’We are global competitors, but also global co-operation partners’

Internationalization is one of the challenges of the present and the future for academic institutions. Leading staff of technical universities from all over Europe gathered in Graz to discuss possible solutions. 60 representatives of renowned technical universities and organizations across Europe met at TU Graz last weekend to exchange their views on the important subject of internationalization at the 36th Conference of Rectors and Presidents of European Universities of Technology. The conference, founded in 1980 at the initiative of RWTH Aachen University and TU Wien, has a long tradition and raises important current issues for discussion. Today we are working in a different environment in which digitalization and globalization are the key drivers. Universities compete internationally, but they also co-operate internationally. "Much has changed in the 36 years since the first conference," explained Manfred Horvat, co-ordinator of the conference from TU Wien, in his welcoming address.