"The diversity and creativity of the people of Innsbruck could be explained by the city's close proximity to different countries and its large population of students."

 

I am visiting the University of Innsbruck because...

... two local professors, Rainer Böhme and Svetlana Abramova, invited me. The three of us met and “clicked” in a seminar held a few months before the visit, where we discovered that we share some research interests. After the seminar, we brainstormed potential research directions we could collaborate on. When we felt that we found a promising direction, we coordinated a visit to jump-start our new project. The University of Innsbruck kindly supported this visit through the “Austria Israel Academic Network Innsbruck” (AIANI) organization, together with Land Tirol. The AIANI organization is emblematic of the university’s official internationalization strategy, which heavily promotes cross-country collaborations.

 

What surprised me about Innsbruck was...

... that it is relatively small, but jam-packed with culture and art. The diversity and creativity of the people of Innsbruck could be explained by the city's close proximity to different countries and its large population of students.

 

The University of Innsbruck is different from my home institution in...

... the beauty of its surroundings. I was hosted at Innsbruck’s technical campus, which is situated at the foot of the Nordkette mountain range. Thus, each day of my visit started with an awe-inspiring view of this natural wonder.

 

From Innsbruck I take home with me...

... the personal and professional relationships I have formed with my hosts, Prof. Böhme and Prof. Abramova, and their students. In his lab, Prof. Bohme has masterfully created a fun and welcoming environment that nurtures companionship and hard work. For me, this is a professional benchmark to aspire to. After just a few days, I could already feel at home.