DRC President Friedrich Faulhammer and DRC Secretary General Sebastian Schäffer attended a High-Level Meeting in Uzhhorod titled "Development perspectives in higher education cooperation between Austria and Ukraine". Organised by the OeAD together with the Austrian Federal Ministry for Education, Science and Research, the Ukrainian Ministry of Education and Science as well as the National Erasmus+ Office of Ukraine, the event brought together representatives from the ministries as well as a variety of universities from both countries. Several crucial aspects were discussed, including working groups amongst others on „The role of universities in reconstruction“. Heartfelt accounts of destruction, displacement and death caused by the unjustified Russian aggression against Ukraine were inevitable also on the agenda. 

As the meeting was hosted by our long-term cooperation partner and active member the Uzhhorod National University, this was also a good occasion to catch up with Rector Volodymyr Smolanka. We are convinced that we will return to our friends soon, either for an annual conference or with our summer school. Until then we will continue to support especially our members in Ukraine! 

Friedrich Faulhammer, President of the Danube Rectors' Conference (DRC), Chairman of the Board of the Institute for the Danube Region and Central Europe (IDM), and Rector of the University for Continuing Education Krems, held a keynote speech on the topic “The Danube region as a cultural, natural and scientific area” on the occasion of the 9th Conference of the Speakers of Parliament of the European Union Strategy for the Danube Region (EUSDR), which took place in the Austrian Parliament on 18 and 19 March 2024. 

Faulhammer emphasized the important role the DRC is playing in the Danube Region while fostering scientific exchange and mobility of ideas and persons for more than 40 years. He also pointed out on the successful cooperation with the Austrian Federal Ministry for Education, Science and Research within the Danubius Awards, particularly concerning the Danubius Young Scientist Award which is awarded to 14 young scientists – one for each country that is part of the EUSDR. The Award represents one of the most significant recognitions of young scientific talents coming from the Danube Region. 

In his keynote, he also explained the mission of the IDM as the permanent secretariat of DRC: transnational cross-border cooperation in the Danube Region stands always at the forefront. In the last year under the motto “Locating the Future”, with an exceptional programme of 20 organized events in all of IDM's 19 target countries as well as one dedicated to the river itself, the IDM demonstrated in practice how cross-border cooperation works and how important professional network facilitation along the Danube River is. A. As a result, this is where according to the Institute – which is also one of the oldest think tanks not only in the German speaking world – future is located: in the Danube Region. 

The interdisciplinary summer programs “Alternative Economic and Monetary Systems (AEMS; 5 ECTS)” and “Green.Building.Solutions. (GBS; 7 ECTS)” will again take place in Vienna. At AEMS, international participants deal with the limits to growth and the instabilities of our financial system, before discussing alternative approaches and reform ideas! AEMS takes place from 15 July to 2 August. GBS welcomes international students and professionals from architecture, urban planning, energy technology and similar fields to expand their knowledge on sustainable building technologies and ecological design! GBS takes place from 13 July to 4 August.

IDM and DRC are offering 2 full scholarships for each program! | Application deadline: 5 May 2024

Apply now at: www.summer-university.net

Next Online Info Session on 18 April at 2 pm: Registration via Eventbrite