informatics, Communications and Media, Hagenberg Campus
• School of Medical Engineering and Applied Social Sciences, Linz Campus
• School of Business and Management, Steyr Campus
• School of Engineering, Wels Campus

With more than 6,000 students in 70 internationally recognized degree programmes, 450 academics in research and teaching and students from 60 different countries, it is an important player in university education in Austria. Cooperations with 250 partner universities worldwide and more than 1,000 industry partners provide a vast amount of opportunities in international education and research.

What makes Upper Austria special?

The province of Upper Austria is located in the heart of Austria and in the centre of Europe. It is a strong economic region which provides a number of advantages. More than 25% of Austria’s exports come from this region, and many internationally recognized companies such as voestalpine, BMW, KTM, Rosenbauer and Rotax have operations here, with our graduates serving as valuable employees. This creates excellent job opportunities, resulting in a 99% employment rate for our graduates in their desired professions. And it is a safe place to live, providing one of the highest standards of living in Europe.

Study where knowledge is generated

The latest findings from research and development are directly integrated into teaching and project activities. Innovative solutions are developed in collaboration with students, ensuring rapid implementation into marketable products and processes. Over 600 institutions utilise the expertise of our researchers, with an annual project volume of up to 20 million euros. A total of six centers of excellence serve as the basis for cutting-edge and industry-relevant research:

Springboard University of Applied Sciences Upper Austria

The quality of our education is mirrored by the success of our graduates. Some have become the CEOs of branch offices of globally operating companies such as Google, and others have founded their own start-ups that have developed into well-known players in their respective industries. Our motto “make it real” sums it up best.

www.fh-ooe.at

Founding member
Membership: Since 2020

Representative:

FH-Prof. Dipl.-Ing. Dr. Otmar Höglinger; Head of Food Technology and Nutrition programme

otmar.hoeglinger@fh-wels.at

Professor Höglinger is the Head of the Food Technology and Nutrition programme. He has many years of international experience in the implementation of research and development projects in both the food and chemical industries.

The University’s main mandate is to focus on research and development, teaching and continuing professional education and training. In all these fields its regional status is to be deepened and its high ranking in the European academic area is to be guaranteed. This is laid down in the Mission Statement of the University of Innsbruck. The University is committed to equality of opportunity for all staff and students, irrespective of gender, marital status, family status, age, disability, race, sexual orientation, and religious belief, and membership of the travelling community. Founded in 1669, the University of Innsbruck looks back to a long and variable history. The University has always been a supporting pillar of the Tyrolean society and has influenced the region tremendously. The importance of its status as a research and educating institution can be seen in the numerous award winning alumni and current and former scientists teaching and researching at the University. Many scientific cutting-edge discoveries have been made at this institution. Today the University comprises of 16 faculties and 83 departments.

www.uibk.ac.at

Founding member 
Membership: Since 2020

Representative:

Univ.-Prof. Dr. Anke Bockreis;

anke.bockreis@uibk.ac.at; africa-uninet-id@uibk.ac.at

Anke Bockreis is a full professor for Waste Treatment and Resource Management at the University of Innsbruck in Austria since 2009. In her work, she deals with various issues of waste prevention, waste recycling and the sustainable use of resources in order to aid climate protection. She holds a degree in civil engineering and made her PhD with the topic of monitoring of biofilters in 2001. She was working at the IWAR – Chair of Waste Management at the Technische Universität Darmstadt, Germany for more than 14 years. Furthermore, she worked for several consulting companies also in the field of mechanical-biological waste treatment and monitoring of emissions. From 03/2012 to 02/2020 she was the Vice rector for Infrastructure at the University of Innsbruck.

The University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna (BOKU) has more than 160 partner universities within ERASMUS+ Programme countries and more than 90 partner universities worldwide, in addition to the 11 CEEPUS networks and other International University networks with whom BOKU is collaborating, too – an overview on all these co-operation agreements is provided here for the Partner institutions and here for the Networks.

More information about BOKU: https://boku.ac.at/

Founding member
Membership: Since 2020

President of Africa-UniNet

Univ.Prof. DI Dr.DDr.h.c. Hubert Hasenauer

hubert.hasenauer@boku.ac.at

Univ.Prof.Dr.DDr.h.c. Hubert Hasenauer: Professor for Forest Ecosystem Management, at BOKU - the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna. He started his career as forest manager for the federal forest company before he joined BOKU. His scientific interests are forest management, ecosystem modeling, and the role of forests in the global carbon cycle. He contributed and led more than 70 projects in Europe as well as in the US, South America, Russia, Ethiopia, China, Nepal and Bhutan. He published more than 250 scientific papers, mainly in peer-reviewed journals, book chapters and conference contributions. He served as the chairman of the European Forest Institute, was chief-editor of Forest Ecology and Management and is the editor of the Austrian Journal of Forest Science. He chairs the Austrian-Africa Uninet, is the vice-president of ICA, the network of the 60 European Life Science Universities. For 7 years, he chaired the academic Senat of the University, was the speaker of the 22 public Austrian Universities and was one of the 12 members of the committee for higher education in Austria. Since February 1, 2018, he is the President of BOKU.

Representative:

Dipl.-Ing. Dr. Andreas Melcher

andreas.melcher@boku.ac.at

Dipl.-Ing. Dr. Andreas Melcher is a senior scientist at the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna (BOKU) and head of the BOKU Institute for Development Research (IDR). His work is based on trans-disciplinary and socio-ecological transition in the context of environmental processes – in particular environmental monitoring and assessment, freshwater ecology, fisheries management, climate change effects and SDGs. His scientific interest also includes capacity building in higher education in countries such as Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda, Bhutan, Nepal or Iran. One particular aim is to be engaged in implementing interdisciplinary research results into practice. This expanding scope of a cross over applied research has naturally incorporated ecological cause effect analyses, adaptive system analyses, social and gender aspects.

The University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna is the only academic educational and research institution in Austria that focuses on the veterinary sciences, and at the same time the oldest such institution in the German-speaking world (founded 1765 by the Empress Maria Theresia). Our mission: Responsible teaching, visionary research and ambitious healing. About 1,300 employees and 2,300 students work on the campus in the north of Vienna, which also houses the animal hospital and various spin-off-companies. The University stands for a first-rate education with a high degree of practical relevance. Outstanding basic research in veterinary medicine and the natural sciences, as well as applied and clinical research, ensure scientific progress that benefits animals and humans. Healthy animals and safe animal-based foods are an essential prerequisite for public health. The academic offering meets international standards. Course content is conveyed in an interdisciplinary and problem-based fashion. Five University Clinics, an agricultural teaching and research farm and an on-site training centre with a practice veterinary clinic are available for clinical and hands-on training. The University Clinics are both teaching hospital and transfer clinic for scientifically challenging cases from local veterinarians. Animal patients are cared for all year long, round the clock. The Vienna campus of the Vetmeduni Vienna houses the Messerli-Research Institute; two research institutes at Vienna’s Wilhelminenberg and an extensive teaching and research farm south of Vienna with a satellite in Wieselburg and the IFA Tulln are included. The children of the staff and students are cared for during the day at a kindergarten.

www.vetmeduni.ac.at

Founding member
Membership: Since 2020

Representative:

Ao.Univ.-Prof. Dr.med.vet. Dagmar Schoder 

Dagmar.Schoder(at)vetmeduni.ac.at

Dagmar Schoder is Associate Professor at the Unit of Food Microbiology at the Institute of Food Safety, Food Technology and Veterinary Public Health at the VetMed University Vienna. 
She has gained valuable experience in her current role as head of the scientific service laboratory and head of the research group "Global Food Safety". The aim of her many years of research work was to describe neglected contamination routes along the entire food chain "from farm to fork" on a national, international and global level. The focus was on primary production, on-farm direct marketing as well as industrial, modern food production with its global, but very complex flow of goods. 
One of the group's recent research topics is "Food Fraud, Food Crime and Illegal Food Trade". Her research work has been awarded numerous scientific prizes, including the prestigious Heinrich Stockmeyer Science Prize, which is one of the highest endowed international research awards in the field of food science. Additionally, from 2013-2019, Dagmar Schoder was group leader at the Christian Doppler Laboratory "CD-MOMICO". Her research focus was on the development of forward-looking food quality and safety concepts, such as new surveillance methods for the food production environment, including novel cleansing and disinfection methods. 
In her role as President of Veterinarians without Borders, Austria, and board member of Vétérinaires sans Frontières International, a partner network of 13 organizations, she gained extensive management experience in the international environment, as well as in-depth expertise in project management, organizational structure, fund raising and public relations. These experiences were complemented by more than 15 research stays abroad during the last years. This network aims to raise awareness on risk assessment regarding food safety in less and least developed countries. It emphasizes the positive role of livestock, sustainable agriculture and small-scale integrated farming systems as a key factor for sustainable livelihood development in countries of the global South. 
 

The WU is one of Europe's biggest, most modern Universities of Economic Sciences. WU’s high quality standards in research and education are approved by international quality seals. As a research-intensive public university with a keen awareness of its obligations to society, WU prepares its students to take on responsibility in business and society. At WU, young people learn the business and economics skills they need to contribute productively to facing today’s and tomorrow’s economic, social, legal, and ecological challenges using future-oriented expertise and responsible business behavior. WU sees itself as an international university, as an important hub for global exchange, and as a place where students and teachers work together. Open-mindedness and diversity were already among the university’s key values at WU’s founding in 1898. WU is committed to the principles of fairness and equal opportunities, scientific integrity, academic freedom, and especially plurality in topics and methodology. WU is a responsible university. This means that WU not only accepts responsibility for the quality of its performance in research, teaching, and third mission activities, but also that it acts in a socially responsible manner in all that it does.

www.wu.ac.at

Founding member
Membership: Since 2020

Representative:

Univ.Prof. Jonas Bunte, PhD

Jonas.Bunte@wu.ac.at

Jonas Bunte is a Professor at the Vienna University of Economics and Business and Head of the Institute for International Political Economy. He holds a PhD from the University of Minnesota. Prior to joining the Vienna University of Economics, he was Associated Professor for International Political Economy at the University of Texas at Dallas. His research and teaching is concerned with the politics of money, specifically how politics shapes finance, debt, trade and investment. For example, his book, “Raise the Debt: How Developing Countries Choose Their Creditors” (Oxford University Press, 2019) analyzes why some developing countries accept loans from the Chinese government, while others reject them. He has received several awards for both research and teaching.

Technische Universitit Wien (TU Wien) is the largest technical university in Austria, founded in 1815. Organised in 8 Faculties and 50 institutes, more than 4.000 researchers cover a wide spectrum in engineering and sciences — from fundamental research to applied technical solutions for the industry. More than 25.000 students — 30% of them with an international background — benefit from 55 degree-programs and a strong research-oriented and inter-disciplinary teaching culture. At TU Wien, teaching and research form a single unit: excellent teaching depends on excellent research, and only excellent researchers are able to take students forward to the highest levels of science and technology. Under its mission statement “Technology for People”, TU Wien concentrates its research activities on 5 key areas: (1) Computational Science and Engineering, (2) Quantum Physics and Quantum Technologies, (3) Materials and Matter, (4) Information and Communication Technology, and (5) Energy & Environment. With regard to the main role of university research — generating knowledge to increase understanding and for the benefit of society — the research objectives are directed towards utilising this understanding and knowledge. The interconnection of technology and society is not only visible in the various outreach activities at TU Wien with its economic and social environment, but also in the foundation of the Centre for Technology and Society (CTS). The centre realizes an inter-university as well as inter-faculty cooperation on various technical and socially relevant issues. Concrete projects and funding applications as well as divided study programs and modules form the core of this inter- and trans-disciplinary research centre.

www.tuwien.ac.at

Membership: Since 2024

Representative:  Ao.univ. Prof. Andreas Rauber

rauber@ifs.tuwien.ac.at

Andreas Rauber is Associate Professor at the Department of Information Systems Engineering (ISE) at the Vienna University of Technology (TU Wien). He furthermore is president of AARIT, the Austrian Association for Research in IT, President of the Research Data Alliance Network in Austria (RDA-Austria), and a Key Researcher at Secure Business Austria (SBA-Research). He received his MSc and PhD in Computer Science from the Vienna University of Technology in 1997 and 2000, respectively. In 2001 he joined the National Research Council of Italy (CNR) in Pisa as an ERCIM Research Fellow, followed by an ERCIM Research position at the French National Institute for Research in Computer Science and Control (INRIA), at Rocquencourt, France, in 2002. His research covers data science processes and associated research infrastructures from data management via data analytics to explainability and trust in research results.