With the launch of a new international and interdisciplinary tenure-track symposium, the Rectorate of the University of Vienna continues to express its unwavering commitment to the tenure-track career path, highlighting its significance for the advancement of research and teaching. "Tenure-track professors bring fresh ideas and international networks to the university, making vital contributions to scientific excellence," stated Vice Rector Manuela Baccarini in her opening remarks, "They are the 'catalysts of change'."
The symposium celebrates the importance of the tenure-track model at the University of Vienna by honouring the achievements of the university’s tenure-track professors. Building on established formats such as the Tenure-Track Cafés, the symposium creates a dedicated platform that can foster interdisciplinary networking and academic exchange, laying the foundation for future collaborations.
Keynote speakers Alice Vadrot (Department of Political Science), Kristina Kislyakova (Department of Astrophysics) and Dagmar Woebken (Department of Microbiology and Ecosystem Science) will introduce the audience to their research groups and projects, while Paola Ayala (Faculty of Physics) will share her experience, felt by many on the tenure-track, of building a scientific career across national borders. Eight short talks given by researchers on the tenure-track create a unique opportunity for international experts to hear from their peers (Kirsten Wandschneider, Kamila Staudigl-Ciechowicz, Sudeshna Boro Saikia, Barbara Soukup, Evelyn Rampler, Samuel Meier-Menches, Javier Mateos, Atakan Aral).
The symposium is about connection and visibility: a day of scholarly exchange, networking and recognition for the next generation of leading researchers at the University of Vienna. It sends a clear message from the Rectorate: it’s committed to maintaining a close connection with those on the tenure-track and to raising the profile of the tenure-track pathway as a vital part of academic life at the University of Vienna.