Photo Report from the MU Vienna Opening

On October 23, around 350 international guests, faculty and staff and the first 86 students out of 23 different nations sucessfully celebrated the grand opening of MODUL University in the university's Auditorium Maximum.

The president of the Vienna Economic Chamber of Commerce and Industries, Brigitte Jank, and the president of MODUL University Vienna, Prof. Karl Wöber, in the company of the Austrian Minister for Science and Research, Dr. Johannes Hahn, the Mayor of Vienna, Dr. Michael Häupl, and the president of the Federal Economic Chamber of Commerce and Industries, Dr. Christoph Leitl, welcomed the distinguished international guests and students.

With the beginning of the fall term 2007 on October 1, MODUL University Vienna opened its doors. MODUL University presented itself as an internationally oriented organization for research and education in tourism, new media technology and public governance. The university combines a strong academic foundation with a commitment to sustainability and innovation as key drivers of long-term success. It aims to foster independent and original research as an active member of the international scientific community.

The Vienna Chamber of Commerce and Industries, which established the private university, is very proud to announce this first-time opportunity for students from around the globe to be able to complete a full degree in tourism and hospitality management at an Austrian university. MODUL University Vienna offers a Bachelor of Business Administration degree in Tourism and Hospitality Management, as well as a Professional MBA degree in Tourism Management, the latter in cooperation with the Executive Academy of the Vienna University of Economics and Business Administration. The Austrian Minister for Science and Research, Dr. Hahn, underlined the unique cooperation between a private and public university, which should serve as a model.

Sustainability and innovation are the key principles of MODUL University Vienna, and represent an integral part of the university's curriculum, research agenda and daily work flow. The visitors had the opportunity to explore the state of the art venue through guided tours. They were not only impressed by the building itself, but also by the sustainability concept of an integrated pellet heating system for the building, solar panels on the roof and the contract with a provider of 100% renewable energy made in Austria.

The research exhibition presented in the library illustrated the current research under way and international affiliations of the academic units "Tourism and Hospitality Management" and "New Media Technology". The posters displayed in the exhibit are now available online to download. The IDIOM Project (Information Diffusion Across Interactive Online Media) was presented during the opening ceremony, together with the Media Watch on Climate Change that is available online at www.ecoresearch.net/climate. The faculty of the university also provided insight into the planned Research Center for industry-oriented research.

The president of MODUL University Vienna, Prof. Dr. Karl Wöber, stated, "MODUL University Vienna has set itself a clear and ambitious goal: Within ten years, it aims to be among Europe’s leading private universities known for innovative research and active knowledge transfer to other academic and commercial organizations. The faculty consists of renowned scientists from Austria and abroad who work together with an international team of bright junior academics to ensure the highest quality of research and education."


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