Danube University Krems is an Austrian university specialized in postgraduate education. It is located in Krems an der Donau, Lower Austria.
History
The first 93 students enrolled in 1995, when the institution began operation with programs in European Studies and journalism. In 2004, the Austrian parliament passed the Danube University Act granting the institution the rights of a full university. More than 19,000 students have already graduated from Danube University Krems.
Courses
Danube University Krems has specialized in postgraduate education. It currently offers more than 200 academic courses and degree programs in the fields:
Today, more than 8,000 students from over 90 countries study at Danube University Krems. The majority of the students already have a university degree and attend a postgraduate course at Danube University. 30 percent of the students come from foreign countries.
Campus
Danube University Krems is located in the Wachau region along the Danube, which has been named a world cultural heritage site by the UNESCO. A renovated tobacco factory dating back to the onset of the 20th century and new buildings on Campus Krems provide students and educators room for research and studying. The design for the new buildings is the creation of Architekt Dietmar Feichtinger, who places a new facade of steel, glass and aluminium opposite the industrial building from the previous century.
On 2 February 2007, rector Helmut Kramer resigned due to "conceptional differences on strategic leadership". In May 2007 Prof Heinrich Kern was assigned as the new rector. The interim rector, Prof Ada Pellert, who also had applied, was not considered on the shortlist of three by the nomination committee. This was followed by protests in the university senate claiming the decision to be gender-discriminating. On 8 August 2007, Danube University issued a statement that the discussions on the rector's nomination are based on structural problems in the university. So Danube University has decided to split the organisation into two universities. Professors Kern and Pellert were asked to apply for the positions of the two universities' rectors. In July 2008 the vice rectors Ada Pellert and Hanna Risku resigned. In August 2008, rector Heinrich Kern resigned according to an agreement with the university council. The former vice rector Jürgen Willer was elected as new rector of Danube University Krems. Willer took office in January 2009. He resigned from his office in September 2012. In its session held on 20 February 2013, the University Council of Danube University Krems elected Mag. Friedrich Faulhammer, the former General Secretary of the Federal Ministry for Science and Research, to become its new rector. Rector Faulhammer is in office since August 1, 2013.
