Modul University Vienna


Modul University Vienna is a private university established in 2007 in Vienna, Austria, that focuses on social and economic development. In particular, it focuses on the areas of tourism, new media information technology, sustainability, business management, and public governance.

History

Foundation and vision

MU Vienna was founded by the Vienna Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Saudi-Austrian businessman Mohamed Bin Issa Al Jaber, and built with the support of the City of Vienna and the Vienna Tourist Board. The founders aimed to offer students internationally-oriented, hands-on studies in the areas of tourism research, information technology, and public administration by making use of the active role of Vienna in European city tourism. Karl Wöber, who had previously taught at the Vienna University of Economics and Business in the field of tourism, was appointed founding president.
The university was conceived and named Modul University Vienna by employees of the Modul Tourism College, a tertiary education school for hotel management and gastronomy also founded by the Vienna Chamber of Commerce and Industry in 1908.
The name Modul comes from the honeycomb structure of the Modul Tourism College, in which both the school and the adjacent hotel of the same name consist of octagonal, connected modules. The school and hotel are located in the 19th district and were designed and built between 1973 and 1975. Attending the Modul Tourism College is not a prerequisite for admission to MU Vienna.
In 2012, the Vienna Chamber of Commerce and Industry assumed sole ownership of MU Vienna. Within the first ten years, the university accredited three bachelor's degrees and four master's programs, and in 2012, a PhD program was also accredited.
Since January 2013, MU Vienna has been a member of the European Universities Consortium, a group of higher education institutions that promotes English-taught bachelor's programs in Europe. MU Vienna has both an international focus on teaching and research and is internationally located campuses. Study programs have been offered in Vienna, and in Nanjing since 2017.
MU Vienna bases its research priorities on the principles of sustainability, economics, and innovation. The foreground maintains the overriding goal of creating benefits for society.The scientific disciplines represented at MU Vienna are guided by these principles, which are also included as integral components in the university’s study programs.
The university offers an integrated academic education, “an interweaving of decision-making competencies, based on a combination of methodical problem-solving and social learning”. The inclusionand promotion of the following educational values was decided by the University Senate on 16 January 2012:
  • Knowledge, creativity and innovation: “Challenge what society takes for granted and embrace change”
  • Personal integrity: “Support the principles of equality and justice”
  • Mutual respect: “Value diversity and humanity”
  • Responsibility and stewardship: “Serve as ambassadors of sustainable and responsible living”.
These values are displayed on the façade of the university building in the world’s 12 most frequently spoken languages.
In 2015, MU Vienna founded Modul University Technology GmbH, a research and development spin-off with focus on multimedia applications, interactive TV, and automated knowledge extraction processes.
In 2020, the Vienna Chamber of Commerce and Industry sold 90 per cent of its shares in MU Vienna to the British entrepreneur Suresh Sivagnanam, founder of doc, an online medical advice and care platform.

Accreditation

The Austrian Accreditation Council accredited MU Vienna on July 39, 2007, and the university started operating in September–November 2007. In 2014, the Agency for Quality Assurance and Accreditation Austria reaccredited MU Vienna. The Agency for Quality Assurance and Accreditation Austria was founded on March 1, 2011, based on the University Quality Assurance Act as part of a fundamental redesign of Austria’s system of external quality assurance.
Since 2012, MU Vienna’s tourism study programs have been certified under the United Nations World Tourism Organization ’s TedQual scheme.

Sustainability

is an essential component of MU Vienna’s educational content and research agenda. The university has also implemented several measures in its day-to-day operations to minimize impacts on the environment. These include a solar energy system, a pellet heating system, and a waste management system, as well as measures to promote a sustainable way of thinking and living among its students and staff. A Sustainability Committee, appointed by the University Senate, aims to promote sustainability by communicating regularly with students, staff, suppliers, and partners about its goals and activities.

University bodies

The university is managed by a collegial body consisting of the rector, the vice-rector, and the managing director. The University Council supports the development of Modul University Vienna and consists of four representatives of the owners, two representatives of the industry, and two representatives of other universities.  The University Senate consists of 23 members elects the members of various committees and proposes candidates for the offices of rector and vice-rector.

Academic Departments & Schools

Modul University Vienna consists of five scientific departments and two research institutes:
The Vienna Institute for Global Studies is a research institute at Modul University Vienna, established in 2024 by Professor Dr. Zoltan Acs. It operates as an independent center with research areas including entrepreneurial ecosystems, international relations and geopolitics, and well-being and health. In addition to academic research, the institute recently introduced the Digital Entrepreneurship Ecosystem Index and published the first report focusing on the Danube Region.

Study programs

A total of 942 students were enrolled in the academic year 2018/19, 89 at Nanjing. A special feature of the university is its particularly high proportion of international students and the diversity of its origins. Students came from 62 different countries in the academic year 2018/19. 
Modul University Vienna offers BBA, BSc, MSc, MBA, and PhD study programs in the fields of international management, service-oriented economy, tourism, sustainability, data management and analysis, and the design of innovative information systems. In addition to the core subjects, which must be completed as mandatory in the respective programs, in-depth subjects provide the opportunity to specialize in different areas of expertise. The range of offered courses includes the following study programs:
  • Bachelor of Science in International Management
  • Bachelor of Science in International Management with Professional Experience
Both Bachelor of Science in International Management programs offer the following specializations: Entrepreneurship and Leadership, International Marketing, and International Management.
The Bachelor of Business Administration offers the following specializations: Tourism and Event Management, and Hotel Management.
All Master of Science programs offer the following specializations: Digital Marketing, Entrepreneurship, Innovation and Leadership, Innovation and Experience Design for Tourism, Real Estate Management, Sustainable Management and Policy, and Tourism and Services Management.
The Master of Business Administration offers the following specializations: Digital Marketing, Entrepreneurship, Innovation and Leadership, Innovation and Experience Design for Tourism, Real Estate Management, and Sustainable Management and Policy.
At the Nanjing campus:
  • Bachelor of Business Administration in Tourism and Hospitality Management.
All study programs are offered exclusively in English. Modul University Vienna maintains exchange programs for its students with 21 partner universities worldwide.

Research

Modul University Vienna is characterized by a high level of commitment to basic and applied research. The research topics are in the fields of economics, social sciences, and information science and deal with both current and future-oriented research questions. The research-led teaching approach of Modul University Vienna is reflected in the discussion of current research projects in teaching and the active involvement of students in research projects. In addition, Modul University Vienna is dedicated to supporting young researchers, especially since the accreditation of the doctoral program in business and socioeconomic sciences in 2012. From 2007 to 2017, the Modul University Vienna faculty has published 670 scientific articles and 600 conference contributions, as well as completed 68 national and international research projects.
In 2015, Modul University Vienna founded Modul University Technology GmbH, an R&D spin-off with a research focus on multimedia applications, interactive TV, and automated knowledge extraction processes.
Research focus of the faculty:  
AcronymPeriodObjectiveFunding organizationConsortium
RAVEN2008-2010Relation Analysis and Visualization for Evolving Networks.FFGModul University Vienna, Vienna University of Economics and Business, Know-Center, SmApper Technologies, Gentics Software
DecarboNet2013-2017To investigate the potential of social platforms in mitigating climate change.CAPS, European Union, 7th FP and Horizon 2020Modul University Vienna, KMI - The Open University, University of Sheffield, WWF Switzerland, Vienna University of Economics and Business, Waag Society, Green Energy Options
PHEME2014-2017Pheme builds technology for finding how true claims made online are.European Union, 7th FPUniversity of Sheffield, Universität des Saarlandes, Modul University Vienna, Ontotext, ATOS Spain SA, King's College London, iHub Ltd., SwissInfo.ch, University of Warwick
Investment Funds for Technology-Based Start-Ups in Vienna2015-2016In-depth analysis of the Vienna startup ecosystem.Vienna Chamber of Commerce and IndustryModul University Vienna
VorTEIL – Vorzeigeregion Tourismus2016-2017The aim of the “VorTEIL – Energy Flagship Tourism Region” project is to identify potential synergies along the value chain and among relevant stakeholders and to demonstrate that sustainable and resource-efficient technologies can fulfil the requirements of tourism infrastructure.Klima- und Energiefonds – EnergieforschungsprogrammAustrian Institute of Technology GmbH, Modul University Vienna, mitPlan GmbH
InVID2016-2018Verification of Social Media Video Content for the News Industry.Horizon 2020CERTH, Modul Technology GmbH, Universitat de Lleida, EXO MAKINA, WebLyzard Technology GmbH, Condat AG, APA-IT, Agence France-Presse, Deutsche Welle
TRIANGLE - The Tourism Research, Innovation and Next Generation Learning Experience2016-2019Creating a Knowledge Alliance of HEIs and businesses across Europe, delivering a common sustainable tourism training system for protected area and green tourism destinations.Erasmus+Algarve University, Eberswalde University, Modul University Vienna, Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne University
SCITHOS - Smart City Hospitality2016-2019SCITHOS introduces the Smart City Hospitality concept, consisting of guidelines and tools, that can support cities to make the transition towards environmentally and socially responsible tourism that simultaneously contributes to long-term prosperity.European Union, FFG, ERA-NetNHTV Breda University of Applied Sciences, West Norway Research Institute, Worldline Iberia SA, Modul University Vienna
INCLUDE - Indigenous Communities Land Use and Tropical Deforestation2016-2021The problem of deforestation in the Argentinean dry Chaco in the province of Salta.European Research Council Consolidator Grant SchemeUniversity of Bern, University of Reading, Modul University Vienna
APCC Special Report on Tourism, large Culture, Sports Events and Climate change2018-2020The purpose of the Special Report is to summarize and assess the state of knowledge of all aspects of this topic based on and open to contributions by the full community of Austrian researchers and related experts.Klima- und Energiefonds, ACRPUniversity of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna, Zentralanstalt für Meteorologie und Geodynamik, Joanneum Research
ECOMOVE2018-2020Knowledge-based platform for predicting mobility bottlenecks and promoting sustainable changes in behaviour.FFGModul University Vienna, nast consulting ZT GmbH, Unwired Networks GmbH
Carrying capacity methodology for tourism2019-2020To determine the carrying capacity in regions dominated by tourism.ESPON EGTCÖIR GmbH, Modul University Vienna, University of Ljubljana, alohas
Qualification-Network “Smart Data Analytics für die Hotellerie”2019-2020The aim of the qualification network is to provide the employees of the participating companies with innovative methods for dealing with internal and external data and thus to create skills for the digital transformation.FFGTechnical University Vienna and 17 other organizations
i-conn Interdisciplinary connectivity2019-2023Understanding and managing complex systems using connectivity.Horizon 2020University of Durham, Modul University Vienna, Jacobs University Bremen, AAI, European University Cyprus,  University of Vienna, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna, Environment Agency, Masarykova University, Universitie d’Aix-Marseille