News

Europe Day: Strengthening international expertise with Arqus

On 9 May, the spotlight will be on Europe. At the University of Graz, European cooperation is also a tangible part of everyday student life – not least through the Arqus university alliance. Master’s and PhD students can currently register for the Arqus micro-credential in ‘Advanced Creative Thinking and Communication’.

A substantial community: the key role of soil crusts in the earth system

They are often overshadowed by the plant world: lichens, fungi, mosses and bacteria, which form unique communities on rocks and trees or as soil crusts. Bettina Weber from the University of Graz is bringing this biological alliance into the research spotlight. Her research shows that these communities form an essential part of the Earth’s critical zone and play a key role in the interactions between land and atmosphere. Bettina Weber was honoured by the European Geosciences Union for her groundbreaking research at the beginning of May.

The digital world of tomorrow: University of Graz works with people to shape the future

Digitalisation is supposed to make everything better: artificial intelligence that even organises travel. The car that drives itself. Robots that care for us in our old age. But what kind of future do people actually want? What role should technology play in this? The University of Graz is exploring these questions through a new research facility. At the Graz Sociodigital and Participatory Futures Studio – or GraSP Futures Studio for short – young and old work together with researchers to design visions of the future that also critically examine technical innovations.

Eurovision: Why the Song Contest is always political

The 2026 Eurovision Song Contest sits at the intersection of music, geopolitics and culture. Josef Mühlbauer from the University of Graz explains why the ESC has always been a reflection of European politics, and how this major event highlights cultural affinities and social change.

Superti-Furga will becomefounding director of the CORI Institute in Graz

The Austrian Academy of Sciences (ÖAW) is establishing a new flagship centre for research into metabolic diseases in collaboration with the three universities in Graz. This innovative research approach combines mathematics and experimental biology with artificial intelligence

A match for life

Stem cell donations save lives. However, the only way to determine who is ultimately compatible with whom is through a testing process. Pharmacist Marion Mußbacher explains the mechanisms behind this. On 6 May 2026, the ÖH and the charity “Geben für Leben” are calling for people to come forward for typing at the University of Graz.

The Language of Love: Even in the Middle Ages, plants and fruits symbolised sexual desire

Mild Research Night: Around 750 visitors travelled around the world at the university

Lovely weather and a wide range of research topics drew visitors to the University of Graz last Friday. Highlights included a journey around the globe in eight stops, a ‘speed-dating’ session with books, insights into Alfred Wegener’s Greenland expedition, and guided tours of the democracy exhibition at the UniGraz@Museum.