Christoph Badelt, professor emeritus of social policy, served as Rector of WU for four consecutive terms from 2002 to 2015. His tenure coincided with a period of fundamental changes in the Austrian higher education system. Under his leadership, WU gained full legal autonomy and underwent organizational and strategic restructuring in the wake of the implementation of the 2002 Universities Act. 

An international outlook and structural renewal 

A key focus of Christoph Badelt’s work was advancing WU Vienna’s position as a player in the international higher education landscape. During Badelt’s tenure, WU obtained three international accreditations and made its debut in renowned rankings, including the Financial Times ranking. Under his lead, WU also became the first Austrian university to switch to the bachelor’s and master’s degree program system. The new university campus, Campus WU, was also completed during this period. During four years of construction work, the university created a cutting-edge campus, on time and on budget, which has since won numerous international awards and has become a visible sign of institutional chance. 

High praise from WU’s current Rector 

In his speech at the ceremony, current WU Rector Rupert Sausgruber highlighted Badelt’s lasting impact on the development of the university. He said, “Christoph Badelt led WU through a phase of profound changes, with a strong vision, strategic acumen, and great personal commitment. Many of the structures and strengths that make WU what it is today date back to the Badelt years. The Honorary Plaque is a sign of how formative this period was for our university.” 

“WU reinvented itself” 

The laudatory speech was given by WU Professor Michael Meyer, a long-time collaborator and Vice-Rector in Badelt’s Rector’s Council. In his speech, Meyer painted a picture of WU as a university on the move in the time under Badelt’s lead. He said, “No one has shaped WU Vienna as profoundly as Christoph Badelt. When he took over as Rector, WU was a good, solid, reliably well-organized Austrian university, firmly embedded in the country’s public administration. What followed in the years from 2002 to 2015 was milestone after milestone, all with great long-term impact and with the new campus as the crowning achievement. It’s no exaggeration to say that WU reinvented itself during those years. It became more modern, more international, more autonomous – while also evolving into an open and accessible university with clear values.” 

By awarding its Honorary Plaque to Christoph Badelt, WU Vienna turns the spotlight on a Rector’s Council era that has made a profound mark on the university’s development and whose impact is still felt today.