Guest speech: Senior Vice President of the North Caroline Biotechnology Center, H.E. Steven Burke

In cooperation with the US Embassy in Vienna and the IMC EXPORT Chair for IL & GPS, the IMC Biotechnology study program has hosted a prominent US speaker W. Steven BURKE, Senior Vice President of the North Caroline Biotechnology Center for a guest-lecture. Mr. Burke paid the visit to the IMC and delivered a lecture "The Societal Consequences of Adopting or Not Adopting Biotechnology” on 03rd December, followed by one and half hour talks with students.

The IMC fellow professors and students had the opportunity to get a comprehensive US insider-look on the burning and challenging biotech issues such as: Loss of scientific and research capability; Potential economic disadvantages and diminished competitiveness; Diminished experience and capability in evaluating and addressing the issues of a technology and of knowing how to evaluate its safety and effectiveness; Diminished capability in charting translational policies; isolation seldom enables informed casemaking or influence. Might not Austria actually benefit from shaping, rather than disavowing, certain application areas; as well as the Diminished capability to develop and apply -- and thus also effect -- emerging areas of biotechnology development and application, including nanotechnology, industrial (white) biotechnology, and medical/agricultural convergence through value-added crops.

The lecture was followed by tour-de-house through the BTZ facility and laboratories, hosted by Dr. Wolfgang Schütt Director of Biotechnology Studies.

Extraordinarily eloquent expert and lecturer of impressive international career, Senior Vice President Burke is currently responsible for the US activities centering on governmental, policy, regulatory, ethical, societal and intergovernmental issues. He has been an active participant in the national and international BIOTECH communities since the mid-1980s, and as such has served in several capacities for the Biotechnology Industry Organization, including a two-term stint as chair of the Council of Biotechnology Centers, and other related high-ranking posts.

Summing up at the end of this content-intensive and extremely valuable event, Senior Vice President Burke stated that he was impressed by interest, commitment and knowledge of our Biotechnology students as demonstrated throughout the questions and discussion with him, as well as by the BTZ facility and Biotech faculty members, finally promising to return to our University for lecturing in a due time again.

Representative of the US Embassy Ms. Roswitha Haller, who accompanied Mr. Burke was also impressed by well organized event (which attracted not only students and professors from Biotechnology but from other IMC departments too), as she stated willingness to continue the cooperation with IMC.

Text: Mr. Bajrektarevic

Guest speech: H.E. Dr. Caspar Einem

At the occasion of recent high-level signing of the EU Constitution in Rome (28-29 X 04), the IMC Export Department (under the auspices of Chair for Intl. Law and Global Political Studies) invited H.E. Dr. Caspar Einem for a guest-lecture. Dr. Einem paid the visit to the IMC and delivered a lecture on 01st December, followed by one and half hour of talks with students.

The IMC fellow professors and students had the opportunity to get a comprehensive insider-look at the process of treaty drafting/wording and sophisticated decision-making process that surrounded negotiations and adoption of the final text of the EU Constitution, to which Dr. Einem has been designated as a chief Austria’s negotiator.

Additionally it was an excellent opportunity to hear thoughtful and inspiring answers on series of the questions from audience (e.g. issues related to the ratification of Constitution, enlargement and the future of Europe, NNP, foreign policy and security issues, JHA-related issues, problem of trans-Alpine traffic, etc.), at the time when the Union is passing its most dramatic horizontal (further accessions) and vertical (ratification of the EU Constitution) expansion unrecorded in the Europe’s history. Finally, Dr. Einem’s recent book “Die Quadratur der Sterne – So schrieben wir Europas Verfassung” has been briefly presented and discussed.

Extraordinarily eloquent expert, politician and negotiator of impressive career, Dr. Einem was, among other posts, serving as the Austria’s Minister for Home Affairs and as the Minister for Traffic and Science. Currently covering the EU affairs, he serves as the top national parliamentarian.

Summing up at the end of this content-intensive and extremely valuable event, Excellency Dr. Einem stated that he was impressed by interest, commitment and knowledge of our students as demonstrated throughout the questions and discussion with him, and promised to return to our University for lecturing in a due time again.

The minute of the lecture of Mr. Einem can be found here

Text: Mr. Bajrektarevic

Student visit: UN office in Vienna

On October 13th, the Export students of 5th semester paid a visit to UN office in Vienna (under the auspices of Chair for Intl. Law and Global Political Studies). The first part of visit was composed of introductory lecture on the UN in general and followed by the documentary movie and two standing UN exhibitions (ODC and OOSA).

The second, more substantive part of visit was a lecture on the mandate/role and work of the UN Commission on Intl. Trade Law (UNCITRAL), given by high-ranking UNCITRAL official Mr. Spiros V. BAZINAS. During the 90-minutes tour-de-table session, the IMC fellow students had the opportunity to learn about the practical implication of the UNCITRAL work as well as to hear thoughtful and inspiring answers on series of their questions.

Summing up at the end of this content-intensive and extremely valuable event, Mr. Bazinas stated that he was impressed by interest, commitment and knowledge of our students as demonstrated throughout the questions and discussion with him, and expressed the wish to regularize such visits as by addressing forthcoming generations with the UNCITRAL-related issues.

Text: Mr. Bajrektarevic

Guest speech: Ambassador of Netherlands, H.E. Justus J. de Visser

At the occasion of current EU Presidency that shifted from Ireland (by 30 June) to the Netherlands (by 01 VII), the IMC Export Department (under the auspices of Chair for Intl. Law and Global Political Studies) invited the Netherlands Ambassador accredited to Austria. H.E. Justus J. de Visser, Resident Ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to Austria and IOs in Vienna paid the visit to IMC and delivered a lecture on 29^th September, followed by one and half hour of talks with students and small reception.

The IMC fellow professors and students had the opportunity to learn about the priorities of the Netherlands presidency as well as to hear thoughtful and inspiring answers on series of their questions (Enlargement, EU Constitution, EU institutional reform and new Commission, NNP, foreign policy and security issues, EU Youth programmes, R&D, EU Energy policy), at the time when the Union is passing its most dramatic horizontal (further accessions) and vertical (October signing of the Constitution) expansion unrecorded in Europe’s history.

Extraordinarily eloquent diplomat of impressive career, Mr. de Visser was serving his respective country Kingdom of the Netherlands at many key destinations like, Paris, Moscow, UNESCO (as Ambassador), Warsaw, Minsk and Vienna (OSCE). Prior to his appointment to Austria, he served as Director of the European Integration Department of the Dutch Foreign Ministry.

Summing up at the end of this content-intensive and extremely valuable event, Excellency de Visser stated that he was impressed by interest, commitment and knowledge of our students as demonstrated throughout the questions and discussion with him, and promised to return to our University for lecturing in a due time again.

Text: Mr. Bajrektarevic