News

A conference organised jointly by St. Pölten UAS and UAS Technikum Wien was held in Vienna from 26-30 May 2009 and addressed some key issues concerning university development in Austria and Mongolia.

Delegates from both countries

The opening of the conference took place in the Reception Hall of the Austrian Federal Ministry of Science and Research on 26 May. Barbara Weitgruber, Head of Division at the Ministry, welcomed His Excellency the Mongolian Ambassador Jargalsaikhan Enkhsaikhan and the delegates from both countries. Among the delegates were professors of the National University of Mongolia (NUM), the Mongolian University of Science and Technology (MUST), senior officials of the Mongolian Ministry of Education, Culture and Science, and representatives of the University of Vienna, the Austrian ministry and the participating universities of applied sciences. Keynote speakers from all participating institutions then outlined the systems of higher education of both countries and introduced the issues facing the universities today. His Excellency Ambassador Jargalsaikhan Enkhsaikhan pointed out the similarities between the two countries and emphasised the important role of education in defeating poverty and intolerance.

Workshops on current issues in university development

The major part of the conference was dedicated to workshops addressing the following topics:

Strategic Development

Chair: Fritz Schmoellebeck, UAS Technikum Wien; Namsraidorj Batchimeg, MUST

Services for the Strategic Implementation of R & D

Chair: Birgit Korherr, St. Pölten UAS

Modernisation of Administrative Processes

Chair: Maria Gabriela Fernandes, St. Pölten UAS

Admissions Procedures

Chair: Alois Frotschnig, St. Pölten UAS; Yadmaa Narantsetset, MUST

Strategic Considerations in Co-operation with Industry/Consulting

Chair: Thomas Klinger, Kärnten UAS; Purevjav Enkhbayar, NUM

University Autonomy: Teaching, Research, Finances

Chair: Andreas Pester, Kärnten UAS; Nusgai Zevgee, MUST.

On 28 May, the Mongolian delegates visited St. Pölten University of Applied Sciences, which was followed by a trip to the Danube valley. The social and cultural programme also included a concert at Schönbrunn Palace, a sightseeing tour of Vienna and an evening in a traditional heuriger.

Continued academic co-operation

The conference, which was part of a project supported by Eurasia Pacific Uninet, provided a suitable platform for both sides to exchange experiences and identify shared concerns. The formal groundwork for further academic collaboration was laid on the last day of the conference when bilateral co-operation agreements were signed between the Mongolian universities and the Austrian universities of applied sciences.

Links

UAS Technikum Wien         

Kärnten UAS  

University of Vienna

National University of Mongolia (NUM) 

Mongolian University of Science and Technology (MUST)   

Eurasia Pacific Uninet