Universities will continue to make a significant contribution to culture, interpretation of society and human existence in the future, just as they do today. In order to ensure that this can happen, however, a clear strategy is needed. A strategy that extends to and even surpasses the boundaries of convention. A strategy for all those who are dissatisfied with our current understanding of nature, humankind and the universe, and who are therefore prepared to venture out of their comfort zones and go forth undeterred in search of solutions. key objectives ⇒
Borders and boundaries we are transcending as we pursue our vision:
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In order to conduct research at the highest level, we, as a university, are committed to a culture of recognising achievement that articulates modern requirements for all career stages.
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In order to turn early-stage researchers into international trailblazers, we create exceptional conditions for the most talented among them.
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In order to be a consistently sustainable university, we achieve ambitious goals in a timely manner by employing and swiftly implementing targeted measures relating to topics such as diversity and climate neutrality.
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In order to be able to offer systemic solutions to burning issues of social relevance, we also actively explore unpopular topics, and offer platforms for transdisciplinary formats.
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In order to give more students the opportunity to attend university and complete a degree, we foster commitment on the part of students and teaching staff as well as on the part of the university itself.
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In order to make the range of studies we offer fit for the future, we ensure flexible curricula and develop modules that transcend restrictive disciplinary boundaries.
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In order to be a place of employment of the future, we create a lively and vibrant campus with a modern infrastructure, where employees find a performance-oriented and motivating organisational culture.
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In order to increase the visibility of our university as an academic hub, we transcend institutional boundaries, work with cooperation partnerships to harness the potential of our location and, as a result, also enhance the transfer of knowledge.
Our key objectives at a glance
Conduct research at the highest level
Turn early-stage researchers into international trailblazers
Give more students the opportunity to complete a degree
Make the range of studies we offer fit for the future
Be a consistently sustainable university
Offer systemic solutions to burning issues of social relevance
Be seen as a place of employment of the future
Increase the visibility of our university as an academic hub
What is needed to ensure that outstanding research can be conducted?
Even though it is rarely said so openly: no university is better than its researchers. First-class appointments, a broad range of opportunities for early-stage researchers and the appropriate framework conditions form the basis for the University of Graz to become one of Europe’s leading research institutions by 2035.
Key objective #1: Conduct research at the highest level
We do fundamental research that is solution-oriented, innovative, relevant to society. Leading-edge fields of research are identified and actively promoted. They gain international attention, are well connected and are a source of pride for our university. We can recruit and retain top researchers in these fields in particular. At the University of Graz, high performance is considered standard. To measure this performance, modern specifications are agreed upon for all career stages and transparently presented and recognised. The university’s academic personnel structure is strongly oriented towards performance in research and teaching. An increasing number of national and international large-scale research projects are being promoted thanks to the availability of suitable support measures and incentives.
Key objective #2: Turn early-stage researchers into international trailblazers
We provide high potentials with an attractive working environment and extensive international networking opportunities. They can take advantage of customary international framework conditions and resources to successfully launch their academic careers. At the University of Graz, career positions are created in key strategic fields of research for outstanding junior researchers (in particular recipients of ERC and FWF START awards, MSCA fellows, and ESPRIT and Elise Richter scholarship holders).
What makes universities attractive to students?
Anywhere else, you would probably hear the response that they are educating the leaders of tomorrow. And that is indeed one way to look at it if you restrict yourself to viewing universities as educational institutions. But the University of Graz wants to go one step further: it wants to transcend the boundaries of subjects, help shape the professions of the future and thus epitomise the claim that “we work for tomorrow”.
Key objective #3: Give more students the opportunity to complete a degree
We are increasing the proportion of students who are actively studying after being successfully onboarded. Our range of studies are designed in such a way that they can be completed quickly and efficiently. What’s more, we also jointly develop study programmes in the context of international cooperation partnerships, such as the Arqus partnership and interdisciplinary initiatives, in a concerted effort to create an attractive range of courses and offer students the opportunity to build an international network. At the University of Graz, we foster commitment on the part of both students and teaching staff. This is seen in the active encouragement and support of the students along their academic journey.
Key objective #4: Make the range of studies we offer fit for the future
The range of studies we offer, which will gain international attention in the future, take a modern approach to preparing students for the working and living environments of tomorrow. Students are stimulated by motivating teaching methods, coaching offers and new forms of learning support. The curricula at the University of Graz are flexible and modules can be combined according to individual interests.
What makes a university relevant to society?
When it and its researchers address uncomfortable topics and ask questions whose answers are not always gladly received. Above all, however, when it not only asks questions, but offers solutions, points out alternatives and focuses on people’s concerns. This is how the University of Graz continues to be perceived as contemporary, even after 450 years.
Key objective #5: Be a consistently sustainable university
We fulfil our responsibility to society. That is why the University of Graz has committed to achieving climate neutrality by 2040 by adopting and rapidly implementing a series of targeted measures, accompanied by participatory discussion processes. Our expertise will have a greater impact on society thanks to the corresponding transfer of knowledge.
At the University of Graz, we live and breathe diversity, variety, solidarity and fairness as an essential part of our organisation. With a view to creating a future worth living, we provide recommendations for action that focus on the present, are appropriate to individual situations and put people at the heart of the matter.
Key objective #6: Offer systemic solutions to burning issues of social relevance
We don’t shy away from our responsibilities and feel that it is our duty to play a role in finding solutions to social challenges and to enable action to be taken on the basis of scientific knowledge. We contribute to such discussions by formulating socially relevant questions from a systemic perspective, investigating them through interdisciplinary collaboration and finding answers based on independent research. The University of Graz creates platforms for transdisciplinary formats (“living labs”) pursuant to the Open Science approach. In this context, the digital transformation supports the creation of new forms of networking and a spirit of openness in university research, teaching and administration.
How does an academic hub gain international prestige?
As a university we lie at the heart of Graz and Styria. But that is not enough for us. The University of Graz wants to build a bridge to South East Europe, be the first port of call for international cooperation partnerships and be regarded as one of the most sought-after destinations for the international scientific communities of all subjects.
Key objective #7: Be seen as a place of employment of the future
We are tackling the challenges of the future head on and finding ways to make the most of major changes such as the demographic shift or the impact of artificial intelligence. New recruiting strategies, employer branding and multi[1]culturalism are important cornerstones of our personnel strategy. The vibrant and attractively designed “Living Space Campus” and our modern infrastructure are also milestones on the way to becoming a place of employment of the future.
Key objective #8: Increase the visibility of our university as an academic hub
We work closely with other institutions on specific matters relating to the fields of teaching, research and administration in order to harness our full potential through synergies, to expand our range of services and, subsequently, to strengthen the transfer of knowledge. As an initiator and co-creator of social, economic and technological developments, the effective transfer of research results and inventions to the world of business and society is essential to the University of Graz.
The University of Graz has committed itself to the motto: “We work for tomorrow.” Because we see uncertainties as opportunities. And because we create space. Space for the questions that truly matter. For critical thinkers, for architects of the future, for rebellious dissatisfaction with the way things are, for social relevance and for the digital storm, for often surprising answers.
Mag.rer.nat. Bakk.rer.nat. Florian Ortner
Phone:+43 316 380 - 1006
Location:Büro des Rektors
Opentimes:nach Vereinbarung
Web: https://homepage.uni-graz.at/de/florian.ortner/