Over the course of time there have been committed institutions and individuals again and again who have specifically attempted to initiate scholarships or projects in higher education according to the principle of capacity building and to implement them in cooperation with the OeAD. As an example the Mondi Austrian Scholarship Programme can be mentioned here, which was implemented by the OeAD from 2006 to 2014 in close cooperation with the Mondi Austria Private Foundation.
The aim of the scholarship programme was to provide financial support for a bachelor’s, master’s, and in a few cases even a PhD degree in Austria. The funding by the Mondi Austria Private Foundation was closely linked to Veit Sorger, the Mondi AG’s long-time CEO and President of the Federation of Austrian Industries. The programme included a monthly scholarship of 1000 euros and travel expenses.
When asked in 2014 why he had set up this scholarship Veit Sorger replied: “I wanted to support young people after my active career. I enjoyed investing some of my money in the future of these young people.”
In total, 50 people have been educated through the Mondi Austrian Student Scholarship programme. Many of them can now look back on very successful careers. Whether in industry or academia, the graduates of the Mondi Austrian Student Scholarship vividly show that such a scholarship programme can lay a very good foundation for the successful development of young people.
Graduates include
Oliver Hauser, currently Associate Professor at the University of Exeter Business School and UKRI Future Leaders Fellow. He has won numerous prizes and awards: Pacific Standard’s “30 Top Thinkers Under 30” award, the Wharton People Analytics research competition prize, the Harvard University Richard J. Herrnstein Dissertation Prize, the Harvard John Parker Award, the Euregio Young Researcher Award (with Helena Fornwagner), and several teaching awards. Hauser’s research activities are mentioned in this article here.
Samir Kopacic is a researcher at Graz University of Technology. Last year he won the Heinzel-Mondi-Sappi Award. For more information see the article here.
Ida Bindea is currently a senior consultant at Milliman D/A/CH. She completed her bachelor’s degree in Statistics and Business Mathematics and her master’s degree in Business Mathematics at Vienna University of Technology, both with distinction.
Hana Krasna has been Assistant Professor (tenure track) at Vienna University of Technology, Department of Geodesy and Geoinformation since 2021. 2014-2021 Head of the Hertha Firnberg FWF project Earth-based VLBI in the Galactic Frame (T 697-N29). Best Paper Award 2015 of the Faculty of Mathematics and Geoinformation, Vienna University of Technology. Karl Rinner Award 2013 of the Austrian Geodetic Commission.
Bilal Alsallakh has stayed in research after completing his doctoral degree at Vienna University of Technology, first at Harvard University and then at BOSCH North America. Currently his research focuses on artificial intelligence. Alsallakh researches how AI systems work in detail and which unexpected weaknesses they show. To his list of publications.
Cezary Pieczetowski: Site Lead at Amazon, visiting lecturer at Lodz University of Technology and Kozminski University.
Tanja Walcher: Regulatory Affairs Emissions at Daimler Truck AG
Mihail Baldea: Development Engineer PEMS at Daimler Truck AG
Veronika Shivaldova: Head of Product Management at KATHREIN Digital Systems
Adnan Delic: Vice President Sales at FM Global
Institutions and individuals who are interested in using the OeAD’s services for a customised programme can find more information here.
Author: Katharina Engel
