The two law departments of WU Vienna University of Economics and Business – the Department of Public Law and Tax Law and the Department of Private Law – presented the second edition of the Hans Kelsen Prize last week. The prize was awarded to the ten best students who graduated from the Bachelor’s Program in Business Law in the academic year 2024/25.

First place went to Lisa Marie Jetzinger from Upper Austria, who achieved a grade point average of 1.25. Anna Lehner, hailing from Upper Austria as well, came in second with a grade point average of 1.26. Matthias Wieser from Tyrol ranked third with a grade point average of 1.32. The full group of all award winners includes students from five Austrian states.

Recognition for outstanding student success

With the Hans Kelsen Prize, WU turns the spotlight on students who have completed the WU Bachelor’s Program in Business Law with outstanding grades, aiming to motivate them to keep up the excellent work in their graduate studies. The prize is awarded in recognition of excellent academic success throughout the bachelor’s program. The winners are ranked based on their weighted grade point average.

WU offers Austria’s leading business law degree

Michael Holoubek, WU professor and member of the Austrian Constitutional Court since 2011, gave the award speech. Professor Holoubek is also one of the co-founders of WU’s law programs, which have been very popular since their launch in 2006. Last year’s high application numbers once again confirmed the programs’ strong appeal. Around 2,800 prospective students applied for 870 available spots, with applications hitting yet another all-time high, once again confirming the status of WU’s law education as the most sought-after law offering available at any Austrian university.

Hans Kelsen and WU Vienna

The prize is named after Hans Kelsen, one of the most important legal scholars of the 20th century, who has been dubbed the father of the Austrian constitution. From a young age, Kelsen had close ties to WU’s predecessor institution, the Imperial Export Academy: It was a position at the Export Academy that allowed Kelsen to follow his academic pursuits, serving as a stepping stone for his further career.

For more information on the Hans Kelsen Prize (in German), please click here.

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