A box with an eyepiece, a wheel to turn, two buttons and a computer inside – the “machine” that has recently been installed in the entrance area of the main building at Universitätsplatz 3 is a strange mixture of old and new. It has this in common with the university. If you take a look inside, turn and press, you will find the names of University of Graz graduates from four centuries, including information about their origins. Step by step, more will be added, including those of people who have researched and taught here or been employees with other tasks.
“From the early students and scientists to those who work at the University of Graz today and acquire new knowledge – people from different countries and cultures have always come together here. The Time Wheel is dedicated to them all and invites visitors to discover this diversity,” says Rector Peter Riedler about the idea behind the project.
The initiative came from Kurt-Martin Lugger, Head of Human Resources: “The Time Wheel Project aims to show that the true strength of the University of Graz lies above all in its community of people who are committed to knowledge, innovation and cooperation.”
The “hardware” for this unique machine was built in the precision engineering workshops at the University of Graz, equipped with software from the HR Applications team in the Human Resources Department and fed with data from the university archives.
