CEEPUS Summer School 2026 Successfully Launched at BOKU University @IVET

  • Group photo of the organisers and participants of CEEPUS Summer School 2026 in front of a BOKU University building
  • CEEPUS summer school audience listens to opening presentation
  • A selfie with Andreas Melcher and Rafat Al Afif from BOKU University in front of the CEEPUS summer school participants

The CEEPUS Summer School 2026, held from 16–22 June 2026 at BOKU University in Vienna, successfully brought together academics, researchers, and students from partner universities across the CEEPUS network to strengthen international collaboration in sustainable energy, environmental engineering, and innovative technologies.

The opening session featured welcome addresses by Prof. Christoph Pfeifer, Vice Rector for Research and Innovation, and Prof. Tobias Pröll, Head of the Institute of Chemical and Energy Engineering (IVET). Prof. Pröll introduced the Institute's research infrastructure, advanced laboratory facilities, and ongoing research activities in the fields of chemical and energy engineering. He also highlighted the expertise of the Institute's multidisciplinary research teams and their contributions to addressing current challenges in sustainable energy systems, process engineering, and industrial innovation.

The programme also included presentations by the CEEPUS Network Coordinators, Prof. Siniša Bikić and Assoc. Prof. Rafat Al Afif, highlighting the role of CEEPUS in fostering academic mobility and research partnerships. Dr. Andreas H. Melcher, Director of the Cluster for Development Research (CDR), introduced BOKU University's contributions to sustainable development research.

The opening day concluded with a keynote lecture by Prof. Zoltán Kovács, Scientific and International Vice-Rector of the Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences (MATE), who presented recent advances in innovative food safety technologies, data-driven monitoring, and advanced sensing systems.

Throughout the week, more than 81 participants from 15 Universities and 7 countries engaged in lectures, technical discussions, laboratory activities, and networking opportunities, reinforcing the Summer School's mission of promoting scientific excellence, knowledge exchange, and long-term international cooperation.