ESEIA President Harald Kainz Receives Grand Decoration of Honour in Gold From the Republic of Austria and the State of Styria

The ESEIA President and former Rector of TU Graz Harald Kainz has recently received the Grand Decoration of Honour in Gold from both the Republic of Austria and the State of Styria. This prestigious honour, presented by the Federal Minister Martin Polaschek and the State Governor Christopher Drexler, recognises Harald Kainz’s exceptional leadership during his twelve-year tenure at TU Graz.

Harald Kainz served as the Rector of TU Graz from October 2011 until the end of September 2023. During this time, TU Graz, the oldest university of technology in Austria, experienced remarkable growth and became one of the most international universities in the country. TU Graz excelled in research collaboration with industry, securing a high level of third-party funding and leading the COMET programme. Moreover, the expansion of English-taught study programmes, the positioning of TU Graz as an entrepreneurial university, and its pioneering role in digital transformation were significant milestones during Harald Kainz’s term of office.

The new rector of TU Graz Horst Bischof commended Harald Kainz for his achievements. “Under the leadership of Harald Kainz, TU Graz has undergone an extraordinary development, from which not only the members of TU Graz, but also the entire science and innovation location of Graz have benefited,” he said.

You can find more information about the award here.

Contact:

Head of Communications and Marketing at TU Graz Barbara Gigler: barbara.gigler@tugraz.at