ÖH representative on the election

“Above all, the new Rector should be able to listen!”

Everyone at Salzburg University is hoping for an election without any more mishaps.(Bild: Tröster Andreas)

What do students want from the new Rector? There is plenty to do: the ÖH representatives criticize lecture halls with inadequate facilities and hope for a good atmosphere of discussion with the future rector.

First things first: "The great standstill that was feared has not materialized. Since the interim management team was appointed, we have been moving in more stable waters," says Cedric Keller, Chairman of the Students' Union. However, it is urgently time to get back on track without any storms or tensions.

Students complain about shortcomings in the infrastructure at the university
At grassroots level, the effects are manageable. "Not all positions could be filled seamlessly," says Keller. He and his two deputies Stephanie Wolfgruber and Leonhard Hecht are the mouthpieces for the approximately 18,000 students. There is plenty to do: "On the one hand, we are talking about AI and then there are lecture halls with 200 seats and only two sockets," say the ÖH representatives, criticizing weaknesses in the university's infrastructure. The long wish list also includes issues such as more canteen facilities.

How should Salzburg University position itself in the future in order to remain competitive in international comparison? "I do believe that the small, special fields of study are also needed," says Vice President Stephanie Wolfgruber.

One hope unites everyone: "No more mishaps are allowed to happen." The new rector should be able to do one thing above all: "Listen and not react to student issues without taking action."