Dr. Susanne Gadinger

Vita

Research assistance at the Department of Educational Science at the University of Innsbruck

• Since 2023 scientific assistance in the LifE Study, the longest longitudinal study on life courses and family relations of three generations in the German-speaking countries (since 1979)
  https://life3g.de/
• Until 2019 teaching activities (seminar with bachelor thesis "Life course, social change and intercultural learning" (ongoing); courses on non-formal learning and social learning; seminars on qualitative research methods)
• Since 2016 monitoring of European youth programmes in Liechtenstein on behalf of AIBA, Agency for International Educational Affairs, Vaduz: evaluation and monitoring studies 2016, 2017, 2020, 2023, 2026https://esk.li/evaluierung-erasmus-jugend-und-esk-in-liechtenstein-2021-2027/
• Since 2010 monitoring of European youth programmes (RAY: Research-based analysis of European youth programmes)
  • at transnational level until 2018 (research; development of the research network in 34 countries; project management)
  • at Austrian level (ongoing; research and project management)
    https://erasmusplus.oead.at/de/wirkung-initiativen/ray-forschungsnetzwerk
    https://www.uibk.ac.at/de/iezw/lehr-und-forschungsbereiche/generationenverhaltnisse-bildungsforschung/forschung/https://www.researchyouth.net/network/austria-info/

Self-employed professional activities

• Evaluation of (youth) education programmes, e.g. on behalf of Movetia, the Swiss national agency for promoting exchange and mobility in the education system
  https://movetia.ch/de/magazin/fallstudie-zu-inklusiven-projekten-in-der-jugendarbeit
• Team leader for nature education and political youth education programmes, e.g. on behalf of the Alpine Study Place Garmisch-Partenkirchen

2006 - 2009
Freelance journalist (e.g. for "Münchner Merkur"), press officer (e.g. for the press office of the Diocese of Augsburg) and seminar leader (e.g. for Innsbruck Adult Education Centre); family time

1997 - 2005

• Studies of Educational Sciences at the University of Augsburg; diploma degree
• Scientific assistance in the study “People - dreams - programmes" for the 50th anniversary of German children's television at the Central Institute for Youth and Educational Television at Bayerischer Rundfunk, Munich
• PhD thesis: Childhood experiences and programme concepts of German children's television editors - an investigation from an educational science and media pedagogical perspective

1992 - 1996

• Journalistic traineeship at the Institut für publizistische Ausbildung, Munich
• Press and public relations officer, including in the constituency office of the former German Federal Minister for Youth, Family and Health, Dr Heiner Geißler, Landau in der Pfalz

Research

• Evidence building on who is missing from the European youth programmes in Austria (RAY MISS) 2025-2027

• Long-term effects of Erasmus+ Youth in Action in Austria on participation and citizenship (RAY LTE EXT) 2015-2024; at Austrian and transnational level

• Impact of Erasmus+ Partnership projects in the fields of school education, vocational education and training, higher education, adult education, youth and European Solidarity Corps in Austria at systemic level 2023

• Evaluation of "Your Year of Youth" 2022, an initiative of OeAD, Agency for education and internationalisation and the Office of the Federal Chancellor 2023

• Contribution of European Youth Programs to Program and Sector Strategies at the European Level (RAY STRAT) 2022; at Austrian Level

• Impact of the corona pandemic on youth work in Austria (RAY COR) 2021; at Austrian level

• Education and learning for participation and citizenship in European youth programmes (RAY PART) 2019-2021; at transnational and Austrian level

• Mid-term evaluation of European youth programmes in Austria 2016, 2024

• Informal and non-formal learning in youth-in-action projects in Austria (RAY NFL) 2014; at transnational and Austrian level

• Monitoring of Erasmus+ Youth and European Solidarity Corps and its predecessor programmes since 2010 through standardised online surveys on regular basis (every two years) (RAY MON, RAY SOC); 2010-2018 at transnational level; since 2010 at Austrian level

Publications

Gadinger, S., Fennes, H., Berger, F. (2024). Long-term effects of Erasmus+ Youth in Action in Austria on participation and citizenship. Central results of the interviews between 2015 and 2023.
https://www.researchyouth.net/network/austria-info/

Gadinger, S., Fennes, H., Berger, F. (2024). Long-term effects of Erasmus+ Youth in Action on participation and citizenship - extension. Transnational Research Report.
https://www.researchyouth.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/RAY-LTE-EXT_Transnational-Research-Report.pdf

Gadinger S., Berger, F., Mayerl, M. (2024). "The project was the key to understanding my European identity" Scientific monitoring of Erasmus+ Youth and the European Solidarity Corps in Austria. Key results of the survey of project participants, project leaders, youth workers and volunteers 2023. Executive Summary. Vienna and Innsbruck: OeAD-GmbH and University of Innsbruck.
https://erasmusplus.oead.at/fileadmin/Dokumente/erasmusplus.at/Jugend_1/OeAD_RAY_ExecSummary_2024_Onlineversion.pdf

Gadinger S., Berger, F., Mayerl, M. (2024). "The project was the key to understanding my European identity" Scientific monitoring of Erasmus+ Youth and European Solidarity Corps in Austria. Key results of the survey of project participants, project leaders, youth workers and volunteers 2023. research report. Vienna and Innsbruck: OeAD-GmbH and University of Innsbruck.
https://www.researchyouth.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/OeAD-RAY-Bericht-2025-FIN.pdf

Gadinger, S., Berger, F. (2024). Evaluation of the European Solidarity Corps in Austria (2918-2020; 2021-2017). ESK - A programme that enables young people to learn democracy and practice solidarity. Innsbruck.
https://www.bundeskanzleramt.gv.at/agenda/jugend/internationale-jugendpolitik/programme-und-netzwerke-in-eu.html

Gadinger, S., Berger, F. (2024). Interim Evaluation of Erasmus+ Youth in Austria 2024 - Report. Innsbruck.
https://www.bundeskanzleramt.gv.at/agenda/jugend/internationale-jugendpolitik/programme-und-netzwerke-in-eu.html

Hagleitner, W., Berger, F., Gadinger, S. (2024). National Evaluation Report on the Implementation and Impact of the European Solidarity Corps in the Principality of Liechtenstein. Interim evaluation of the programme period 2021 to 2027 (2021 to 2023).
https://erasmus.li/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Bericht-Zwischenevaluierung-ESK-2024-Liechtenstein.pdf

Gadinger, S., Berger, F. (2023). Evaluation of Erasmus+ Youth and European Solidarity Corps in Liechtenstein in the programme period 2021-2027. Report on the first research phase.
https://www.erasmus.li/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Evaluierung-E-Jugend-und-ESK-in-Liechtenstein-2021-2027_Bericht-1.-Forschungsphase_1.Ueberarbeitung.pdf

Gadinger, S.; Berger, F. (2023). Impact of Erasmus+ Partnership projects in the fields of school education, vocational education and training, higher education, adult education, youth and European Solidarity Corps in Austria at systemic level. Research report on the results of the interview study commissioned by the OeAD, national agency for Erasmus+ and the European Solidarity Corps in Austria.
https://erasmusplus.at/fileadmin/Medien/erasmusplus.at/Aktuelles/2024/Wirkung/Forschungsbericht_Erasmus__Wirkungsstudie_08092023.pdf

Gadinger, S., Berger, F. (2023). Evaluation of "EU Year of Youth" on behalf of the OeAD, National Agency for Erasmus+ and European Solidarity Corps in Austria. Research report and executive summary. https://erasmusplus.at/fileadmin/Documents/erasmusplus.at/Aktuelles/2024/Jugend/Bericht_zu_EUer_Jahr_der_Jugend_05072023.pdf

Feldmann-Wojtachnia, E., Gadinger, S. (2024). Inclusion study on the Swiss Erasmus+ Youth in Action programme. https://movetia.ch/files/04_Magazin/2024/05_Mai/Inklusionsstudie_Jugend_Januar_2024.pdf

Gadinger, S., Berger, F. (2021). Impact of the Corona Pandemic on Youth Work in Europe (RAY-COR). A study as part of the Scientific Monitoring of European Youth Programmes in Austria. Results of the 2021 case studies in Austria.
https://www.researchyouth.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/RAY-COR-AT-Nationaler-Bericht-finalde-07122021-1.pdf

Fennes, H., Gadinger, S. (2021). Participation and citizenship education and learning in European Youth Programmes. Transnational Research Report.
https://researchyouth.net/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/RAY-PART_Research-Report_20221212_final.pdf

Gadinger, S., Fennes, H. (2020). Education and Learning for Participation and Citizenship in European Youth Programmes. A Study in the Framework of the Scientific Monitoring of European Youth Programmes in Austria. Results of the 2019 and 2020 case studies in Austria. https://www.researchyouth.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/RAY-PART-AT-Nationaler-Bericht_final_20210223.pdf

Feldmann-Wojtachnia, E., Gadinger, S. (2020). Evaluative expert report on the project series "Future Talent - Future Weeks on Sustainability and Career Orientation". CorEdu - Education through and through, Leipzig.

Gadinger, S., Berger, F. (2020). Monitoring Report Erasmus+ Youth in Action in Liechtenstein. Programme period 2014 to 2020. Vaduz 2020.
https://aha.li/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/LI-MON-2014-2020-Bericht_plus-Interpretationsansätze_final.pdf

Feldmann-Wojtachnia, E., Gadinger, S. (2020). Scientific monitoring of Youth in Action, part of the Swiss Erasmus+ programme (2018-2020). Youth in Action works - the impact study of all projects funded in 2019.
https://www.researchyouth.net/network/switzerland-info/

Gadinger, S., Mayerl, M., Fennes H. (2020). What impact do international youth projects have in Austria and beyond? A study as part of the accompanying scientific research of Erasmus+ Youth in Action in Austria. Key results of the online surveys of project participants and project leaders between 2015 and 2020.
https://www.researchyouth.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/AT-MON-Bericht-2014-2020-final-20210223.pdf

Gadinger, S., Mayerl, M., Fennes H. (2020). What impact do international youth projects have in Austria and beyond? A study as part of the accompanying scientific research of Erasmus+ Youth in Action in Austria. Central results of the online surveys of project participants and project leaders 2019/2020.
https://www.researchyouth.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/RAY-AT-MONBericht-20192020_final_20210223.pdf

Gadinger, S., Mayerl, M., Fennes H. (2020). What impact do international youth projects have in Austria and beyond? A study as part of the accompanying scientific research of Erasmus+ Youth in Action in Austria. Central results of the online surveys of project participants and project leaders 2017/2018.
https://www.researchyouth.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/AT-MONBericht-2017_2018_20201204_finalfinal.pdf

Gadinger, S. Bárta, O., Fennes, H. (2020). European youth projects are powerful in promoting participation and citizenship of young people - and they can become even more effective. In (Movit, Institute for the development of youth mobility): Mladje. June 2020, 41, p. 23-25. http://www.movit.si/fileadmin/movit/0ZAVOD/Publikacije/Mladje/Mladje_41.pdf

Fennes, H., Gadinger, S. (2019). Long-term effects of Erasmus+ Youth in Action in Austria on participation and citizenship. Key findings from interviews and surveys between 2015 and 2018. Final report 2019.
https://www.researchyouth.net/download/AT-LTE-Abschlussbericht-20191218.pdf

Bárta, O., Fennes, H., Gadinger, S. (2018). Long-term Effects of Erasmus+ Youth in Action on Participation and Citizenship. Main Findings from Interviews and Surveys between 2015 and 2018. Transnational Research Report.
https://www.researchyouth.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/RAY-LTE-FTA_20210324-research-reportclean.pdf

Fennes, H., Gadinger, S. (2017): Report on the interim evaluation of the Erasmus+: Youth in Action programme in Liechtenstein. By the Department of Educational Sciences. University of Innsbruck. For the Office for Social Services, Principality of Liechtenstein.

Gadinger, S., Hagleitner, W., Fennes, H. (2016): Evaluation report on the effectiveness of the Youth in Action/Erasmus+ programme: Youth in Action in the period 2010 - 2015. By the Department of Educational Science. University of Innsbruck. For the National Agency Liechtenstein aha - Tips & Info for Young People.

Bammer, D., Fennes, H., Gadinger, S., Hagleitner, W., Mayerl, M. (2016): Interim evaluation of the EU programme Erasmus+: Youth in Action in Austria.

Fennes, H., Gadinger, S. (2014). Learning Environments and Learning Content in Youth in Action Projects. Summary of the national report - Austria.

Fennes, H., Gadinger, S., Hagleitner, W., Lunardon, K. (2013). Learning in Youth in Action. Results from the surveys with project participants and project leaders in May 2012. Interim Transnational Analysis.
https://www.researchyouth.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/12RAY2012_report_NFL_
20130502.pdf

Hagleitner, W., Fennes, H., Gadinger, S. (2013). What and how is learning in 'Youth in Action' in Austria? Informal and non-formal learning in Youth in Action projects in Austria. Results of the quantitative and qualitative survey of project leaders and project participants in May 2012 and November 2012. Scientific support: Synthesis report 2012.

Fennes, H., Gadinger, S.; Hagleitner, W. (2012). Exploring Youth in Action. Effects and outcomes of the Youth in Action Programme from the perspective of project participants and project leaders. Transnational Analysis 2011.
https://www.researchyouth.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/2ray_20102011_transnational_
analysis_fullreport_20170112.pdf

Fennes, H., Hagleitner, W., Gadinger, S. (2011). What is the impact of 'Youth in Action' in Austria? Scientific monitoring: Summary of the results 2007-2009.

Gadinger, S. (2005). Childhood experiences and programme concepts of German children's television editors. An investigation from an Educational Sciences and media pedagogical perspective (PhD thesis).
https://www.fachportal-paedagogik.de/literatur/vollanzeige.html?FId=747056

Löhr, P., Götz, M., Gadinger, S. (2001). People dreams programmes. 50 years of children's television in Germany. A commemorative publication. Internationales Zentralinstitut für das Jugend- und Bildungsfernsehen (IZI) beim Bayerischen Rundfunk (BR), Munich.

Presentations

https://www.slls.org.uk/events/slls-annual-international-conference-2026

Research meets practice - findings and dialogue on the accompanying research of Erasmus+ Youth and European Solidarity Corps (RAY)
Presentation of the results of the monitoring of Erasmus+ Youth / the European Solidarity Corps (RAY MON, RAY SOC) and the study “Long-term effects of Erasmus+ Youth in Action on participation and citizenship - Extension” (RAY LTE EXT) (all 2024)

Enhancing youth participation: The role of European projects and social services
Lifestream of the RAY Research Network: Youth Research Dialogue. Presentation of the results of the studies: Long-term effects of Erasmus+ Youth in Action on participation and citizenship (RAY LTE EXT); Education and learning of participation and citizenship in European youth programmes (RAY PART).
https://www.facebook.com/events/1071884807908808/?active_tab=discussion

Presentation of the results of the research project "Long-term effects of Erasmus+ Youth in Action on participation and citizenship - extension".

Presentation of the results of the research project "Long-term effects of Erasmus+ Youth in Action on participation and citizenship - extension".

Presentation of the interim results of the research project "Long-term effects of Erasmus+ Youth in Action on participation and citizenship - extension".

Moderation of the symposium "European Youth Work 2" as well as presentations of the results of the symposium "European Youth Work 1" on the following RAY studies in Austria: Monitoring of Erasmus+ Youth in Action 2014-2020; Long-term effects of Erasmus+ Youth in Action on participation and citizenship (RAY LTE); Education and learning of participation and citizenship in European youth programmes (RAY PART)

Leading a workshop on "RAY research results and what can be derived from them for youth work training"
https://www.salto-youth.net/tools/european-training-calendar/download/ salto%5Ctrainingcalendar%5Cmodel%5CDownload-8171/Background_Info_final.pdf

Presentation of the results of the Austrian case studies as part of the RAY research project "Impact of the corona pandemic on youth work in Europe" (RAY COR)

Jury member at the SALTO Awards 2021 in the category Youth Participation
https://saltoawards.eu/ 

SALTO Participation & Information: STEP Training
Presentation of the results of the RAY research projects "Long-term effects of Erasmus+ Youth in Action on participation and citizenship" (RAY LTE) and "Education and learning of participation and citizenship" (RAY PART)

Annual conference Movetia
Presentation of the results of the research project on the Swiss programme for Erasmus+ 2018-2020; https://www.movetia.ch/en/news-events/youth-exchanges-are-the-answer

IZ Salon "Go International - What is the impact of EU youth funding?"
Presentation of the results of the research project "Long-term effects of Erasmus+ Youth in Action on participation and citizenship" (RAY LTE) at an event organised by the former Austrian National Agency for Erasmus+ Youth in Action (IZ - Association for Diversity, Dialogue and Education, Vienna) https://www.solidaritaetskorps.at/iz-salon-go-international-was-bewirken-die-eu-jugendfoerderungen/

Kodas Jaunimas (Code Youth)
Presentation of the results of the research project "Long-term effects of Erasmus+ Youth in Action on participation and citizenship" (RAY LTE)

May 2018, Strasbourg (France)
Long-term effects of Erasmus+ Youth in Action on participation and citizenship (RAY-LTE)
Presentation of the interim results of the research project "Long-term effects of Erasmus+ Youth in Action on participation and citizenship" (RAY LTE)

Interdisciplinary conference. Presentation of the results of the research project "Long-term effects of Erasmus+ Youth in Action on participation and citizenship" (RAY LTE)

Presentation of the results of the research project "What and how is learning in Erasmus+ Youth in Action in Austria. Informal and non-formal learning in Youth in Action projects in Austria."

Annual conference "Activ without borders" of the ch-Stiftung für eidgenössische Zusammenarbeit
Presentation of the results of the research project "Monitoring of Erasmus+ Youth in Action" (RAY MON)

Future Platform of the University of Innsbruck
Presentation of the monitoring of Youth in Action

University in the village on the topic "Future topic of care - shared responsibility"
Lecture on the topic "Need for care and care work from a biographical perspective"
https://www.uibk.ac.at/de/public-relations/wissenschaftsvermittlung/uni-unterwegs/uni-im-dorf/

Memberships

Research Centre "Education, Generation and Life Course" at the University of Innsbruck