University committees

The University Senate is the body of Modul University's academic self-government. It consists of six members from and elected by the group of the Full and Associate Professors, six members from the other faculty members, three members from the administrative staff, one representative of the non-faculty researchers, and four student representatives, nominated by the Austrian Student Union.

The current members are:

Full and Associate Professors:

• Astrid Dickinger
• Ulrich Gunter
• Gunther Maier
• Sabine Sedlacek
• Christian Weismayer
• Bozana Zekan

Other Academic Staff:

• Daniel Dan
• Yulia Kolomoyets
• David Leonard
• Maria Lord
• Lyndon Nixon
• Jason Steinmetz

Administrative Staff:

• Eduardo Fernandez Aguilera
• Francesca Buccione

• Martin Weidinger

Non-Faculty Researchers (until July 1, 2024):

• Brasoveanu, Adrian

Student Representatives (until June 2025):

• Markus Moritz

• Chiara Gmach

• Maxine Seeboth

• Nicolaus Pichorner

The rights of the University Senate are listed in the University Constitution. These functions include:

• Providing information on important developments affecting Modul University Vienna

• Bringing specific issues to the attention of the University Board

• Election of members on several committees

• Proposal of the candidates for election as President and as Vice President

The University Board directing the operations of the University consists of:

• Prof. Dr. Karl Wöber (President)

• Prof. Marion Garaus, PhD (Vice-President)

• Andras Viszkievicz (Managing Director)

The tasks and responsibilities of the University Board are listed in the University Constitution. These tasks include:

• Making decisions on interdepartmental matters

• Drafting proposals for resolution by the University Council concerning organizational units and the introduction, change and discontinuation of courses following consultation with the University Senate

• Preparation and submission to the University Council of the annual budget and annual financial statements

• Initiation of quality assurance measures

• Applying for the extension of accreditation

• Drafting proposals for resolution by the University Council concerning amendments to the statutes following consultation with the University Senate

• Awarding of academic degrees and distinctions

• Appointment of teaching staff and assignment of the teaching staff to the courses in consultation with the Deans

• Amendment of the study and examination regulations following consultation with the University Senate

The University Council supports the University Management with the development of the university. The chairperson of the University Council is elected by the University Council's ordinary members by a simple majority. The functions of the University Council are listed in the University Constitution.

Read more about The University Council and its members

The Examination Regulations Conference, as laid down in Chapter VIII of the university's constitution, is responsible for revising the examination regulations.  

The conference is composed of all Deans, a representative of the Studies and Examinations Committee nominated by its chair, the head of quality management nominated by the University Board, one representative of the Program Managers (Academic Office) nominated by the President, and two student representatives. 

The current members are: 

• Garaus, Marion (Dean of the Undegraduate Study Programs) 

• Dickinger, Astrid (Dean of the PhD Study Program) 

• Gunter, Ulrich (Dean of the MSc and MBA Study Programs) 

• Nixon, Lyndon (Representative of the Studies and Examinations Committee) 

• Calhoun, Benjamin (Head of the Academic Office) 

• Aubet, Clotilde (Head of Quality Management) 

• Breitwieser, Caroline (Student representative) 

• Schöberl-Goess, Aglaia (Student representative)

The Studies and Examinations Committee, as laid down in Art. VI of the university's constitution, is responsible for organizing examinations and performing the functions assigned in the examination regulations. The latter include, but are not limited to, the consideration of punitive measures in cases of academic misconduct. 

In line with the goals of the Studies and Examinations Committee, this page serves also as a hub for materials for preserving academic honesty. The following documents outline the practices of academic honesty:  

• Austrian Agency for Research Integrity: Guidelines for Good Scientific Practice 

• MODUL University Vienna: Guide to Understanding Plagiarism 

 
The committee consists of two representatives of the professors, two representatives of the researchers and lecturers, and two student representatives. The current members are: 

• Representatives of the professors (until July 3, 2025): Dimitris Christopoulos (chair), Horst Treiblmaier 

• Representatives of the researchers and lecturers (until July 3, 2025): Yuliya Kolomoyets, Lyndon Nixon 

• Representatives of the students (until June 2025): Moritz Markus, Anton Ngo 

Please contact the SEC at sec@modul.ac.at.  

The Scholarship Committee administers two scholarships according to Austrian StudFG: ‘Leistungsstipendium’ and ‘Förderstipendium’. These Modul University Vienna Merit Scholarships are granted to currently enrolled students in all programs on the basis of academic excellence and extracurricular involvement.

In addition, the Scholarship Committee co-administers Modul University’s Scholarship of Hope, which is granted to excellent project and research proposals aimed at making a positive sustainability impact. This scholarship is co-administered by Modul University’s Sustainability Committee.

More details on all available scholarships for enrolled MU students can be found here:
Available Scholarships

The Scholarship Committee consists of four members, two representatives of the faculty, the Dean of the PhD Study Program and one representative of the students. The current members (until June 24, 2024) are:

• Chair of the scholarship committee: Sabine Sedlacek
• Members: Astrid Dickinger, Bozana Zekan

Please contact the Scholarship Committee at scholarshipcommittee@modul.ac.at

The Inclusion & Diversity Committee aims to put our core university values into practice by fostering a working culture that is characterized by mutual respect and an appreciation for diversity.

established in 2015 in order to deepen Modul University Vienna's commitment to diversity management which includes all issues related to gender equality, special needs, religious freedom, etc. We aim to put our core university values into practice by fostering a working culture that is characterized by mutual respect and an appreciation for diversity. Our chief instrument in helping us to achieve our goal lies in our ability to raise awareness, facilitate dialogue, and advocate for change. As such, we exist as an advisory group with a close relationship to the University Senate and Works Council that enables us to shine a light on pressing issues related to diversity at MU. At this stage in our development, we do not have the capacity to enforce university policies or penalize offenders on behalf of injured parties. Instead, we choose to take an educational, remedial approach to implementing diversity management at MU that will allow our community to live and learn together in a safe and respectful space. As such, all members of the MU community are welcome to approach the IDC for professional and confidential (unless otherwise agreed upon) advice, suggestions, mediation between students, faculty, and/or staff, etc.

It is our pleasure to serve a community that values and celebrates diversity in its many forms. Please feel free to contact your IDC members at idc@modul.ac.at or contact us in person.

Please review the Affirmative_Action_Plan for more information on the role and responsibilities of the IDC and the Procedure_for_Students_with_Special_Needs_GDP for more information on special needs claims at MU. To make a special needs request, please fill out the Special_Needs__Consideration_Form_GDP (also available at the SSC) and submit it to idc@modul.ac.at.

IDC Representatives:

Maria Lord (chair), Eva-Aileen Jungwirth-Edelmann, Samantha Mylocopos, Michele Bettin, Jessica Knuters

The Sustainability Committee is an important player in the university's governance, as it implements measures that reinforce Modul's sustainability approach.  

Modul University Vienna follows an integrated sustainability approach and therefore tries to balance the economic, the social and the environmental dimension of sustainable development. Environmental and social sustainability is a key principle of Modul University Vienna, acknowledging and embracing the urgent need for development strategies that meet the needs of the present and improve the welfare of future generations. 

Sustainability represents an integral part of the curriculum and research agenda, and is also reflected in the daily work flow. The university operates in a manner that minimizes environmental risk and adverse effects on the environment. This includes: 

• meeting or exceeding environmental legislation and standards 

• using energy efficiently 

• conserving water 

• preventing pollution 

• minimizing waste 

• using recycled materials whenever possible 
    

MU carefully selects its suppliers and contractors, ensuring that they show a similar commitment to social and environmental principles. Ongoing communication and training will build awareness of these principles among students, faculty, contractors and partners. The university is also committed to embracing social sustainability. Students are encouraged to develop the following traits: interpersonal skills, perseverance, originality, future-mindedness, high talent, aesthetic sensibility and wisdom. In addition to these individual traits, responsibility, nurture, altruism, civility, moderation, tolerance and work ethic will be fostered amongst the university staff and the students. 

The Sustainability Committee (sustainability@modul.ac.at) is the body responsible for fostering sustainable thought and action at Modul University Vienna. Its current members are: 

• Gibbs Davis (Chair) 

• Garaus, Marion 

• Kerschner, Christian 

• Leonard, David 

• Rus, Andrada-Diana 

• Schwarcz, Elizabeth 

• Straube, Michael 

The committee also is responsible for the Modul University's biennial Sustainability Report: 

MU_SUSTAINABILITY_REPORT_2013_14 

Modul University Vienna has won many awards and recognitions for its sustainability efforts over the years including multiple wins at the Austrian Sustainability Awards. 

Modul University Vienna also takes place in sustainability rankings every year: 

• Certificate 2019 UI GreenMetric World University Rankings 

The Institutional Review Board (IRB) is an independent ethics committee which exists to protect and ensure the rights of human subjects who participate in research conducted at Modul University and/or MODUL Research. The IRB facilitates this objective by reviewing and/or modifying and ultimately approving or rejecting the data collection procedures and instruments submitted by researchers, lecturers, and students. No data collection from human subjects shall take place before gaining approval from the IRB, which is based on compliance with relevant Austrian and EU laws and regulations1 as well as the Belmont Report2 for international purposes.

1RIS Informationsangebote

2The Belmont Report

Researchers can actively approach the board if they need support and advice concerning ethical problems in their research and teaching projects.

Research that needs approval:

Approval must be sought from the IRB before conducting research projects based at Modul University Vienna and/or MODUL Research that collect data from human subjects.

This includes:

• Student research at Bachelor, Master, or PhD level

• Internally funded faculty research

• Third-party funded projects based at Modul University Vienna

This excludes:

• Research that does not collect data from human subjects

• Research that collects data from human subjects but is based at another university or falls under the jurisdiction of a specific ethical committee outside the university

Procedure for obtaining approval:

Before collecting data from human subjects, researchers must submit the following to irb@modul.ac.at for approval:

• the fully formatted questionnaire and/or interview guideline

• any invitation and/or introductory text and/or instructions

• the device used to obtain explicit consent from participants regarding their participation and the storage of the data they provide

Evaluation criteria:
Students must get the measurement instrument and all above documents approved by the supervisor before sending them to the IRB. The supervisor is also to be included in the email to the IRB.

The IRB will evaluate the research project according to the following aspects:

1. Is the participant informed about the purpose of the study, risks, benefits and the use of their data?

2. Is the responsible researcher clearly identified with contact details provided?

3. Can the participant withdraw at any time?

4. Do participants explicitly consent to their participation and the storage of the data they provide?

Good practice also suggests that the researcher communicates:

• How will the data be safely stored?

• Who will have access to the data?

• Will the data be deleted after the analysis?

• Can the study be conducted with participants remaining anonymous?

The current members of the IRB are:

• Representative of the professors: Astrid Dickinger (chair)

• Representatives of the academic staff: David Leonard, Farzaneh Ghorbani