From an FH Upper Austria Faculty to UAP's "Digital Campus

When the Hagenberg School of FH Upper Austria hosts its annual Summer Reception, even the hottest temperatures cannot keep representatives from IT companies, research institutions, politics, and the startup community away. On June 24, more than 200 guests gathered at Upper Austria’s leading hub for IT and digital media education to celebrate the summer in person and to mark the official handover of the Dean’s Office from FH-Prof. Dr. Bert Kerschbaumer to FH-Prof. Dr. Stefan Wagner.

The new Dean welcomed distinguished guests including Markus Achleitner, Provincial Councillor for Economic Affairs and Research; FH-Prof. Dr. Michael Rabl, President of FH Upper Austria; and MMag. Isolde Perndl, Commercial Managing Director of FH Upper Austria. Also attending were FH-Prof. PD Dr. Michael Affenzeller, Chair of the Academic Council; PD Dr. Hans Kastner, Vice President for Research; Univ.-Prof. Dr. Stefan Koch, Rector of Johannes Kepler University Linz (JKU); and Martin Rummel, Rector of Anton Bruckner Private University (ABU).

Hagenberg Campus Set to Become Even More Attractive

In his address to the guests, Stefan Wagner struck an optimistic tone—and with good reason. Demand for graduates and research expertise from Hagenberg remains consistently strong. In addition, the campus is set to expand in the coming years through the construction of a new FH1 building. Together with redesigned outdoor and community spaces, the project will enhance both the functionality and appearance of the campus.
“This will provide a decisive boost for further strengthening the Hagenberg community, which is legendary within professional circles,” said the new Dean. 
An integral part of this community is the Softwarepark Hagenberg, led by FH-Prof. PD Dr. Stephan Winkler, which is home to dozens of companies of various sizes. As Wagner noted, this ensures that “the distance between academia and industry remains short in every respect.”
The Hagenberg Faculty also enjoys strong support from its Friends and Supporters Association. Its current Chair, Dr. Andrea Wildberger, MA, District Governor of Freistadt, reaffirmed this close connection during the Summer Reception. Her predecessor in both roles, Dr. Alois Hochedlinger, also took the opportunity to engage with guests throughout the evening.

International Profile Strengthened Through New Branding
Wagner also highlighted the continued internationalization of the campus. New English-taught degree programs, such as Digital Energy Solutions, are being introduced, while established programs such as Media Technology and Design (MTD) are transitioning to English as the language of instruction.

Internationalization was also reflected in one of the evening’s most discussed topics: the new name of FH Upper Austria, effective January 2027—UAP – University of Applied Sciences Upper Austria.

As part of the new brand identity, the Hagenberg Faculty will gain greater international visibility under the name “UAP – Digital Campus Hagenberg.” Dean Wagner celebrated this milestone together with his newly appointed Vice Deans: FH-Prof. Dr. Florian Eibensteiner (Research and Development), FH-Prof. Dr. Josef Pichler (Internationalization and Cooperation), and FH-Prof. Dr. Kathrin Probst (Teaching and Campus Development).

Former Dean Bert Kerschbaumer was honored with warm appreciation and sustained applause for his many years of dedicated service.

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