Facts & Figures 2022/23

FACTS &
FIGURES
2022/23
University of Natural Resources
and Life Sciences, Vienna
1

from left to right:
Gerhard Mannsberger
Vice Rector for Human
Resources, Organisation,
and Digitisation
Nora Sikora-Wentenschuh
Vice Rector for Finance
and Infrastructure
2
Eva Schulev-Steindl
Rector
Doris Damyanovic
Vice Rector for Teaching,
Continuing Education,
and Students
Christian Obinger
Vice Rector for Research
and Innovation
“No other university researches,
teaches, and lives sustainability the
way BOKU does. That‘s what makes
this university unique and that is
our mission.”
© Lisi Specht

BOKU: AUSTRIA’S LEADING
LIFE SCIENCES UNIVERSITY
FOUNDED: 1872
UNIVERSITY ORGANISATION: G RESEARCH, TEACHING
SCIENTISTS: G 2,166 ( 1 43.8%)
STUDENTS: G 10,042 ( 1 52.8%)
GRADUATES: G 1,396 ( 1 52.8%)
GENERAL STAFF: G 827 ( 1 58%)
Climate change, resource scarcity,
biodiversity conservation, food security:
The big questions of the future need
answers. The field of science must address
the problematic areas of politics, economics,
management and NGOs today and find
solutions which are understandable,
relevant, and usable. BOKU is the only
university in Austria which has devoted all its
research and teaching to the Life Sciences.
BOKU unique
Every degree programme at BOKU
combines natural sciences and
engineering with economic and social
sciences. This holistic approach
to problems is unique.
3

4
In 2015, the UN member states adopted 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) which aim
to make our world a better place to live in by 2030.

6 BOKU COMPETENCE AREAS
RESEARCH
ECOSYSTEM MANAGEMENT
AND BIODIVERSITY
AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION
AND FOOD
RENEWABLE RAW MATERIALS
AND NEW TECHNOLOGIES
BIOTECHNOLOGY
LANDSCAPE, WATER, HABITAT
AND INFRASTRUCTURE
RESOURCES AND
SOCIAL DYNAMICS
Sustainable development would hardly be conceivable
without our current scientific knowledge. Research in the
field of sustainability develops understanding, identifies
issues, helps analyse relationships, and develops
solution-focused principles for our time. The scientific
work at BOKU is carried out in six competence areas,
which are handled by the 15 departments in a highly
interdisciplinary manner with solid foundations.
In the course of its sustainability strategy, BOKU fills the
“Agenda 2030” with life: in research, teaching, and in
everyday university life.
BOKU vision
The University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences,
Vienna is the only university in Austria able
to continuously work on entire sustainable value
chains – from production to consumption to disposal.
5

15 DEPARTMENTS 3 SCIENTIFIC CENTRES
Material Sciences and Process Engineering
Biotechnology
Water, Atmosphere, Environment
Bionanosciences
Chemistry
Integrative Biology and Biodiversity Research
Food Science and Technology
Landscape, Spatial and Infrastructure Sciences
Economics and Social Sciences
Sustainable Agricultural Systems
Civil Engineering and Natural Hazards
Forest and Soil Sciences
Crop Sciences
Agrobiotechnology, IFA-Tulln
Applied Genetics and Cell Biology
G Centre of Agricultural Sciences
G Centre for Bioeconomy
G Centre for Global Change and
Sustainability
7 CHRISTIAN DOPPLER LABORATORIES
Management:
G Sediment Research and Management
G Growth-Decoupled Protein Production
in Yeast
G Production of Novel Biopharmaceuticals
in E. coli
G Innovative Immunotherapeutics
G Meta Ecosystem Dynamics in Riverine
Landscapes
Module management:
G Next generation CAR T cells
G Molecular Informatics in the Biosciences
6

4 K+ ZENTREN GMBH
G FFoQSI – Feed and Food Quality Safety
and Innovation
G ACIB – Austrian Centre of Industrial
Biotechnology
G Wood K Plus Kompetenzzentrum Holz GmbH
G BEST – Bioenergy and Sustainable
Technologies GmbH
8 BOKU CORE FACILITIES
G Biomolecular & Cellular Analysis
G Food & Bio Processing
G Multiscale Imaging
G BioIndustrial Pilot Plant
G Mass Spectrometry
G Analysis of Lignocellulosics
G Bioinformatics
G Bioactive Molecules –
Screening and Analysis
... and
the research
location
WasserCluster
Lunz in Lower
Austria
SCIENTIFIC PERFORMANCE
G 1,080 ongoing research projects
G EUR 63.7 million R&D revenue
G 1,048 publications in SCI-listed journals,
741 of which with international co-authors
G 2,111 scientific lectures
G 26 patents pending
EARLY CAREER RESEARCHERS
G 3 ERC Starting Grants
G 1 ESPRIT-Programme
G 2 Hertha-Firnberg-Programmes
G 6 Lise-Meitner-Programmes
boku.ac.at/en/fos
7

8
Student Advisory Service:
boku.ac.at/en/boku4you/
themen/studienwahlberatung

7 BACHELOR’S PROGRAMMES TEACHING
G Food Science and Biotechnology
G Forestry
G Wood and Fibre Technology
G Environmental Sciences and Civil Engineering
G Landscape Architecture and Landscape Planning
G Environment and Bio-Resources Management
G Agricultural Sciences
The challenges and problems of our time are
interconnected in various ways and can only be
solved in an inter- and transdisciplinary manner.
Thanks to the 3-pillar principle in teaching, BOKU
students gain the ability to develop solutions which
will meet the ecological, technical and economic
demands of today – as is expected by future
leaders.
boku.ac.at/boku4younow
3-PILLAR PRINCIPLE AT BACHELOR’S (6 SEMESTERS) 180 ECTS
25% 25% 25% 25%
Natural
Sciences
Technology
and Engineering
Sciences
Economics and
Social Sciences
+
Subject-specific
content
BOKU vision
With a technical focus on teaching in the areas
of “protection and improvement of livelihoods”,
“management of natural resources”, “ensuring
nutrition and health”, and “sustainable social
and technical dynamics”, BOKU has a clear position,
unique in the Austrian university landscape.
9

35 MASTER’S PROGRAMMES
German Master programmes
G Wildlife Ecology and Wildlife Management
G Food Science and Technology
G Landscape Architecture and Landscape Planning
G Phytomedicine
G Forest Sciences
G Wood Technology and Management
G Environment and Bio-Resources Management
G Civil Engineering and Water Management
G Plant Sciences
G Livestock Sciences
G Agricultural and Food Economy
G Material and Energetic Exploitation of Renewable
Raw Materials (NAWARO – also possible
internationally*)
G Alpine Natural Dangers / Watershed Regulation
G Viticulture, Enology and Wine Economics*
boku.ac.at/en/master-programmes
NEW
NEW
NEW
English Master programmes
G Biotechnology
G Mountain Forestry
G Water Management and Environmental
Engineering
G Applied Limnology
G European Master in Animal Breeding and
Genetics (National degree)
G Organic Agricultural Systems and Agroecology
(AgrEco-Organic) and Organic Agricultural
Systems and Agroecology (EUR-Organic*)
G Green Chemistry**
G Climate Change and Societal Transformation
G Green Building Engineering
International Master programmes*
G Natural Resources Management and Ecological
Engineering
G Limnology & Wetland Management
G Environmental Sciences – Soil, Water and
Biodiversity (ENVEURO)
G Animal Breeding and Genetics (Joint Degree)
G Safety in the Food Chain
10
* International degree programme (in cooperation with foreign universities) ** Admission at the Vienna University of Technology

G DDP MSc European Forestry
G Horticultural Sciences
G Material and Energetic Exploitation of
Renewable Raw Materials (NAWARO) –
International Master programme Biomass
Technology
G International Master’s in Soils and Global
Change (IMSOGLO)
G Viticulture, Enology and Wine Economics
G Sustainability in Agriculture, Food
Production and Food Technology in
the Danube Region
G Erasmus Mundus Master Programme
in Plant Breeding (emPLANT+)*
G Organic Agricultural Systems and
Agroecology (EUR-Organic*)
3-PILLAR MASTER’S PRINCIPLE
(4 semesters) 120 ECTS
12 DOCTORAL PROGRAMMES
G Social and Economic Sciences
G Natural Resources and Life Sciences
G Biomolecular Technology of Proteins (BioToP)
G Advanced Biorefineries: Chemistry and
Materials (ABC & M)
G Bioprocess Engineering (BioproEng)
G Human River Systems in the 21st Century (HR21)
G Transitions to Sustainability (T2S)
G AgriGenomics
G Biomaterials and Biointerfaces (BioMatInt)
G Build like Nature: Resilient Buildings, Materials
and Society (Build.Nature)
G Hazards and Risks in Alpine Regions under
Global Change (HADRIAN)
G Social Ecology (DSSE)
15% 15% 15% + 55%
boku.ac.at/en/doctoral-studies
Natural
Sciences
Technology
and Engineering
Sciences
Economics
and Social
Sciences
Subject-specific
content
11

„KIPPPUNKTE”
DIE FESTREDE
VON OLGA FLOR
„COOLE UNI“:
BARBARA STÖCKL
IM INTERVIEW
Nr. 2 | Juli 2022
ISSN: 2224-7416
EPICUR
ZU GAST
AN DER BOKU
ON THE
CUTTING EDGE
It is these main topics
which make BOKU so relevant
to the public:
BOKU IN EXCHANGE WITH SOCIETY
BOKU
DAS MAGAZIN DER UNIVERSITÄT DES LEBENS
G Climate Consequences,
Environmental and Natural
Risks
UNIVERSITÄT
FÜR
EINELEBENSWERTE
ZUKUNFT
DIE
DIE FEATURING FUTURE CONFERENCE ZUM 150. GEBURTSTAG
G Bioeconomy of Renewable
Raw Materials
G Social, Environmental and
Geology-Focused Long-Term
Research
G Digitalisation in Agriculture
and Forestry
G Habitat of the Future
G Food and Health Security
BOKU in the media.
Media coverage of
BOKU has increased
11.2% online, 3.3%
in print, and 22.4%
in TV & radio over
the last year. Top
issues in 2022:
Climate, environment,
energy, water, and
sustainability.
Social Media. On
Instagram, Facebook,
Twitter, LinkedIn,
and Tiktok, BOKU is
promoting scientific
discourse on sustainability
– also among
the non-scientific
community – and
provides realistic
images of a futureorientated
university.
BOKU magazine. Since
2020, BOKU magazine
has appeared
as a special issue
depicting the diversity
of our own research
and teaching on
socially relevant topics,
thus providing a platform
for discourse
with the public.
12

THIRD MISSION
Lange Nacht der
Forschung * . In 2022,
in addition to its own
3 locations Türkenschanze,
Muthgasse
and Tulln, BOKU also
participated in 3 locations
in the centre of
Vienna: the “Aula der
Wissenschaften”, the
“Building of Tomorrow”,
and on Maria-
Theresien-Platz.
Consulting &
Knowledge Network.
Thanks to our
not-for-profit status
as a university
institution, BOKU
guarantees independent
and sciencebased
information
for society, politics,
and business.
klimaneutralität.boku.
ac.at/en/
Citizen Science.
Due to Citizen
Science, everyone
has the opportunity
to get involved in
science. The
research offers
currently available
can be found on the
“Österreich forscht”
[Austria researches]
platform coordinated
by BOKU.
Featuring future.
“Featuring Future” is the
slogan heading the University
of Natural Resources and Life
Sciences, Vienna’s celebration
of its 150 th anniversary in 2022.
Highlights of the anniversary
programme were the kick-off
event, a two-day Featuring
Future Conference in the
Sciences Auditorium with a
gala evening in the Hofburg,
a Togetherness Festival on
the BOKU campus and,
finally, the official ceremony.
short.boku.ac.at/150years
* Long Night of Research
13

BOKU INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
Partner universities
Partner universities
(Erasmus+, CEEPUS, joint
study and other agreements)
Partner universities of the
international BOKU master’s
programmes
EPICUR Alliance
Study abroad is an important opportunity
for staff and students to develop
their skills and expertise. Currently,
25.7 percent of BOKU students come
from the EU and third countries, while
21 Master‘s and 12 doctoral programmes
can be completed entirely in English
(cf. pages 10–11). Thanks to its longterm
participation in EU programmes
such as Erasmus+ and its expertise,
BOKU was also able to qualify as one
of the first European Universities with
EPICUR.
14
BOKU maintains 23 agreements in
the form of network memberships
and around 360 multi- and bilateral
partnerships and cooperation agreements
with universities and research
institutions – 270 of which in Europe
and 90 worldwide.

INTERNATIONALLY IMPORTANT
BOKU NETWORKS
INTERNATIONAL
European Partnership for an Innovative Campus Unifying Regions (EPICUR): BOKU is part of
a European University Network together with the Universities in Strasbourg, Mulhouse, Freiburg,
Amsterdam, Poznan, Thessaloniki, the University of Southern Denmark, and the Karlsruhe Institute
of Technology.
Association for European Life Sciences Universities (ICA) and ICA-CASEE: an association
of more than 60 European life science universities; ICA-CASEE has a focus on Central and South-
Eastern Europe (BOKU is on the board of both networks).
Euroleague for Life Sciences (ELLS): As part of this network for
joint teaching and learning projects, student exchanges, and
quality assurance, 7 joint master’s programmes are offered.
Furthermore, around 10 summer schools are held annually,
as well as a large student conference.
European Bioeconomy University (EBU): The centre for
bioeconomy at BOKU coordinates the activities of BOKU
in the international alliance for bioeconomy (BOKU holds
the presidency).
AfricaUniNet: Network of 26 Austrian and around 42 African
universities and colleges (BOKU holds the presidency)
BOKU unique
BOKU is the first Austrian university
which has systematically organised
research for sustainable development
and taken it up since 2009
in it‘s internationalisation
and mobility strategy.
15

BOKU GRADUATES HAVE EXCELLENT
CAREER PROSPECTS
Rapid career start
G BOKU graduates (Bachelor,
Master) find permanent
employment within 2 to
3 months after graduation.
G Master‘s graduates in the
fields of Agricultural Sciences,
Civil Engineering and Water
Management as well as Food
Science and Biotechnology
succeed in starting their
careers in 1 to 1.5 months.
G Doctoral graduates already
have a job by the time they
graduate.
Optimally prepared with BOKU
G 55% of graduate students
say: BOKU’s 3-pillar model –
the combination of natural
sciences, engineering, as
well as social sciences and
economics – has given them
corresponding advantages
on the labour market.
G BOKU graduates enjoy a
high level of acceptance in a
rapidly growing labour market
thanks to the high relevance
of their field of expertise
(e.g. climate change).
Jobs with meaning, relevance,
and satisfaction
G Every second graduate
contributes professionally
to overcoming the climate
crisis.
G Over 70% of employed
Master‘s graduates are
satisfied with the professional
position they have achieved
so far and the career
development opportunities.
16

PROMINENT BOKU GRADUATES
ALUMNI
© Martin Steinthaler © Fischler
© Thomas Kirschner
Hildegard Aichberger is a Board Member
at oekostrom AG, Austria‘s largest
independent energy supplier and a
trailblazer for an ecological energy
future. Clean electricity is produced from
100% wind power and solar energy.
Franz Fischler gained both international
and national attention through his
commitment to agriculture as Federal
Minister and EU Commissioner and
was President of the European Forum
Alpbach.
Sabine Herlitschka directs the semiconductor
manufacturer Infineon
Technologies Austria AG with around
5,500 employees in Austria. The
company counts among the strongest
researchers in Austria.
© MedUni Wien
© Krammer
@ RafSchaidreiter
Hans-Peter Hutter is Austria‘s best-known
environmental physician. He studied
landscape ecology / landscape design
as well as medicine and is researching
the health effects of environmental
influences at MedUni Vienna.
Florian Krammer, working as a virologist
in New York, is one of the world’s
leading coronavirus vaccine experts.
He is leading a research laboratory at
the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount
Sinai.
Raffaela Schaidreiter is an Austrian radio
and TV journalist. The forest manager
has been working at ORF since
2013, and as an EU correspondent
in Brussels since 2017.
17

150 YEARS OF BOKU
From a small agriculture and
forestry-focused higher education
institute to one of the most modern
life sciences universities in Europe
1919
First time women were
admitted to regular
courses of study
1945
New field of study
“Fermentation
Technology”
1960
Expansion of the
university with
Wilhelm-Exner-Haus
Two female students
in front of the
Gregor-Mendel-Haus
Palais Schönborn
1906
Granting of the
right to confer
doctoral degrees
Gregor-Mendel-Haus around 1900
Wilhelm-Exner-Haus
18
1872
Opening of the
“Hochschule für
Bodencultur” at
Palais Schönborn
1872/73
Establishment of
the “Agricultural
Section”
1875
Establishment of
the “Forestry
Section”
1883
Introduction of the
new field of study
“Culturtechnik”
1896
Moving to the new
university building
at Türkenschanze
© Lisi Specht

1975
The university becomes
the University of Natural
Resources and Life Sciences,
Vienna
BOKU hydraulic engineering lab at Brigittenauer Sporn
2023
Opening of the
BOKU River Lab
2022
BOKU celebrates its
150 th anniversary
Adolf-Cieslar-Haus
Türkenwirt 1984
1984
Expansion of the
university with the
Türkenwirt building
and Adolf-Cieslar-Haus
1991
Expansion to include
the Muthgasse
location
1994
Opening of the Tulln
location with the Department
of Agrobiotechnology,
IFA Tulln
EPICUR Network Conference
BOKU Muthgasse location BOKU location IFA Tulln New Türkenwirt 2018
2007
First female rector
at BOKU and at an
Austrian state
university
2019
With EPICUR, BOKU
becomes one of
the first European
Universities
2018
Opening of the new
Türkenwirt building
(TÜWI)
2011
Completion of the
Universitäts- und
Forschungszentrum
Tulln
19

BOKU-LOCATIONS
VIENNA / TÜRKENSCHANZE:
Gregor-Mendel-Strasse 33,
1180 Vienna, AUSTRIA
VIENNA / MUTHGASSE:
Muthgasse 18,
1190 Vienna, AUSTRIA
LOWER AUSTRIA / TULLN:
University and Research
Centre Tulln
Konrad-Lorenz-Straße 24,
3430 Tulln, AUSTRIA
LOCAL SITES:
- WasserCluster Lunz
- Research Forest Rosalia
- BOKU Experimental Farm
Groß-Enzersdorf
- Observatory Sonnblick
- BOKU River Lab
VIRTUAL LOCATIONS:
COME AND VISIT US!
LEGAL NOTICE:
University of Natural Resources
and Life Sciences, Vienna
Gregor-Mendel-Straße 33,
1180 Vienna, AUSTRIA
Figures: 31 December 2022
Editors: Astrid Kleber-Klinger,
Bettina Fernsebner-Kokert, Sabina Tandari,
Hannelore Schopfhauser, Marc Trattnig,
Margarita Calderon-Peter, Horst Mayr, Elisabeth Denk
Graphics: gruenberg4.at
Contact: public.relations@boku.ac.at
Print: Donau Forum Druck GmbH.
© BOKU 2023
PEF/06-39-12
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