The WU Centennial Foundation
Purpose of the foundation
“The purpose of the foundation is to use the income from its assets and, if necessary, its assets themselves, for its principal objective of carrying out research and/or teaching activities for the benefit of Austrian research and the Austrian economy. In terms of content and organization, these activities must be linked to the research and teaching work of WU Vienna University of Economics and Business. This also includes producing publications and documentation associated with the research and teaching activities carried out.” (§ 2 [1] of the Deed of Foundation)
Establishment
In preparation for the 100th anniversary of WU Vienna University of Economics and Business (1998), the Centennial Foundation of the WU Foundation was established on April 21, 1997, with a focus on supporting WU’s newly adopted research strategy. You can find out more about the establishment of the Centennial Foundation in the following articles (currently only available in German):
Research funding
Up until 2017, the WU Centennial Foundation funded so-called research contracts, which were awarded to outstanding WU researchers to support them in their research endeavours and relieve them of teaching duties, allowing them to take an additional research sabbatical on top of the regular one-semester research leave available to WU faculty.
In 2018, the Centennial Foundation switched to funding WU Projects.
Organizational structure
More than 20 leading Austrian companies from all sectors of the business world are involved in this private foundation. The Founders’ Assembly is comprised of legal entities and individuals, with voting rights determined by the amount of assets the different founders have contributed to the foundation. The Founders’ Assembly elects one third of the members of the WU Centennial Foundation Board of Directors, which also includes representatives of WU Vienna University of Economics and Business (the remaining two thirds of the members). The board of directors decides on the use of the foundation’s funds.
Board of directors
Chair Marion Morales-Albiñana-Rosner, UniCredit Bank Austria AG
1st Deputy Chair Sandra Allmayer, Akademie der Steuerberater:innen und Wirtschaftsprüfer:innen GmbH
Vice-Rector Harald Badinger, WU Vienna University of Economics and Business
Verena Dorner, WU Vienna University of Economics and Business
2nd Deputy Chair Georg Eckert, WU Vienna University of Economics and Business
Gudrun Feucht, Federation of Austrian Industries
Karin Heitzmann, WU Vienna University of Economics and Business
Vice-Rector Bernadette Kamleitner, WU Vienna University of Economics and Business
Patricia Neumann, CEO of Siemens AG Austria
Otto Randl, WU Vienna University of Economics and Business
Rector Rupert Sausgruber, WU Vienna University of Economics and Business
Werner Weingraber, ÖH WU Vienna
Founding companies as per the deed of foundation (and their current representatives in the foundation)
Akademie der Wirtschaftstreuhänder GesmbH (represented by Sandra Allmayer)
Bank Austria AG (represented by Ulrike Zimmerl)
Creditanstalt AG (represented by Ulrike Zimmerl)
Erste Bank der Österreichischen Sparkassen AG (represented by Gerda Holzinger-Burgstaller)
Generali Holding Vienna AG (represented by Michael Sprung)
IBM Österreich Internationale Büromaschinen GesmbH (represented by Madeleine Bauer-Eder)
Oesterreichische Nationalbank (represented by Governor Martin Kocher) - Chair
OMV AG (represented by Peter Pirkner)
Österreichische Unilever GesmbH (represented by Susanna Brunmüller)
Siemens AG Österreich (represented by CEO Patricia Neumann)- 1st Deputy Chair
Federation of Austrian Industries (represented by Gudrun Feucht)
WU Vienna University of Economics and Business (represented by Rector Rupert Sausgruber)
Tax consultants, auditors, and specialized banks group (represented by Günther Hirschböck)
Gambling industry group (represented by Erwin van Lambaart)
Raiffeisen group (represented by Ernst Rosi)
Verband Österreichischer Banken und Bankiers (represented by Gerald Resch)
Kontakt:
Gisela Bartsch
Endowments Office