Science of Civil and Environmental Engineering

Civil and environmental engineers capture, understand, design, calculate, plan and maintain systems in a constant interplay of natural and built environments. In doing so, they assume societal, ecological and economic responsibilities.

At the Faculty of Civil and Environmental Engineering teaching and research are linked closely and pursued at the highest level. We educate future leaders and advise decision makers on socially relevant issues. Civil and environmental engineers thereby play a vital role in improving quality of life and creating a sustainable world in times of change.

Moving beyond the human scale, civil and environmental engineers enter both very small scales (e.g. building material optimization) and very large scales (e.g. transport planning). People are always the center of our actions, as is proclaimed by TU Wien’s mission statement: Technology for people.

As a faculty of TU Wien, we commit fully to this statement and pay special attention to gender and diversity competences being introduced, implemented and maintained sustainably on all hierarchical levels of the faculty. Through this, the Faculty of Civil and Environmental Engineering will continue to support diversity and equal opportunities at TU Wien.

What defines us:

A culture of mutual appreciation

Treating one another respectfully and with appreciation is the basis of our challenging and independent research and teaching duties. We distinguish ourselves by our ability to handle conflicts and build relationships, by bravery, collegiality and knowledge of ourselves and those next to us.

Applied interdisciplinarity

In a world of ever increasing complexity, we believe interdisciplinarity is an indispensable means to improving our ability of understanding the world. Applied interdisciplinarity is therefore an essential part of our continuing learning process. To this end we continue to expand the spectrum of applications for civil engineering competences and support the emergence of new disciplines in research and practice.

Building bridges between fundamental research, application and practice

Our research is focused on generating scientific knowledge based on questions arising from engineering practice. We thereby build bridges in our research and teaching between fundamental science and technical applications, which are essential for our societal development. Civil and environmental engineers guide this process towards implementation of technical applications in everyday use.

Pioneers in mathematical modelling

We aim to make the world more calculable, as this was the starting point for civil engineering as a discipline. The increasing influence of mathematics in our society helps us maintain, shape and develop our world, and also further mathematics and natural sciences themselves.

Fusing experimental and theoretical research

We connect theoretical models, which represent artefacts and processes as modelled reality, with empirical data gathered from measurements from nature and experiments. The latter require theoretical frameworks; and also the nature of the experimental data influences the form of the theory.

Advancing innovation

We advance innovation and performance processes in civil engineering on the basis of our research-driven focus through the individual skills, expertise and abilities of our employees and students. We thus substantially foster the competitive potentials of domestic enterprises and the construction industry as a whole.

Leadership in times of technological, ecological and socio-economic challenges

We are profound problem solvers and take on a leading role in a world that is becoming more complex and fast-paced through our technical expertise and academic reputation.

Strategy and initiatives CEE

This 2030 development plan for the Faculty of Civil and Environmental Engineering (CEE) at TU Wien describes its strategic direction for meeting the challenges of a dynamic world. The aim is to drive the development of a sustainable and resilient built environment through research, teaching, and internationalization. The faculty sees itself as a key national and international player in research and teaching. It focuses on interdisciplinary research and the combination of theory and practice to develop innovative solutions.

The faculty's strategic direction was developed in line with TU Wien's university-wide fuTUre fit strategy process. The eight strategic goals of the university derived from this – including scientific leadership, digital transformation, and sustainability – form the overarching framework within which the CEE faculty positions itself. Findings and guidelines from the fuTUre fit process have been systematically incorporated into this development plan and form an essential basis for the further development of the faculty's research priorities, centers, and initiatives.

The Faculty of Civil and Environmental Engineering's vision of developing sustainable and ethically sound solutions for the built environment is based on rapidly advancing global changes and the need to improve technical resilience and quality while making efficient use of natural resources. This requires a profound transformation in civil and environmental engineering in order to effectively address the ecological and social challenges of the future. The faculty sees itself as a driver of appropriate technical developments that enable the preservation and enhancement of prosperity and quality of life for future generations.

In order to meet future challenges, the faculty has set the following specific priorities for scientific research: (i) Resource-efficient construction: materials, products, construction systems, and construction processes are being developed that are not only more environmentally friendly but also leave a smaller ecological footprint thanks to their innovative design, manufacture, and recyclability. (ii) Reuse of building materials, products, and construction systems: as a key aspect of sustainable development in construction, reuse aims to ensure that building materials and construction systems can be used again without compromising their quality or functionality. (iii) Resilient buildings and infrastructure: Buildings and infrastructure should be more resistant to environmental stresses and usage impacts, and thus also more adaptable and sustainable. (iv) Resilient water systems: achieving sustainable water management requires the restoration of aquatic ecosystems, the protection of water resources, and the development of innovative water treatment processes on the supply and disposal side. (v) Digitalization and AI: advanced digital technologies and AI in planning and digital fabrication contribute significantly to precision and efficiency and will revolutionize construction processes and the construction industry as a whole.

To achieve its strategic research goals, the faculty is establishing the following interdisciplinary centers:

CEE Real Lab – Smart and Resilient Cities: This laboratory promotes resource-efficient and social construction methods by strengthening cooperation between research, industry, and city administrations.

CEE Center for Digital Fabrication of Structures and Systems and CEE Center for Sustainable Building Materials and Systems: Both centers are expected to make significant contributions to decisively improving efficiency and sustainability in construction through innovative (manufacturing) technologies and materials.

Mixed Reality Laboratory: Through the use of immersive technologies, this laboratory enables optimized planning, execution, and monitoring of construction projects and processes.

Center for Water Security: Through its research on protection against climate change-related extreme events, resource management, and pollutant reduction, this center makes significant contributions to cutting-edge international research.

To further strengthen the implementation of these projects, an accompanying excellence initiative provides targeted support to outstanding researchers. Additional resources such as funding, modern infrastructure, and mentoring will sustainably expand the faculty's scientific excellence and innovative strength.

The faculty is responsible for teaching civil engineering and environmental engineering and is committed to "research-led teaching." The following specific strategic development goals are to be implemented in the area of teaching:

  • Introduction of the inter-university master's program "Digital Civil Engineering Science": This English-language, inter-university, inter-faculty master's program is being developed jointly with the Faculty of Computer Science at TUW and the Austrian Montanuniversität Leoben and combines their expertise in civil engineering and computer science into a coherent master's program.
  • Revision of the curricula for the bachelor's and master's programs in civil engineering: The curricula are due to be evaluated in the course of the next target period from 2025 to 2027. The recommendations from the evaluation and the appointment of numerous new professors will then be incorporated into the revision.
  • Greater integration of practical content such as laboratory and field internships
  • Use of modern teaching methods, including mixed reality and virtual excursions
  • Establishment of the above-mentioned specialized centers to promote interdisciplinary skills and combine teaching with innovative technologies.
  • Continuation of the talent internship in cooperation with the TU Career Center

Targeted measures to promote gender equality and diversity, as well as new professorships and career positions, ensure quality in research and teaching.

The faculty is committed to the strategic expansion of international cooperation and the recruitment of top talent. Mobility programs, such as Erasmus, are being intensified to strengthen global networks.

The 2030 Development Plan forms the basis for the sustainable and dynamic further development of the faculty. It combines excellent research, practice-oriented teaching, and interdisciplinary cooperation in order to actively shape the challenges of the future.
 

The Faculty of Civil and Environmental Engineering is committed to pushing the process of gender mainstreaming to optimize the advancement of women. Equality of women and men and social equality of opportunity are to be supported in a targeted manner in all areas. The faculty strives for an appropriate gender balance, especially in management positions and professorships. In addition, a balance in numbers is also strived for in the Pre- & Post-Doc area, in the administration and in the collegial bodies.

The strategic goals are:

  • Increase the proportion of women in top scientific positions
  • Career and personnel development for young female scientists
  • Acquisition of female students

To this end, numerous measures are taken and continuously developed, such as

  • Target agreements with the Rectorate of the TU Vienna for the advancement of women and increasing the proportion of women in the faculty
  • Women's advancement plan of the faculty 2016+ (revision planned for 2021)
  • Establishment of women in the professorial curia and increase of the proportion of women in the academic mid-level staff as well as among the students
  • Participation in information programs and information for prospective students
  • Training of managers and commission members on the topic of gender and anti-bias
  • Support for reconciliation programs

These activities are in close connection with the relevant departments of the TU Wien, in particular the Department for Gender Competence, the Working Group for Equal Treatment Issues and the Compatibility Officer of the TU Wien.

Links

Plan for Advancement of Women TUW

Gender Competence at TUW

Committee on Equal Treatment at TUW

TUW and family/ Compatibility Officer