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IAESTE AUSTRIA
Reaches its Diamond Anniversary
Stefan Hofbauer
National Secretary
IAESTE Austria
14
The taste of International exchange through IAESTE reached
Austria one year after the Organisation was founded. In 1949
the Austrian Committee for International Student Exchange
(ÖKISTA) began to host the administration for IAESTE in Austria.
In 1950 IAESTE Austria became a Full Member. Until 1989 the
programme in Austria was run by permanent staff, but afterwards
it was taken over by motivated students who established a very
well organised and effective National Committee which currently
has six Local Committees.
The number of exchanged Offers rose from
around 30 each year before 1989, to the
constant number of about 140 Offers since
IAESTE Austria was established as a student
run Committee. Today IAESTE Austria is
represented at all major technical Universities
in Austria with approximately 130 volunteer
students and one administrative Secretary.
IAESTE Austria had the honour to be the host
country for a record number of five Annual
Conferences. (Vienna: 1955, 1983, 2004;
Salzburg: 1975; Graz: 1989). Furthermore, IAESTE Austria was
the host of the Seminar on IAESTE Development, SID, in April
1993 which took place in Annaberg. Several Austrians have
made a significant impact on the International Association over
the years. From 1968 to 1974 Mr Rolf Kratochwil was the 4th
General Secretary of IAESTE. Mr Thomas Faltner was elected as
a Board member for the one year term in 2007 and was elected
again as a Board member for 2009 at the Annual Conference in
Warsaw.
The IAESTE Motivation Seminar, JUMP, was also initiated
in 1995 by the former IAESTE Austria National Secretary
Martin Klaus. The first two JUMP Seminars were held
in Vienna and Salzburg. We are very happy that this
year, the year of our 60th Anniversary, that the great
Motivation Event returns to Austria and will take place in
Radstadt at the end of September.
2007 Central European Convention in Purbach
Another great initiative was taken by the former National
Secretaries of Croatia and Austria in May 1998. Mario Kauzlaric
and Thomas Haim founded the Central European Convention
(CEC). Twice a year approximately 160 volunteers from six
Member countries and around 20 invited countries meet to work
successfully on international progress for IAESTE and to provide
precious know-how for each other.
2004 Annual Conference Vienna
IAESTE Austria is delighted to be celebrating its 60th Anniversary
and looks forward to exchanging many more students in the
years to come.