Austria's News in English

Read the latest headlines about other developments in Vienna and Austria

Hungary Forces Central European University of US Billionaire Soros to Move to Vienna

In view of the political pressure exerted by the Hungarian government under the proposed amendments to Act CCIV of 2011 on Hungarian National Higher Education, the Central European University (CEU) of US billionaire George Soros feels compelled to look for alternatives. The city of Vienna naturally offers itself as an excellent alternative or supplement. The CEU and the City of Vienna are already in negotiations about a memorandum of understanding (MoU) that would enable CEU to open a satellite campus site in Vienna. The Otto Wagner area at Baumgartner Höhe is being examined as a possible location.

March 16, 2018

Man Ray at the Kunstforum Wien: "To Create is Divine, to Reproduce is Human"

Until 24 June 2018, the Kunstforum Wien is showing the exhibition "Man Ray", which portrays the significant painter and photographer Man Ray (born Emmanuel Radnitzky) in a selection of 150 key works from all over the world.

March 8, 2018

IAEA Staff Association Ball 2018 Review: Colours of Africa

Recently, the IAEA Staff Association Ball 2018 took place in the halls of the Vienna Hofburg. Many international guests came together under the motto "Colors of Africa". A great multicultural ball with fantastic dancefloors from ballroom to latin to disco. A glittering and happy end to the 2018 ball season.

March 7, 2018

Hotel Sofitel Vienna Stephansdom to Shine in a New Design

Different cultures meet in Vienna. The result, which is a fascinating blend of art and architecture is supposed to be reflected in the hotel Sofitel Vienna Stephansdom. The hotel with its 182 rooms and the hotel lobby is currently experiencing a facelift which will be completed soon. Since the beginning of the year the new general manager of Sofitel, Peter Katusak-Huzsvar, has been designing the impressive house in Vienna's Praterstrasse 1 as a lifestyle hotspot for both tourists and Viennese.

March 5, 2018 · Sponsored Content

Austrian Airlines to Hire 600 New Employees, to Fly to Tokyo and Cape Town

Close to 12.9 million passengers flew with Austria’s national carrier last year, comprising a rise of 12.8 percent compared to the previous year. In 2018 the airline plans the integration of another long-haul aircraft, a Boeing 777-200 jet, in its fleet. It is planned to hire 150 employees just to operate this one new aircraft. In total about 200 pilots, 300 flight attendants and 100 employees in the fields of aircraft maintenance and ground handling will be hired. The additional capacity will enable Austrian Airlines to expand its intercontinental route network to Japan and South Africa.

March 1, 2018

WU Vienna: Registration Deadline for Academic Year 2018/19 Starts Now

The online registration period for study programs at the Vienna University of Economics and Business (WU Vienna) for the winter and the summer term begins on March 1. Since admission tests take place only once a year, prospective students must register now for studies beginning in the winter semester of 2018/19 and in the summer semester of 2019.

February 28, 2018

Vienna University of Economics and Business to Offer an International Bachelor Program

The Vienna University of Economics and Business continues to push ahead with its internationalization and, as of the coming winter semester, is the first public university in Austria to offer the purely English-language bachelor program "Business and Economics".

February 27, 2018

The Collection of a Billionaire - Heidi Horten Impresses with her Art Collection - WOW!

Heidi Goëss-Horten, a billionaire and with an estimated total net wealth of more than € 3.0 billion the fourth-richest person in Austria, presents a selection of her private art collection. With the exhibition "WOW! The Heidi Horten Collection" one of the most worthwhile art collections in Europe will be presented to the public for the first time. Curated by Agnes Husslein-Arco, the exhibition features 170 exhibits by 75 artists. To get a taste, take a look at our picture gallery!

February 21, 2018

Salzburger Festspiele Generates EUR 215 Million Added Value per Year

The president of the Salzburg Festival (Salzburger Festspiele), Helga Rabl-Stadler, presented a new study proving the financial significance of the event. According to the study the festival generates added value of EUR 215 million per year in the whole country.

August 22, 2016

Most Expensive Expatriate Cities: Vienna Moves Up to 54th Place Overall in the Index

For the 22nd year running, global HR consulting firm Mercer has published its annual Cost of Living Ranking that lists the costliest and cheapest destinations for expatriates. Asia hosts five of the world’s 10 most expensive cities for expatriates. Hong Kong is once again the world’s most expensive city for expatriates. Vienna moves up to 54th place from 56th place overall in the index. 209 countries have been surveyed. See the full index below.

July 22, 2016

Chinese Activist Ai Weiwei Displays His Work in Vienna

The conceptual artist, documentary filmmaker and activist Ai Weiwei is one of the most well known artists of our time. The 21er Haus will present his work at the exhibition “Ai Weiwei. translocation – transformation” from 14 July to 20 November 2016.

June 30, 2016

International Cuisine and Music Film Festival at City Hall Square

From 14 July to 4 September, Vienna’s City Hall Square is a vibrant meeting place for night owls who enjoy combining culture with food. Delicious dishes and music films from opera to pop guarantee great summer evenings.

June 29, 2016

Summer in the City: Vienna Open-Air Cinemas

Every summer in Vienna, numerous open-air cinemas show films on a wide range of topics. Admission is free of charge at the Musical Film Festival at City Hall, the “Cinema under the Stars” on Karlsplatz and at the wandering "Volxkino". Original versions with English or German subtitles can often be seen.

June 28, 2016

Europe's Biggest Free Open-Air Festival: The Danube Island Festival 2016

From 24 to 26 June, Vienna's Danube Island becomes a mega-party site for around three million visitors. About 1,500 artists offer a continuous program on around a dozen stages at the Danube Island Festival. There's entertainment on various themed islands to suit every age and taste, while numerous catering stands keep everyone well fed and watered.

June 16, 2016

Vienna's Glittering 2016 Summer Balls: The Concordia Ball and the Fête Impériale

Two glittering summer balls will be celebrated in Vienna: The Concordia Ball (June 17) in Vienna City Hall and the Fête Impériale (June 24) in the Spanish Imperial Riding School. The Concordia Ball has been one of Vienna's most sparkling and exclusive events for over 150 years. The Fête Impériale is famous for its opulent and imaginative decorations, and is held once again.

June 15, 2016

International Day of Yoga Celebrations in Vienna on 19th and 21st June

The United Nations General Assembly declared 21st June as the International Day of Yoga. The resolution adopted by the General Assembly invites everyone to observe that day as the International Day of Yoga. On occasion of the International Day of Yoga, the Embassy of India in Vienna is organizing the several events on 19th and 21st June, 2016.

June 15, 2016

OSCE Representative Dunja Mijatović Awarded Concordia Prize for Press Freedom

The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Dunja Mijatović was awarded the Concordia Press Club Prize 2015 in the category of press freedom and freedom of information. The Concordia Press Club decided to award Mijatović the prize given her personal dedication to press freedom issues in 2015.

May 2, 2016

Klaus Toepfer to Give Keynote Speech at Economic and Environmental Forum in Vienna

Good governance in the OSCE area, reinforcing security and stability through co-operation, will be theme of the 24th Economic and Environmental Forum and the 1st Preparatory Meeting taking place on 25 and 26 January in Vienna. The meeting will focus on good environmental governance to enable sustainable economic development.

January 22, 2016

Central and Eastern Europe's Financial Elite Gathered at the CEE Forum in Vienna

The 21st Euromoney Central and Eastern European Forum ended in Vienna today, where 1000 delegates from the region joined local and international investors to help plan, debate and analyze the economic agenda for the region for the year ahead. The vast majority of the delegates have a negative outlook for the year 2016. Only one of the participants expects that this year CEE will grow more than 3.5%.

January 20, 2016

Central and Eastern European Forum in Vienna next Week

The Central and Eastern European Forum - organized by Euromoney - is taking place in Vienna next week. 1,000 top level policymakers, issuers, and commentators from the region will join local and international investors to help plan, debate and analyze the economic agenda for the region for the year ahead.

January 13, 2016

In Pursuit of Peace and Security: How Gender Makes a Difference

Why is it important to include a gender perspective in peace processes and why does it matter if women are involved? These are issues that will be in focus at an OSCE Security Days event in Vienna on Friday, 13 November, which will explore the gender perspective of crisis prevention, conflict management and post-conflict rehabilitation.

November 11, 2015

Indian Women Empowering Austrian Women

On October 2nd the Ladies Organization of the Federation of Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FLO) is a guest at the Austrian Chamber of Commerce. Thirty-eight Indian entrepreneurs from the sectors of textile, crafts and jewelry are expected. In addition, the fields of education and arts management are represented.

September 28, 2015

Edvard Munch. Love, Death, and Loneliness

The Albertina in Vienna presents the printed graphic work of the famous Norwegian artist Edvard Munch until January 2016.

September 25, 2015

UNODC and OSCE Develop Strategies to Reduce Drug Demand and Supply to Youth

UNODC, through its Deputy Executive Director, addressed a high-level conference aimed at enhancing the mechanisms to stem the increasing spread of illicit drugs amongst young people, organized under the Serbian Chairmanship of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE). The two-day event was held at the Hofburg palace in Vienna, bringing together practitioners from national administrations, representatives from youth initiatives and civil society organizations (CSOs) as well as international and regional organizations.

September 23, 2015

Expat Families: Austria is Most Popular Country

Not only the Nordic Countries are popular with expat families. Austria, Israel and New Zealand are also among the preferred destinations for families. According to the Family Life Index 2015 by InterNations, Austria is the most popular country among expat families. While Finland and Sweden, ranking second and third, impress with the cost and availability of childcare and education, Israel and New Zealand in 4th and 5th place respectively, rank especially high when it comes to the general well-being of expat families.

September 22, 2015

Expat Insider: The Hard-Working Austrian Expat

After sharing a detailed picture of life in Austria for the international expat, InterNations shares with you a picture of life abroad for the Austrian expat. It revolves around work, but getting to know new friends through work and a relatively high income sweeten the deal.

August 27, 2015

Expat Insider: Country Report Austria - Safe & Sound

InterNations shares with you a detailed picture of life abroad in Austria: why people relocate, what their daily life is like, and how satisfied they are. Known for schnitzels, mountains, and bodybuilders turned governors, Austria has excellent rankings in the Quality of Life, Working Abroad, and Family Life Indices, but settling in isn't easy. They provide an in-depth country profile of Austria. Read on and find out what expatriate life in your dream destination Austria is actually like.

August 25, 2015

Lower Belvedere Exhibition: Klimt and the Ringstrasse

The "Klimt and the Ringstrasse" exhibition in at the Lower Belvedere is dedicated to those charismatic painters of the Ringstrasse who exercised a profound influence on their time, namely to the work of Hans Markart, Gustav Klimt and their associates who were the greatest artists of the Ringstrasse era.

June 24, 2015

Bilderberg 2015: The "World Government" Meets in Austria

A select group of global elite is gathering today at the Interalpen-Hotel Tyrol in Telfs-Buchen, Austria. The 63rd Bilderberg conference is a super secret annual conference where they can discuss politics, economics and foreign policy freely. A total of around 140 participants from 22 countries have confirmed their attendance at the Bilderberg conference 2015. As ever, a diverse group of political leaders and experts from industry and finance have been invited. This year the list includes nine Austrians. Key talking points on the agenda include the Ukrainian crisis, Greece, Middle East and Terrorism (see detailed list below). Security is tight - participants as well as protesters and journalists will have to deal with the Austrian anti terror squad "Cobra". After 1979 it's the second time that the conference takes place in Austria.

June 11, 2015 · Updated: June 11, 2015; 19:00

Vienna Museum: "The Ring - The Boulevard’s Early Years, 1857–1865"

The exhibition in the Vienna Museum spans the period from the beginning of planning to the construction of the Ringstrasse in 1857 and its festive opening on 1 May 1865. Plans, designs, models and photographs are put on display for the first time. They tell of architects, painters, and sculptors searching for the style of their age. They illuminate the juxtaposition of demolition and new construction.

May 28, 2015

UNODC: Opening of Refugee Exhibition in Vienna Reinforces Need to Support Vulnerable Smuggled Migrants

An exhibition at the Vienna International Centre on the suffering of conflict refugees fleeing to Turkey offered an opportunity for UNODC to showcase its own ongoing activities against migrant smuggling as well as tackling other forms of organized crime, including money laundering.

April 17, 2015

Expat Survey: 14 Percent of Expatriates Leave Home for Love

InterNations has published the Expat Insider Survey, which sheds light into the world of global relationships. The report reveals that 14 percent of the expatriates across the world leave their home country for love. These romantics live in countries such as Greece or Argentina and 64 percent of them are female.

March 19, 2015

Eva Steindorfer Awarded the LGT Media Prize 2015

The work of three outstanding journalistis work was honored at an event in the Liechtenstein Palace in Vienna with the LGT media award for quality financial and business reporting. Eva Steindorfer was awarded the LGT Media Prize 2015.

February 25, 2015

Holocaust Memorial Day: "European Jews again feeling anxious and uncertain about their future"

As people across the OSCE region commemorated the 70th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau, officials highlighted the importance for societies to stand firmly against the contemporary challenges of anti-Semitism, racism and other forms of intolerance.

January 28, 2015

Vienna as a Business Location - The City at a Glance

Vienna combines tradition, culture and quality of life with the factors of a top business location in a unique way. A stable political and economic environment, a research and technology-friendly climate, geographical and cultural proximity to the growth markets in the east and, not least, the highest quality of life in the world provide for a place at the very top of the world’s rankings.

January 27, 2015

Vienna as a Business Location - Areas of Strength

Vienna combines tradition, culture and quality of life with the factors of a top business location in a unique way. A stable political and economic environment, a research and technology-friendly climate, geographical and cultural proximity to the growth markets in the east and, not least, the highest quality of life in the world provide for a place at the very top of the world’s rankings.

January 22, 2015

George Soros: "A New Policy to Rescue Ukraine"

Soros is calling on members of the European Union to behave as countries indirectly at war with Russia and to provide Ukraine with $50 billion to defend itself and kick-start political reforms. Russian President Vladimir Putin's imperial ambition has unintentionally brought into being a new Ukraine that is adamantly opposed to endemic corruption and inefficient government. By offering assistance, Europe can foster an open society in Ukraine and protect itself from Russian aggression.

January 22, 2015

10 Reasons Why You Should Invest In Vienna

In this post you'll find the top 10 reasons why your company or institution should consider investing in Vienna/Austria. In fact, we'll share the international studies which confirm the numbers and facts including its closest competitors. We look at the quality of living, the smart cities index, the prosperity, international congresses and conventions, the most reputable cities, the innovation cities index, online cities, business friendliness and other factors that influence the decision making.

January 20, 2015

"Together Against Terror": Commemorative Event at the Vienna Ballhausplatz

More than 10,000 people gathered in Vienna as part of the commemoration of the victims of the terrorist attacks in Paris.

January 13, 2015

Human Trafficking: Ban Ki-moon Attendes UN Trust Fund for Victims Event in Vienna

The UN Voluntary Trust Fund for Victims of Trafficking in Persons received a US$ 250,000 boost in donations from the private sector at a fund-raising event in Vienna, attended by Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, Austrian Foreign Minister Sebastian Kurz, UNODC Executive Director Yury Fedotov and fashion designer Vivienne Westwood. Proceeds from the event will go directly to grassroots organizations that rescue, shelter and reintegrate victims into society.

November 7, 2014

Comment: Outlook of Vienna Stock Exchange

Manfred Sibrawa of BAWAG PSK INVEST GmbH comments on the expectation of the performance of the Vienna Stock Exchange until year end. Erste Bank and Raiffeisen Bank International, but also OMV, booked double-digit losses, while the Vienna Stock Exchange welcomed a new member, FACC. "All in all we saw a mixed development year-to-date, but assuming that we see a stabilization of the global situation we can expect the Vienna ATX to speed up and reduce the underperformance towards other established markets."

August 7, 2014

Analysis: Russia - Assessment of EU and Tightened US Sanctions

Special analysis covering the most recent escalation in terms of Western economic and financial sanctions against Russia: EU and US sending bold diplomatic signals without inflicting too much near-term economic and financial damage. In comparison to the US sanctions by the EU are capped in duration. Recent escalation adds to uncertainty in doing business with Russia, which is an ultimate goal of sanctions. Near-term impact of current sanctions still limited, which implies a risk that they may remain for longer.

July 31, 2014

Edi Rama: "If Europe Decides Not To Need Muslim Balkan States, Terrible Things Will Happen"

The Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama visited the Bruno Kreisky Forum in Vienna.

May 13, 2014

„Brussels Must Reconsider Enlargement Policy“

Austrian Minister of Foreign Affairs Sebastian Kurz criticized the EU´s approach towards Ukraine. However, the EU has to develop further.

April 25, 2014

Eder: Policy-Makers Have to Make Decisions

Wolfgang Eder, CEO of Austrian steel manufacturer voestalpine, claims not to have heard anything from the Austrian policy makers after he raised criticizm with regard to the Austrian business location.

April 24, 2014

„We Must Create A Free Trade Area with Russia“

Sebastian Kurz, Austrian Minister of Foreign Affairs, proposes a deepening of the economic co-operation between Russia and the EU.

April 12, 2014

Nikolic: “Russia Will Never Recognize Kosovo”

In an interview with Austrian daily “Presse”, Serbian President Tomislav Nikolic voiced his opinon on the political crisis on Crimea and the future about talks between Serbia and Kosovo.

April 8, 2014

Hypo Group: „We Are not the Only One Who Must Pay“

Austrian Minister of Finance Michael Spindelegger underlines that the Austrian taxpayers are not the only ones who must bear the losses of the nationalized lender Hypo Group Alpe Adria.

April 5, 2014

Treichl: „The U.S. Have Solved the Crisis Better“

Andreas Treichl, CEO of the Vienna-listed lender Erste Group, thinks that everything takes too long in Europe. The communication between banks and the government is insufficient, Treichl says.

April 5, 2014

Leitl: “Growth Must Not Mean Less Reforms”

Economic growth is now weaker than in the previous phases of upturn.

March 28, 2014