Franz Tödtling passed away

We were deeply saddened to learn that our longtime colleague Franz Tödtling passed away unexpectedly on October 6, 2026.

Franz began his career at WU back in the 1970s at the Interdisciplinary Institute for Spatial Planning (IIR). For decades, he enriched international research through his widely discussed and frequently cited work on regional development and innovation policy—he was a top-ranked scholar at WU for many years. At the same time, he was a dedicated and conscientious teacher, and above all, a supportive and reliable colleague. In 2010 and 2011, he headed the Institute for Regional and Environmental Economics (RUW), one of the predecessing institutes of ISSET.

Even after retiring, he regularly came to his office at the institute and continued to publish. He was a regular attendee at ISSET’s public events and attended the winter seminars of the Society for Regional Research’s (GfR) almost every year. He also attended the annual ISSET Christmas party, most recently in 2025.

He left us far too soon. He leaves a void at ISSET. His legacy, his work, and his winning personality will live on in our memories.