Vienna Tourism Board cements partnership with MU

Since 2007, MODUL University Vienna - with the involvement of partners from the tourism and leisure industry – has been training young professionals of the highest international level. To further support and emphasise the importance of tourism education in today’s world, the Vienna Tourism Board has joined hands with MU to sponsor one deserving student to fulfil their potential.

Every second year, one economically disadvantaged student from southern or eastern Europe receives a full scholarship from the Vienna Tourism Board to attend the MBA in Tourism Management at MU, which they recognize as ‘’one of the foremost universities with a focus on tourism worldwide.’’ The recipient receives full tuition for the two-year program to study with world-renowned scholars in the tourism and hospitality field.

Initially developed as a foundation scholarship to support the fledgling university’s first MBA cohort, 2007’s recipient was Evelin Tsirk, the General Manager of Tallin City Tourist Office & Convention Bureau in Estonia. Chosen from hundreds of theses country-wide, her master's thesis ‘’An image study of Tallinn as a city break destination’’ was awarded third place by Tourismus, the Austrian Society for Applied Tourism Research in 2010.

In 2009, Oksana Myskovych, Head of the Bureau of Tourism and Recreation of the City Council in Lviv, Ukraine, received the honor. Beginning at MU in 2009, she is currently in the final stages of her master's thesis, tentatively titled ‘’Assessment of niche tourism as the competitive market strategy for new destinations.’’

As the university continues to grow and expand, the relationship between the Vienna Tourism Board and MU has developed into official partnership. To celebrate this new step in academic/industry relations, MU President Karl Wöber, and Vienna Chamber of Commerce President and Chair of the University Council Brigitte Jank presented the ‘’ Silver Sponsorship’’ plaque to the President of the Vienna Tourism Board, Deputy Mayor, and Finance Councillor Renate Brauner, and Director of Tourism Norbert Kettner. The plaque will adorn the ‘’Wall of Fame’’ at MODUL University Vienna, alongside such other illustrious sponsors as Erste Bank and Ö-Ticket.

During the ceremony, the third biennial scholarship went to Goran Pavlovic, Head of the Tourism Board in Opatija, Croatia, who will begin his studies in October 2011.

Pictured L-R: Karl Wöber, Brigitte Jank, Oksana Myskovych, Goran Pavlovic, Renate Brauner, Norbert Kettner. Photo credit: Gerhard Weinkirn