The first woman to be Rector at an Austrian University of Applied Sciences

The Academic Board of the IMC University of Applied Sciences Krems has elected Prof. Mag. Eva Werner as its new head and rector at its most recent meeting. Eva Werner, thus, is the first woman to be elected as Rector at an Austrian University of Applied Sciences.

The first woman to be Rector in the Austrian University of Applied Sciences' field: Prof.  Mag. Eva Werner
The new Deputies of the Academic Board and Vice-Rectors are Margaritha Kindl, BSc. and Prof. Dr. Karl C. Ennsfellner. The inauguration ceremony is scheduled for January 2010 .

Eva Werner read English and French both in Vienna (University of Vienna) and Paris (Sorbonne), a sabbatical took her to the Concordia University, Montreal, Canada. Born in Upper Austria she started her career at the Modul Tourism College, and after working at the University of Economics and Business Administration and the Danube-University she finally arrived at the IMC University of Applied Sciences Krems.

She has not only been involved in the development of the IMC University of Applied Sciences Krems since its foundation in 1994, but she has also been in charge of the establishment of its international network. Within a very short time she managed to establish an active network of more than 85 renowned partner universities. Her continuous endeavour to organize international cooperations at an academic level gained her the conferment of „Honorary Professorship of Moscow International Business School Mirbis“ in 2007.

Since 2004 she has been deputy head of the Academic Board, from 2005 until the end of 2009 she has held the office of Vice-Rector. Furthermore, she was head of the Department of Internationalisation and member of project teams of many degree programmes at the University of Applied Sciences Krems. Her focus on quality standards earned the IMC Krems – among others- the „Quality Label for Mobility“, the „Diploma Supplement Label“ as well as the most recent award to become an „Associate Member of THE-ICE“ – an international institution for quality assurance of training courses in tourism- for the outstanding educational achievements in tourism and the leisure industry.

Eva Werner was the first Bologna specialist from the University of Applied Sciences’ sector in Austria, conducting this duty until July 2009. Moreover, she has run the international commission for the Austrian Association of Universities of Applied Sciences for several years.

„On behalf of the executive management I would like to congratulate the new Rector and the Vice-Rectors. I look forward to our cooperating in the management team in the future and to a further positive development of the IMC Krems“, Mag. Ulrike Prommer, CEO, offered her congratulations.

Even the Austrian Minister for Women Gabriele Heinisch-Hosek congratulated the new Rector. In an APA announcement she said: "Finally a woman made it to the top of a University of Applied Sciences"

Vienna (OTS- excepert of original text) - " Finally a woman made it to the top of a University of Applied Sciences", Gabriele Heinisch-Hosek, Minister for Women, mentioned today on the occasion of the election of Eva Werner as Rector of the University of Applied Sciences Krems. “Since the foundation of the first University of Applied Sciences in 1999 there is now a woman among the twelve heads of Austrian UASs for the first time. This means progress.“

"This, however, is not sufficient for me", said Heinisch-Hosek. “That there is no woman Rector at a single Austrian university and only one at a University of Applied Sciences, is still disgraceful. Therefore measures such as a mandatory proportion of females at academic boards must be extended” demands the Minister. "I congratulate Ms. Werner wholeheartedly on her appointment and I am sure she will serve as a model for young women to embark on their academic careers. ", she concluded.