SES Connect: Building Connections, Sharing Ideas, Staying Connected

The graduation of the first SES cohort ten years ago provided the perfect opportunity to welcome alumni from different graduating classes back to Campus Wels. While the occasion offered a chance to reconnect, the evening focused primarily on the future: maintaining existing relationships, creating new connections, and further strengthening the SES network that has grown over the years.

Vice Dean Sandra Mühlböck and Program Director Wilhelm Süßenbacher welcomed the more than 70 participants and opened an evening dedicated to fostering dialogue between academia, alumni, students, and industry professionals.

Insights from the Energy Industry, Research, and Practice
The short presentations highlighted the wide range of fields in which Sustainable Energy Systems alumni and faculty are contributing to the energy transition today.

Robert Höller, FH professor and energy consultant, together with Michael Rheden from Enery, provided insights into current Enery projects and discussed key topics from both energy market and technical perspectives.

SES alumnus Maximilian Fischer from PÜSPÖK shared practical experiences from the renewable energy sector. Nayrana Daborer-Prado from ASiC contributed a research perspective and offered insights into current scientific activities and developments.

The different viewpoints were later brought together in a panel discussion. Alongside the speakers, Robert Holztrattner from Enery joined the conversation, addressing current developments and challenges of the energy transition, as well as the interplay between research, education, and practical implementation.

Music from Within the Community
The evening's musical program was provided by the University Acoustics Project, a band made up of professors and staff members of the University of Applied Sciences Upper Austria. Martin Jordan, Robert Höller, Khaled Saleh Pascha, Peter Helmberger, and Georg Yvon created the perfect atmosphere with their live performances.

The Beginning of a Vibrant SES Alumni Network
Personal interaction remained at the heart of the evening. Alumni from different graduating classes met current students and faculty members, former classmates and colleagues reconnected, and new relationships emerged across different generations of the program.

This is exactly where SES Connect aims to continue in the future. The event series is intended to provide regular opportunities to return to campus, share experiences from professional practice and research, and keep the connection between alumni, students, and the university alive.

The first SES Connect was therefore more than just a reunion. It marked the beginning of regular alumni gatherings and a network that will continue to connect students, graduates, and faculty members long after graduation.