Connecting Science, Technology & Business.

Since 2005, the Academy for Continuing Education (ACE) has been the central contact for postgraduate education at TU Wien. In a world that is increasingly shaped by technology, we support our participants (TU graduates as well as specialists & managers) in achieving their individual goals and shaping our future. Through the knowledge of our renowned lecturers, we bridge the gap between research and business and combine scientific know-how with practical applicability. In this way, we refine your individual skills and sustainably increase your professional and private perspectives.

Our team is looking forward to meeting you and supporting you with exciting, new insights and our long-standing experience in postgraduate education.

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Exploring the Unseen: ETIA Students' Exclusive Look Inside AKW Zwentendorf

A visit to AKW Zwentendorf, Austria’s only nuclear power station that was built but never activated, offering students a unique educational experience.

Group Foto Excursion Zwentendorf

The MSc Environmental Technology and International Affairs (ETIA) program at the Diplomatic Academy of Vienna, opens an external URL in a new window in collaboration with TU Wien offers a cutting-edge curriculum designed to equip students with a profound understanding of today's environmental challenges. A key component of this program involves integrating theoretical knowledge with practical, real-world experiences.

A prime example of this dynamic approach was a recent visit to AKW Zwentendorf, an intriguing site that holds lessons on both the potential and the pitfalls of nuclear energy.

Background

AKW Zwentendorf represents a unique chapter in the history of nuclear power. Completed in 1978, this power station never operated due to a public referendum that shifted Austria's energy policies towards non-nuclear sources. The facility has since stood as a monument to the nuclear ambitions of the past, making it an ideal educational site for students of environmental technology and policy.

View into the reactor pressure vessel of Zwentendorf Nuclear Power Plant

View into the reactor pressure vessel of Zwentendorf Nuclear Power Plant

Pre-Tour Preparation

Prior to visiting Zwentendorf, ETIA students engaged in a series of lectures at TU Wien Academy for Continuing Education, designed to provide them with a foundation in nuclear energy principles, safety protocols, and the socio-political dynamics that influence energy technology adoption. These sessions were critical in preparing students to fully engage with the site, transforming them from passive visitors to active, informed participants.

MSc Environmental Technology & International Affairs lecture

The Tour Experience

Guided by experts from EVN, the Austrian energy company, students explored the untouched facilities of Zwentendorf. They delved into the control rooms still equipped with 1970s technology, stood face-to-face with the nuclear reactor itself, and discussed the engineering and safety measures that dominate the nuclear energy debate.

Old computer system inside the control panel of the Zwentendorf Nuclear Power Plant

Old computer system inside the control panel of the Zwentendorf Nuclear Power Plant.

During the tour, ETIA students applied their freshly acquired knowledge, analyzing the plant’s design and discussing alternative scenarios had the plant become operational. This hands-on experience allowed them to bridge the gap between theoretical studies and practical application, a key outcome for educational tours in technical fields.

Implications for Energy Policy and Technology

The visit to Zwentendorf served as a real-time case study on the complexities of energy policy, the technological challenges of nuclear power, and the broader implications for renewable energy technologies. It provided students with a nuanced understanding of the potential shifts in energy strategy within the context of global environmental and political pressures.

Conclusion

As the world increasingly turns towards sustainable energy solutions, the lessons learned from Zwentendorf are more relevant than ever. This tour not only reinforced the theoretical components of the ETIA curriculum but also highlighted the importance of learning from the past while innovating for a sustainable future.

For more information, please visit our MSc program in Environmental Technologies & International Affairs program page​​​​​​​ or attend our next information session.

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08. April 2024, 09:39 until

Exploring the Unseen: ETIA Students' Exclusive Look Inside AKW Zwentendorf

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A visit to AKW Zwentendorf, Austria’s only nuclear power station that was built but never activated, offering students a unique educational experience.

The MSc Environmental Technology and International Affairs (ETIA) program at the Diplomatic Academy of Vienna, opens an external URL in a new window in collaboration with TU Wien offers a cutting-edge curriculum designed to equip students with a profound understanding of today's environmental challenges. A key component of this program involves integrating theoretical knowledge with practical, real-world experiences.

A prime example of this dynamic approach was a recent visit to AKW Zwentendorf, an intriguing site that holds lessons on both the potential and the pitfalls of nuclear energy.

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7 good reasons for a continuing education at TU Wien

ACE's master's programs, university courses and compact programs have been specially developed for TU Wien graduates, international high potentials and executives from business and industry. The integration of the latest scientific findings in the fields of innovation, management, digitization, sustainability, etc. and the regular adaptation of content ensures that our programs are always up to date. In this way, we provide graduates with important insights and the necessary competitive advantage for their career.

For more than 30 years, the TU Wien has been offering courses for part-time continuing education. The experience we have gained during this time is now an integral part of our teaching and work. We know the challenges of postgraduate students to continue their education alongside their job and family. We therefore consider it very important to provide them with optimal support in achieving their career goals.

Much of the success of our programs is due to their outstanding faculty from research, business and industry. As  As the continuing education institution of the TU Wien we are in regular exchange with our cooperation partners and partner universities and offer our students, in addition to the experts of the TU Wien, a renowned selection of international lecturers. Our modern infrastructure and learning environment create study experiences that last a lifetime.

Quality assurance and external accreditation are important aspects of scientific continuing education. Integrated into the quality management system of the TU Wien, we have therefore additionally implemented our own quality assurance system for our study programs. Internationally recognized quality labels complete the high quality of the university courses and make the awareness of quality assurance outwardly visible.

The ACE has a number of international partnerships with institutions and companies from research, business and industry. This enables us to provide students of our various programs with important insights from the industry and the latest expert knowledge. In addition to that, we regularly organise exciting contact and further education opportunities for our alumni through our cooperation network.

True to our Motto "ACE Alumni - Connected for Life" we support our graduates in building and maintaining an international and interdisciplinary professional network. At numerous events, alumni can further their education, broaden their own horizons, be inspired - and of course network. In addition, our exclusive online platform offers the opportunity to make contact with other students and alumni and to continuously expand your own network.

Various rankings prove this: Vienna is one of the most liveable, smartest, opens an external URL in a new window and greenest cities in the world. On our campus right in the heart of the city, you can literally feel the high quality of life that Vienna offers our students and employees. In addition to a modern infrastructure, countless cultural offerings and the proximity to nature, Vienna also offers excellent conditions for further education. We are proud to contribute to this with our work every day.