Founded in 2005 on the initiative of geophysicist Gottfried Kirchengast as an interdisciplinary, internationally oriented research centre, the Wegener Center for Climate and Global Change at the University of Graz has an excellent network. Its numerous cooperation partners include institutions such as ESA and NASA, the World Bank and the WHO. Researchers from the Wegener Center are also among the authors of the Assessment Report of the IPCC, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.
The institution, since 2023 under the direction of founding member economist Karl Steininger, is also an inspiring place for postdocs and doctoral students. Together with internationally renowned scientists, they gain new insights and work on solutions to the challenges of the future. To mark its 20th anniversary, 20 researchers from the Wegener Center provide an insight into the diversity of their socially relevant topics.
On 3 October 2025, celebrations were held in the auditorium of the University of Graz: in the afternoon with presentations of current research – to listen to, ask questions and join in the discussion – and in the evening with a festive event. Among those offering their congratulations was Federal President Alexander Van der Bellen, who sent a video message.
