The univie: summer school for International and European Studies attracts numerous students from around the world every year. Over the course of four weeks, participants engage in an intensive academic programme, benefit from intercultural exchange, and take part in a wide range of leisure and sports activities.
In his traditional opening address, Univ.-Prof. Dr. Franz-Stefan Meissel, Director of the Summer School, welcomed 98 students from 35 countries and reflected on the institution's long and distinguished history.
This year's keynote speaker was Dr. Anna Sporrer, Austria's Federal Minister of Justice. In her keynote address, "Strengthening the Rule of Law – A European Perspective," she discussed the key challenges currently facing the European Union. She identified four major areas of concern: the European Convention on Human Rights, geopolitical tensions, attacks on the principles of the rule of law, and the shift towards great-power politics. At the same time, she outlined possible solutions and encouraged both the international and Austrian students to approach the challenges ahead with greater optimism. According to Sporrer, the students themselves have a crucial role to play in developing the innovative problem-solving skills needed for the future.
You can read Dr. Anna Sporrer's full keynote speech here.
The official opening ceremony was then formally concluded by Univ.-Prof. Dr. Ronald Maier, Vice-Rector of the University of Vienna. Addressing the international students with inspiring words, he shared his own experiences as a student and participant in a summer school, emphasizing the importance of intercultural exchange. He concluded his remarks with the encouraging words: "You are doing the right thing!!!"
