25 Years ELLS at BOKU

"When I took office as Rector in 2022, I became involved with ELLS. Since then, together with Vice-Rector Damyanovic, I have had the privilege of actively helping shape the future of this exceptional network as a member of the ELLS Board.

For me, ELLS is one of BOKU's most strategically important cooperation networks. It provides a direct and trusted platform for dialogue with the rectors of leading European life sciences universities. Over the past two years, the network has continued to grow dynamically, welcoming new partners from Spain, Italy, Norway and Estonia.

The unique and inspiring atmosphere of the Scientific Student Conferences remains particularly memorable.

For the next 25 years, I wish ELLS continued momentum, deeper collaboration and the successful realisation of many groundbreaking projects."

Eva Schulev-Steindl, Rector

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"The Euroleague of Life Sciences Universities has sharpened my eye for cooperative, transdisciplinary teaching and opened up a strong network for joint curricula, co-teaching and innovative projects. In my current role as Vice-Rector, ELLS is a European central network to enable students to enjoy equitable mobility, research-led teaching and international learning spaces. 

The energy with which students present their solutions for climate-resilient agricultural and food systems at the annual ELLS Scientific Student conferences and the direct connection between science, practice and social impact – this is ELLS at its best.  

I wish ELLS the courage to continue and expand on this path for the next 25 years: more joint study programs and micro-credentials, inclusive mobility, digital co-creation, open science and strong cooperation with global partners. In short: ELLS as a European pioneer for sustainable life sciences – with students at the center."

Doris Damyanovic, Vice Rector

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"I first became involved with ELLS shortly after joining the Rectorate in 2003. My work on the ELLS Board, which I was part of until 2018, was an extremely rewarding experience. It gave me the opportunity to meet fascinating people from universities across Europe working in related fields, while also providing valuable insights that I was able to apply to university management at BOKU.

In fact, the limited number of member universities has been one of the key factors enabling ELLS to operate as such an active university network. Together with its partner universities, BOKU has been able to establish numerous international Master's programmes. I was always particularly impressed by the ELLS Student Conferences – characterised by their high academic standards, great enthusiasm and wonderful atmosphere, these events are organised by students themselves! The conference in Copenhagen remains a particularly memorable experience for me.

I wish ELLS continued success, the preservation of its wonderful spirit and further growth in strengthening its partner universities in the life sciences – thereby contributing to the development of the European Higher Education and Research Area."

Martin H. Gerzabek, Alt-Rektor

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"My involvement with ELLS began through my work with the European Master of Forestry and the Forestry Subgroup. Initially, it was the opportunity to meet colleagues in the field of forestry that led to long-lasting collaborations and connections that continue to this day.

The European Forestry Master was one of the first Erasmus Mundus programmes in Europe and remains one of the most successful. The ELLS universities play a key role in delivering the programme. I had the privilege of serving as BOKU's programme coordinator for ten years, and it was a great pleasure to work with and support so many international students in their courses and field trips.

Later on, I particularly appreciated the opportunity offered by ELLS conferences to get to know other academic disciplines, as well as to learn about the differences in university administration across ELLS member institutions and their respective countries.

ELLS is a strong collective voice for high-quality research and education in the life sciences, and I hope it will remain so. As universities specialising in a particular field, we have a clear profile, but we also face the risk of lacking the breadth of disciplines offered by comprehensive universities. International cooperation strengthens academic exchange and, in turn, our position in driving the transformation towards a sustainable society."

Hubert Hasenauer, Former Rector

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"On 6–7 November 2009, I attended an ELLS Conference for the first time, held at the University of Hohenheim in Stuttgart, representing the Rector at the time. I was immediately entrusted with the task of opening the conference as a representative of the ELLS Board. The conference theme was “The Future of ELLS Programmes: From Master to Bachelor and PhD”. (A little side note: I was getting around on crutches following knee surgery at the time!)

As a long-standing lecturer and, at that time, Head of the Centre for Teaching and Learning, this marked the beginning of a particularly intensive period of commitment to university teaching and its internationalisation. One year later, I took up the position of Vice-Rector for Academic Affairs and International Relations. During this time, ELLS proved to be an especially important and highly active university cooperation network. Its success is due in large part to the tremendous commitment of the academic staff involved.

One of ELLS's greatest strengths is its Student Conferences. For many of the participating students, these conferences provided – and continue to provide – their first opportunity to present their own work at an academic conference. However, their purpose goes far beyond bringing together students and academic staff from partner universities for networking. They provide a platform for discussing topics with colleagues from other universities, thereby building and sustaining a truly European academic community. It has always been important that these encounters involve not only representatives of university leadership, but also lecturers and students. This has led, and continues to lead, to numerous joint projects in both teaching and research.

Getting to know one another personally is another important aspect of ELLS, reflected in the Summer Schools as well as in joint study programmes and research collaborations. ELLS can look back on 25 years of success, and I sincerely hope – and wish ELLS – that at least another 25 successful years of outstanding cooperation lie ahead. This kind of collaboration and the joint development of cooperation between universities are more important today than ever before!"

Barbara Hinterstoisser, former Vice-Rector

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"I joined ELLS as a coordinator for international student exchanges in the field of cultural engineering and water management. I was active in the ERASMUS programme from the beginning of the Association Agreement with the EU, as were many of the ELLS partners. Thus, my commitment to ELLS was only a logical continuation of my international activities. I was involved in ELLS from the founding conference in Wageningen.  

The first challenge was the development of "Summer Schools" organized by the Universities of Wageningen (WUR), Hohenheim (UHOH), Uppsala (SLU), Copenhagen (LIFE), Prague (CZU), Warsaw (WULS-SGGW) and BOKU. This annual event was also always used as a coordination meeting. In addition to the organizational tasks, the coordinators were also involved as lecturers. Of course, a social exchange between the students, coordinators and lecturers was not to be missed, there were many interesting encounters and positive memories.

During these meetings, the idea of a joint master's program was born and so EnvEURO was born, which is designed by the universities LIFE, SLU, UHOH and BOKU. Later, I was also involved in the organization of the ELLS conferences. In my opinion, ELLS is a very successful program with its diverse activities and I hope that ELLS will continue to be such a great success and that many more students will be able to take advantage of this opportunity for international exchange"

Willibald Loiskandl, former SA Environmental Sciences

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"Looking back on my "active time" in the ELLS network (from 2003 to 2007), I particularly remember a groundbreaking board meeting in Stuttgart-Hohenheim in 2003. Despite some concerns, the course was set for the implementation of ELLS based on the Letter of Intent of 2001 and anchored in a policy document. The prerequisites for this at the time were the zeitgeist influenced by the European idea, the cooperation characterized by mutual trust and respect, especially between the partners from Copenhagen, Stuttgart-Hohenheim and Vienna, as well as highly motivated contributors in the aforementioned universities.  

The most important key points at the time, which were then largely implemented during my time on the ELLS Board, can be summarized as follows: (1) From the very beginning, the goal was to offer joint/double dagree study programs with a high quality standard and (2) expansion should be possible in view of developments in the EU. The fact that the right path has been taken is shown by the Master's programs of the first hour (NARMEE and SIFC) that are still offered today as well as the full membership of Prague and Warsaw, which was achieved as early as 2007.

On the future, I would like to quote Antoine des Saint-Exupéry: you cannot look into the future, but you can always lay the foundation for it to be good."

Hubert Dürrstein, Former Rector

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"I have known ELLS since its founding phase in 2000/2001, as I was involved in the discussions about the possible structure and activities of ELLS from the very beginning as deputy director of the former Center for International Relations. ELLS then developed more or less parallel to my career, because I took over the management of BOKU International Relations in 2002 and have therefore constantly helped and developed ELLS, just like the other networks in which BOKU is a member and the BOKU Rectorate is actively involved in the chairmanship.  

My most important memory of ELLS is that I brought Walter Wenzel to ELLS indirectly: Since he was one of the first BOKU lecturers to organize a summer school in English at BOKU at the end of the 1990s, and ELLS was urgently looking for offers for students at that time, I asked Walter if I could perhaps recommend Walter's summer school to the then BOKU coordinator Prof. Zaussinger – the rest is history or the beginning of Walter's long-standing commitment to ELLS. Networking and new ideas for cooperation with other members of BOKU and the partner universities are further examples of the many positive memories that I associate with ELLS – I therefore wish ELLS many more successful networking activities!"

Margarita Calderón-Peter, Margarita Calderón-Peter, Steering Group Education, Liaison Hub, Support Team International Relations

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"In 2002, as far as I can remember, I organised BOKU's first ELLS Summer School, which focused on the rhizosphere. At the time, the newly established ELLS network was actively looking for concrete initiatives in teaching and learning. Prof. Adolf Zaussinger, then Dean of Studies and BOKU's representative on the Task Force, became aware of this opportunity and asked me whether I could organise an ELLS Summer School that same year. Together with my team, we made it happen. Shortly afterwards, in 2003, Prof. Zaussinger nominated me as his successor on the ELLS Task Force. In this role, I represented BOKU within the ELLS network for approximately 15 years.

For me, ELLS was a platform for exchange with our partner universities, which I believe we successfully used to drive the internationalisation of teaching at BOKU. The process was often challenging, but ultimately we managed to launch several joint English-taught Master's programmes, countless Summer Schools, the Student Conference and much more. Another important contribution was the involvement of students in the preparation and decision-making processes of ELLS committees. As far as I could observe, this also contributed to a cultural shift at BOKU, eventually leading to student representatives taking on roles such as Chair of the University Senate. On a personal level, ELLS was a hub for countless encounters and exchanges with colleagues – often extending well beyond professional matters – which also developed into lasting friendships.

Of the many memorable meetings, one that particularly stands out for me was a workshop on “Blended Learning” (or something along those lines) at the University of Copenhagen. Experts and practitioners shared fascinating insights into innovative teaching and learning methods using digital technologies. Given my own day-to-day teaching responsibilities across a wide range of disciplines, I was initially sceptical about whether I would ever be able to implement similar approaches myself. However, the workshop sparked my interest, and in the years that followed, with the support of BOKU's educational development unit, I was able to develop several new approaches and integrate them into my own teaching.

I wish ELLS all the very best for the next 25 years! May they bring many more exciting projects and innovative educational opportunities that will further strengthen the network's international standing!"

Walter Wenzel, former Task Force 

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"I was already able to work in ELLS as a student representative. At that time, I had accepted the function of representing BOKU in the Euroleague Student Association ELSA at the suggestion of BOKU Prof. Walter Wenzel.

I have very good and beautiful memories of the time. In ELLS and ELSA, I experienced honest and strong appreciation of the opinions and experiences of students. Even then, we worked on topics that I am still passionate about today, and which are now more relevant than ever. (e.g. soil protection). And great international friendships have also formed that continue to this day.

One of my favorite memories is the in-depth, personal conversations with young scientists and students, in which we often discussed the different perspectives on work topics, but also the structures for scientific cooperation, intensively until late into the night. A particularly funny experience was that a restaurant on the CZU campus stayed open extra longer for us so that we could conclude our discourse.  

I wish the people in ELLS a lot of joy and commitment in scientific exchange! From my point of view, this network is a model and lived example of international cooperation at eye level and lived interpersonal appreciation – interdisciplinary and also intergenerational. This is exactly what we urgently need as a society at the moment!"

Franz Fehr, ELSA 2005-2009

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"My name is Thomas and I am from BOKU. I was in the Quality Assurance group right from its beginning in 2004. We had ambitious teachers and experts in from all participating universities and we were very ambitious, working not only on the evaluation of summer schools, but also on the QA of joint master programmes and on innovative teaching and learning in an interdisciplinary context. 

We always had students in our group for which I am very grateful. Frequently we asked students about the characteristics of a good teacher. Often, the first answer was that a good teacher has to be enthusiastic. I fully agree with the students."
 

Thomas Guggenberger, ST Quality Assurance

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"My entry into ELLS came about through the program support of the master's program "EnvEuro - Environmental Science - Soil, Water and Biodiversity". With the assumption of this task, participation in the ELLS conferences was now also a fixed item in the calendar. Above all, I have always experienced the ELLS students conferences as very inspiring and was very impressed by the quality of the contributions. 

My memories are shaped by the ELLS spirit, by which I mean on the one hand the high motivation and enthusiasm of all participants, but also the very pleasant and friendly cooperation in the working groups (e.g. in the Subject Areas). I wish the ELLS for the next 25 years that the enthusiasm remains and that the network continues to grow."

Markus Puschenreiter, former SA Environmental Sciences

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"I have known ELLS for many years, initially through the Subject Area Plant Molecular Breeding and Biotechnology, and then I also played a role in a task force for BOKU. ELLS has significantly expanded my professional network and led to exciting international projects in teaching and research, not least an Erasmus Mundus Master's program with BOKU participation. 

I was particularly pleased with the international summer schools, two of which my team conducted at BOKU. ELLS is a unique alliance of leading life sciences universities. The strong voice of the students, and the exciting Scientific Student Conferences make this alliance incomparable for me."

Hermann Bürstmayr, former Task Force, SA Plant Molecular Breeding

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"I started at ELLS about three years ago. At the Institute of Viticulture and Fruit Growing, we launched the ELLS Subject Area "Wine and Soft Fruits" on Hermann's initiative. A committed group was formed very quickly; today it includes scientists from ten ELLS partner universities.

An annual highlight is the Scientific Student Conference (SSC), which brings together students from all universities, promotes networking and makes the high quality of education at the ELLS universities visible. This dynamism, the openness in the ELLS working groups, the great commitment of many participants and Hermann's persuasiveness motivated me to get even more involved in ELLS. In the Steering Committee Education, I can directly help shape the future of ELLS.

For the next 25 years, I would like to see an ELLS that is characterized by strong student networks, actively promotes exchange between lecturers and brings the topics of agriculture-related life sciences into society."

Michaela Griesser, Steering Committee Education, SA Wine and Soft Fruits

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"The first contact took place in October 2004, when the ELLS was a guest in Vienna as part of the annual conference and the relatively young ICT support team was looking for new members. For me, who had only started to build up the e-learning area at BOKU a few months earlier, this turned out to be a real stroke of luck, because the international expertise and the site visits to the ELLS universities were to have a strong influence on the digitization of BOKU teaching and my career, especially in the first few years. 

Early on, the group met regularly via video conferencing systems, which in the first years still took place via expensive hardware, later via increasingly reliable software, and still take place regularly today - over 20 years later.

In the meantime, I have attended many ELLS conferences, immortalized a lot of the ever-growing BOKU delegations in group photos and learned a lot for my field and beyond over the years and met many interesting people.  

For the future, I hope that students, teachers and researchers will be able to benefit even more from mutual exchange in a common Europe, both on-site and online."

Claus Rainer Michalek, ST E-Learning

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"My path to ELLS began three years ago when I took over the program support for EnvEuro, the joint master's program of BOKU with the partner universities in Hohenheim, Uppsala and Wageningen. What began as a professional task quickly proved to be a great personal and professional enrichment.

For me, the ELLS means above all the intensive exchange across national borders - be it with colleagues from the professors and administration or in the joint supervision of theses. My first ELLS Student Conference in Stuttgart was particularly formative for me. I was deeply impressed by the professional level and the passion with which the students organized and implemented this conference themselves. This spirit shows me every time anew the potential of our cooperation.

For the next 25 years, I hope that ELLS will continue to grow – especially through new partner universities from southern Europe. We can only solve the major challenges of our time together through intensive cooperation. Congratulations on your anniversary!!"

Franz Zehetner

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"I look back on my time at ELLS with fond memories – starting in my days as a BOKU student representative and finally with the challenge of organizing the first online ELLS conference in 2020.  

As a student representative, I not only gained insights into how universities and student unions across Europe work, but also experienced the value of intercultural cooperation and built personal skills through various responsibilities. I am grateful that ELLS was a space where students were not just observers. Our ideas were heard, acknowledged, and we were given the freedom to implement them.  

My most vivid memories come from the 2020 ELLS conference. Organizing the very first online version during the turmoil of the pandemic felt like true pioneering work. Finding solutions to problems that very few had encountered before was both challenging and inspiring. I am truly grateful for the people I have had the privilege of working with during this time.  

The spirit of international cooperation at ELLS continues to accompany my everyday life in my job as a facilitator and learning designer in the Erasmus+ youth sector. For the next 25 years, I wish that ELLS remains a place where students are treated equally – a place where they can develop their skills and experience the same sense of self-efficacy as I do."

Kyrill Sattlberger, ELSA 2016-2019, ELLS Conference Organisation 2020

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"I came to ELLS via the Instagram post to search for a new ELSA. Little did I know, but the decision to apply for it was one of the best decisions in my studies. Through the job as International Relations Officer, I was able to get to know so many students, but also teachers and university workers, and each one has shaped me. 

A highlight for me was my very first meeting in Uppsala, as the other ELSAs welcomed me so well and the meetings were so interesting and I developed the will to represent students at this level and create more international opportunities. I hope that ELLS will remain this cosmopolitan, student-oriented consortium without getting lost in bureaucracies!"

Hannah Riegler, ELSA 2022-2025

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"I discovered the call for a new ELSA Representative in a rather traditional way: on a printed notice posted on a pillar at the Muthgasse campus. I thought it sounded exciting. I had always wanted to go abroad, and I felt this could open the door to new opportunities. And that is exactly what happened. What began with a Scientific Student Conference (SCS) in Uppsala eventually led to a position as Coordinator for Strategic Projects in BOKU's Rectorate, with stops along the way in Gambia and Sweden.

Through ELLS, I learned how to work in international consortia and what it means to represent students and, subsequently, BOKU itself. At my first SCS in Uppsala, I had the opportunity to moderate several sessions, but the real highlight was the Student Party afterwards, where we took over the dance floor together with professors, International Relations Officers and rectors!

My wish for ELLS is that it makes the most of the momentum for change within the network brought about by its new partners, continues to develop its ambitions, and at the same time preserves its unique selling points, such as the SCS and, more generally, its strong commitment to student engagement."

Nora Korp, ELSA, 2018-2020

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