The Kahlenberg Lectures

Join leading thinkers, former ministers & diplomats

Modul University Vienna is proud to host a high-profile public lecture series featuring influential global voices. The series offers rare access to individuals shaping today’s debates.

 

 

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Prof. Doug Stokes

Head of the School of International Relations and Professor

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We are living through a period of profound geopolitical transition—the post-Cold War settlement is fracturing, great power competition is intensifying, and the institutions that have underpinned international order for decades are being tested as never before. For our students at Modul University Vienna, this isn't abstract theory—it's the world they will graduate into and help shape. The Kahlenberg Lectures bring to Vienna leading figures who have navigated these shifts firsthand—former ministers, diplomats, and public intellectuals who can speak candidly about what a changing world order means for sovereignty, democracy, and the future of Europe. Our students gain direct access to the people who have been in the room when history was made, and that kind of exposure is invaluable preparation for careers in international relations, diplomacy, and global policy.

24 March | Sir Nick Gibb 15:00 –17:00 | Room 2.07

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The Role of Education in a Changing World Order

Sir Nick Gibb, one of the longest serving and most transformative UK Education Ministers, joins Professor Doug Stokes, Head of the School of International Relations at Modul University Vienna, to reflect on the role of education in a shifting global order.
With decades at the heart of government, Sir Nick Gibb offers firsthand insight into how evidence-based policy helped transform UK education into a global benchmark for excellence.

Professor Doug Stokes, Head of the School of International Relations at Modul University Vienna, is a leading expert in geopolitics and international security, and combines academic insight with real-world policy experience on global affairs, great power competition, and transatlantic relations.

Join us for an open conversation where experience meets perspective and where your voice is part of the discussion: Register now!

26 May | Lord David Frost | Room 2.06

Sovereignty and the Future of Europe

Lord David Frost is a British diplomat, politician, and peer, known for his service as Minister of State at the Cabinet Office and as the United Kingdom’s Chief Negotiator for Exiting the European Union. Before entering politics, he had a distinguished diplomatic career, serving as the UK’s Ambassador to Denmark and as Director for Strategy and Policy in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

Lord Frost played a central role in shaping Britain’s post-Brexit foreign policy and has since contributed actively to public debate on sovereignty, governance, and Europe’s political future. His deep experience in diplomacy and negotiation offers a unique insight into the shifting landscape of international relations. 

16 June | Steve Baker 15:00-17:00 | Room 2.06

Sovereignty and Economic Freedom 

Steve Baker is a British politician who served as Minister of State at the Cabinet Office and as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union. A Member of Parliament since 2010, he has been a leading voice in discussions on sovereignty, economic freedom, and the future of Europe.

Trained as an aerospace engineer and a former Royal Air Force officer, Mr. Baker combines a technical mindset with a principled approach to governance and policy. His engagement with issues of democracy, regulation, and the limits of state power has made him a prominent and sometimes provocative figure in the UK and European political debate.

More lectures in this series are coming soon. We invite you to keep an eye on our events page for upcoming dates and topics.

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