Through globally oriented and personalized education, Webster Vienna Private University (WVPU) aims to generate knowledge and prepare students for success. The university’s approach to education is rooted in five core values. These are namely—a student-centered approach; the integration of theory and practice and research-led teaching; Individual accountability and social responsibility; Commitment to diversity and inclusion; and Global perspective.

Insightful Educational Commencement

Founded in 1981, Webster Vienna Private University was established as the second European campus of Webster University that was founded in 1915 and is located in St. Louis, Missouri. Webster Vienna was the only American university during a time when higher education in Austria was still traditional and universities did not offer degree programs purely in English.

In 1981, it received accreditation as an Austrian private university and was officially named the Webster Vienna Private University. The accreditation was an important milestone for Webster Vienna. It allowed the university to offer two diplomas—one American and one Austrian—opening the door for its students to pursue advanced or post-graduate studies not just in the USA but also in the European Higher Educational Area.

Effectual Study Programs

Currently, Webster Vienna offers seven bachelor’s degree programs. These include Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration; Bachelor of Arts degrees in International Relations; Bachelor of Arts degree in Management (General, and with Emphases in International Business and Marketing); Bachelor of Arts in Psychology; and Bachelor Strategic Communication.

The university offers five master’s programs, namely—Masters of Arts degree in International Relations; Masters of Arts degree in Psychology (with an Emphasis in Counseling Psychology); Masters of Science degree in Marketing; Masters of Science degree in Finance; and Master of Business Administration.

Piloted by a Promising Leader

At the core of Webster Vienna, Deidree Diño serves as the MSc Head of Admissions. She leads a team that regularly collaborates with all academic and administrative departments for ensuring new students are prepared to fulfill expectations and be successful. She represents Webster Vienna in several recruitment events and constantly seeks new opportunities to find solutions and improve processes with other department heads as well. “Webster Vienna offered me the opportunity to help newly admitted students transition to the next chapter of their academic careers,” remarks Deidree.

Comprehensive Student Support Services

Webster Vienna offers comprehensive student support services through its Student Resource Center. The university offers the following additional benefits to its students:

• Faculty Advisor and Department Coordinator: Provides personalized guidance throughout the entire program of study;
• Library and Textbook Service: Provides students with textbooks, reference materials, and other resources, required for their coursework and research;
• Language Center: Helps students improve their reading, writing, and presentation skills through one-on-one or small group tutoring sessions;
• Quant Center: Offers free tutoring in Math and Statistics at all levels and across all disciplines.

The university fosters a ‘Global Alumni Network’ that supports and connects students after graduation and throughout their careers. Additionally, it also endorses a good selection of clubs for encouraging extra-curricular programs and events. These include Webster’s Model UN, the SIR Eta Alpha Honors Society, the Student Government Association, the LEADS program, Webster’s Community Week, and the annual “Webster’s Got Talent” competition. Webster Vienna also provides ample study abroad opportunities at one or more of the other Webster campuses in its global network.

Diverse Career Development Opportunities

Webster Vienna’s Career Services Team is committed to helping students and alumni find the best possible career opportunities. It offers one-to-one or small group career counseling and coaching and organizes career workshops and events such as career lunches, professional photoshoots along with on-campus recruiting. The team collaborates with the online platform, JobTeaser, where students connect with potential employers and can apply directly for internships and job openings.

Webster Vienna also provides students with opportunities to accumulate work experience through its Webster Vienna Training Scholarship program. Through this program, students can apply for training positions for research projects or administrative departments within the university and earn tuition fee discounts for their work.

Encouraging Foreign Amalgamation

Webster Vienna harbors a welcoming approach to helping students throughout their journey. It has 30 different nationalities represented among its faculty and staff. The university treats its students equally regardless of their nationality, race, or background and does not entertain differences in tuition fees based on citizenship. It aims to annually award its merit and needs-based scholarships to a diverse group of students.

Webster Vienna inputs tremendous effort to assist international students as they transition to life in Vienna, especially if it is their first time abroad. It helps them with general questions on Austrian student residence permit applications and answers their questions and concerns about settling in Vienna. Its current students–through the Student Government Association and the university’s LEADS program – have resources in place to help promote and encourage diversity.

Fostering Rich Cultural Experience

Webster Vienna’s American-style and European-accredited programs in Vienna puts it in a commendable position for introducing culture, history, art, and music to its foreign students. The university offers opportunities for its undergraduate students to learn German. It also holds Language Cafés where students and faculty or staff can start pursuing German or other languages such as Italian. 

For a fascinating cultural experience, Webster Vienna provides an opportunity for its students to attend a traditional ball during the ball season in Vienna. The university collaborates with its sister campuses in Europe through its leadership retreats, where students in Vienna can engage and form strong connections with their counterparts in Geneva and Leiden.

Strategic Measurements during Crisis

The global pandemic made all educational institutions realize how indispensable and valuable technology is for effective teaching and learning, especially when conventional forms of instruction are all but impossible. On a fortunate note, Webster Vienna had access to technological tools and faculty and staff dedicated to ensuring that learning did not stop despite the challenging circumstances. Its parent university in the US provided Webster Vienna with all the necessary upgrades. By the beginning of the fall semester in 2020, the university had access to better tools for communication that helped it surpass the unprecedented times.

Anticipating Prolific Environment

Webster Vienna envisions proliferation during the upcoming academic sessions. For its fall semester–which began in September 2021–the university plans to allow access to its courses via distance learning for those students who experience visa difficulties or travel or health restrictions. This hybrid approach is currently in practice and more challenging for the instructors as they have to ensure that students on campus and online benefit from the lectures.

Aside from the occasional issues related to internet connectivity, Webster Vienna anticipates that the majority of its students will be more eager and motivated to participate and satisfactorily complete their coursework. The university envisions a normal work environment for its faculty and staff and eagerly looks forward to more opportunities for community building.

Also Read: The 10 Most Prestigious Human Universities in 2024

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The establishment of Riga Technical University (RTU) dates back to the middle of the 19^th century. Founded in 1862, RTU is the oldest technical university in the Baltics and was initially known as ‘Riga Polytechnical Institute’ or ‘Riga Polytechnicum’. At the time of its inception, there were numerous economic and political changes due to the industrial revolution that further accelerated the growth and development of the university. 14^th October 1862 is the day when students for the first time enrolled for their studies and is celebrated as RTU’s birthday every year.

The institute played a major role in the revolution of Riga city at the initial stage of the 20^th century as its professors and graduates contributed their efforts in developing and implementing gas and electricity supply systems, tramcar transport systems, and building brick houses. Apart from this, many RTU professionals have worked in several prestigious projects including construction of the Panama Canal, Trans-Siberian Railway, and co-inventing three-phase electrical systems.

Declared as one of the largest higher education institutions in Latvia, the polytechnic institute was renamed Riga Technical University by March 1990. Gradually, RTU implemented a three-level system for higher education consisting of Bachelor, Master, and Doctoral levels. Many prominent scientists have worked at the institute including August Toepler, Etienne Laspeyres, George Armitstead, Wilhelm Ritter, Mikhail Dolivo-Dobrovolsky, Engelbert Arnold, Paul Walden, and Wilhelm Ostwald (the only Nobel Prize Laureate from the Baltic States and one of the pioneers in Physical Chemistry).

Itineraries of Courses

The RTU offers various academic programs/courses at each degree level including undergraduate, master, and doctoral.

Undergraduate students have a variety of courses to choose from. Some of them are listed below:

• Aviation Transport: This program aims at providing professional education to students related to the maintenance of aircraft mechanisms and avionics systems along with analyzing and designing the operation of systems.
• Chemistry and Chemical Technology: The course provides theoretical knowledge, research skills, and proficiency in chemistry and chemical engineering.
• Telecommunication Technologies and Data Transmission Engineering: The course aims at preparing students to venture into the fields of telecommunication, information communication technology, mobile computing, and computer networking and security.
• Computer Systems: The aim of the course is to enable students to become computer professionals by providing knowledge in software engineering, computer systems development, systems analysis, database technologies, and artificial intelligence.

Some other undergraduate courses offered to students include Clothing and Textile Technology, Economics, Electrical Engineering (Adaptronics), Engineering Technology, Mechanics, Mechanical Engineering, Entrepreneurship and Management, Environmental Engineering, Materials Engineering, Management of International Economic Relations, etc.

Master degree options available for students are:

• Cybersecurity Engineering: This program enables students to acquire knowledge and skills in the field of cybersecurity engineering including design, implementation, improvement, and management of IT security systems, and understand professional ethics and socially responsible management.
• Business Finance: The program has been designed for students interested in quantitative analysis of economic, financial, and business processes, and has strong analytical abilities.
• Business Informatics: There are three types of courses involved in the program including ICT courses (Advanced Data Technologies), Business courses (Business Ethics), and Integrated courses (Business Process Management and Engineering).
• Telecommunication Technologies and Network Management: The program delivers both theoretical and practical knowledge from electrical engineering and computer science.

Other exclusive master degree courses offered by the RTU are Entrepreneurship and Management, Environmental Engineering, Industrial Engineering and Management, Innovation and Entrepreneurship, Management of International Economic Relations, Logistics and Supply Chain Management, etc.

The RTU also provides both part-time (5-year program) and full-time (4-year program) courses for Doctoral studies with 21 accredited Doctoral study programs in engineering, natural sciences, architecture, social, and service sciences.

In addition to these three professional courses, RTU also organizes short-term summer/winter courses providing additional educational opportunities to students. These courses enable students to acquire new knowledge, practical skills, and experience and develop self-confidence and independent learning skills.

Promoting Diversity

With the intent to promote diversity and provide opportunities to students from all over the world, RTU offers various scholarship programs to International students including the Latvian Government and the RTU Global Outreach scholarship program. In addition to these scholarship programs, the university also initiates the ‘Erasmus Exchange Program’ for international students to participate.

This program enables its participants to pursue higher studies in Europe in at least two different EU higher education institutions. Furthermore, to enhance technical and development skills and incorporate the overall personality development of its students, RTU has also introduced numerous vertical integrated projects. These projects will enable the students to learn new skills apart from their specialization and be involved in the development of a new product.

Supplementary Initiatives

RTU not only focuses on the academic development of the students but also encourages them to pursue other leisure activities by offering additional benefits and programs. There are professional teams for different sports categories that students can pursue for leisure. In addition to this, students also have the option to join various interest groups including music, band, acting, and other creative fields. RTU offers Latvian History and Culture courses to all its students along with the opportunity to learn the Latvian language for one semester.

The RTU Design Factory is another initiative by the university that brings together research, education, and the industry, and creates a new hands-on learning culture and opportunities. The platform offers a wide range of technologies including laser cutting and engraving, 3D printing and scanning, high-speed CNC machining, and post-processing allowing students and researchers to create new and complex solutions.

The researchers of the design factory team possess a variety of skills in mechanical engineering, robotics, creative thinking & methodologies, electronics, product development, design, and business. Some of its most recent prestigious projects include a hockey puck shooter that uses AI, a type of water treatment system, a training device for brass instruments, and customized equipment for researchers testing composite materials.

Career Prospects

RTU has its own career center through which they organize activities and services for the career development of its students. The activities are organized based on 3 objectives that include:

• Integrating universities, students, employers, and RTU graduates
• Developing professional careers of students
• Providing career and psychological support

RTU prepares students for various work and internship programs through a practice vacancy portal, suggestions for building a professional CV, motivational letter, as well as placement of jobs and internships. RTU provides psychological support to students by providing free consultations of a psychologist assisting them in resolving issues related to their personality, relations, study motivation, stress management, and emotional well-being.

For students with disabilities or other special needs, the university provides a full-fledged study process. In addition to all these programs, RTU also organizes numerous projects and seminars for its students to encourage and promote career and self-development. Moreover, it organizes the ‘RTU Career Day’ every year. It is one of the largest events devoted to student career and practice-related issues in Latvia that has helped students over the years to start and develop their professional careers.

Digital Transition

The COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown restrictions caused a massive transition from classroom teaching to digital teaching. The university adopted the digital transition and purchased a range of licenses for students to enable them to access online teaching/learning resources. These licenses include Coursera, online webinars, and meeting platforms such as Zoom, Teams, and WebEx. To maintain stability and uncompromised learning, classrooms of RTU were equipped with video conferencing options. In the near future, RTU will continue to promote diversity and give every student the opportunity to learn along with hosting USA study for abroad students.

ALSO READ: Top 10 Software Training Institutes to look for 2023

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Committed to personal excellence, RIT Croatia provides a comprehensive and career-oriented curriculum for the students. Harboring a future-oriented approach, RIT Croatia is committed to integrity, academic excellence and focuses on personal as well as professional growth. Established in 1997, RIT Croatia is a global campus of a prominent American private university Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT), from Rochester, NY. Since 25 years of its establishment, RIT Croatia has been providing top American higher education programs in Croatia, Europe with campuses on two beautiful locations: Dubrovnik, the Pearl of the Adriatic and the country’s capital – Zagreb.

Plethora of Comprehensive Academic Plans

RIT Croatia remains the only institution for higher education in Croatia that grants 2 diplomas—the American diploma awarded by RIT and a Croatian diploma awarded by RIT Croatia. The college harbors student strength of around 850 on both campuses. The classes are delivered in English (the official language of the college) with a vibrant international environment. Moreover, students are also provided the opportunity to spend a semester or two at RIT’s campuses in Rochester (NY, USA), Dubai (UAE), or Kosovo (Europe). On its campus in Dubrovnik and Zagreb, RIT Croatia offers the following American undergraduate (BSc) programs from RIT:

• Web and Mobile Computing / Information Technology (Dubrovnik, Zagreb)
• International Business (Zagreb)
• Hospitality and Tourism Management (Dubrovnik)

As a part of RIT Croatia’s life-long learning initiatives, the college facilitates the opportunity for students to pursue the following Master of Science degrees from Rochester Institute of Technology, at RIT Croatia’s Zagreb campus:

• Master of Science degree in Service Leadership and Innovation;
• Master of Science degree in Information Sciences and Technologies.

The academic programs offered by RIT Croatia are regularly evaluated, developed, and updated in consideration of two aspects. These include the job market and type of knowledge students require to succeed in the business world.

A Center of Excellence

RIT’s reputation as one of the world’s top universities has been acknowledged by several leading college guides, industry, and internationally respected publications. As its global campus, RIT Croatia cooperates with the main campus and other campuses daily and implements the academic excellence and high-quality standards that RIT stands for.

The academic programs and curriculum are entirely aligned with those offered at the main campus in Rochester. Moreover, the quality of programs offered by RIT Croatia has also been confirmed by various international accreditations. These include The Middle States Commission on Higher Education; AACSB International; The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business. Additionally, RIT Croatia has been accredited by Agency for Science and Higher Education (Croatian Ministry of Science, Education, and Sports).

Holistic Career-Oriented Approach

As the global campus of an American university, RIT Croatia enables students to pursue high-quality American higher education in Croatia. Moreover, the college stands out with its focus on career development, developing practical knowledge, and cooperative education. RIT is internationally recognized for its career-oriented education.

The college offers a motivating and challenging environment to its students through various projects and interactive study. Its faculty encourages students to develop critical and analytical thinking and to know how to deal with challenges and obstacles. Through support and cooperative education programs, RIT Croatia’s Career Services office helps students in preparing them for the job market. Its advisers help students choose and build their careers, make contacts with potential employers, and assist in finding co-op placement. 

Integral Focus on Practical Knowledge

RIT Croatia integrally focuses on the aspect of practical knowledge. The students undergo minimally 800 hours of co-ops (or internships), during their 4 years of study. Being a student-centric institution, the college promotes an individual approach to all of its students—from enrollment and admission to academic affairs to career advising throughout their studies. The college assists the students with making decisions concerning their academic lives and career paths. Moreover, RIT Croatia grooms students to be the best version of themselves and easily compete in a global job market with high-quality career-oriented education and committed faculty and administration.

Promoting Diversity on Campus

RIT Croatia promotes diversity, curiosity, innovativeness, and integrity. Being the global campus of RIT in Europe, it attracts students from all over the world. Its International Student Office provides full support to all incoming international students, helping them with their legal status in Croatia, housing, and the overall integration into their new home during their 4 years of study. Via Erasmus+ program, RIT Croatia has created quality partnerships with universities all over the world and has developed partnerships with 22 universities from Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Poland, Slovakia, Spain, Slovenia, and Turkey.

Evaluating Strengths during Crisis

The COVID-19 pandemic has initiated disruptive changes and impacted every industry, company, and household throughout the world. In terms of education, the pandemic has accelerated the need for digital transformation. Being a part of a global university, all campuses of RIT began preparing for an online transition during the early period of 2020. RIT upholds almost 40 years of experience in distance learning. The infrastructure and tools used by RIT Croatia for teaching classes are laid out for both in-class and online teaching. In virtual classrooms, faculty combines synchronous activities (lectures through Zoom and Blue Jean’s tools) and asynchronous activities through an online learning platform.

During the pandemic, RIT Croatia ensured the safety of its students, staff, and faculty along with all its community. The college has developed and distributed the Safety Plan for Academic Year 2021/2022 defining its behaviors and operation standards during the pandemic. It also has a COVID-19 alert level system that helps the college monitor the safety level on both of its campuses. A team of RIT Croatia officials evaluates and monitors internal and external factors in determining the current level of safety daily. In addition, the college has developed a dashboard on its website that provides daily updates regarding the number of possible positive and isolation cases of the RIT Croatia campuses community.

Emphasizing Overall Growth

Along with striving for academic excellence and career proficiency, RIT Croatia also emphasizes extracurricular activities, socializing, and having fun as an essential part of studying. The students volunteer, participate in student clubs, and are engaged in the Student Government. Students have the opportunity to participate in research projects with the college’s faculty, indulge in rich student life, form lasting friendships and create memorable moments.

With an overall focus on the growth and development of its students, RIT Croatia also prioritizes the financial aspects of the students. The college offers scholarships and financial aids to its incoming students. It allows students to earn scholarships during their studies, while also providing them an opportunity to work at the college and get paid for it.

Read Full Magazine: The 10 Most Prominent European Universities of 2021 

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Providing human-focused high-quality education and competitive service, Óbuda University (ÓU) has been a major player in the higher education market. A 140-years old institution, the university has origins in the second oldest university of Hungary that was established in 1410.

Commitment to Higher Education

Presently, Óbuda University is a key player in Hungarian higher education and a leading practice-oriented and the highest-ranked technical HE institution in Hungary. It is committed to teaching in a student-friendly manner and providing opportunities for lifelong studies creating a vibrant community. Its primary emphasis is high-quality educational programs and talent management that are based on strong theoretical fundamentals, practical workshops, own and international academic research results.

The main values of Óbuda University include:

• Theoretically founded, practice-oriented training;
• Modern infrastructure;
• Extensive talent management;
• Cooperation with prominent stakeholders of the economy, industry, and technical science;
• Internationally acknowledged research and development opportunities and facilities; and
• Professional and recognized scholars, helpful staff, and talented students.

An Array of Academic Programs

Óbuda University offers a wide range of academic programs. These include twelve bachelor’s, seven master’s, and three doctoral degree programs. The teaching and research fields at the university include engineering, computer science, business and economics, pedagogy, and physical science. It also offers complete English-language programs on both undergraduate and graduate levels.

Óbuda University constitutes of 7 faculties—each faculty having at least one program in English at bachelor or master level. Altogether, there are 8 BA, 5 full MA (with specializations), and 3 doctoral programs for prospective students in English. Additionally, the university also offers high-level vocational training, distance learning, and professional extension courses that enrich its offerings.

Led by Prodigious Rector

At the core of the university, Prof. Dr. Levente Kovács (Rector of Óbuda University) is entrusted with several important duties and roles of the institution. Prof. Kovács joined the ÓU community in 2012 and worked as Vice-Dean for Education at the John von Neumann Faculty of Informatics between 2013 and 2018. He was promoted as the Vice-Rector for Education in 2018-2019 and has been the Rector of the University since July 2019.

As the Rector of the university, his duty is to link education with scientific and third mission/society dissemination, taking into account the opportunities and revolutionary aspects of the cyber-physical world introduced by Industry 4.0 challenges.

Fostering European Culture and Values

Óbuda University is committed to fostering the idea of sustainable cultural heritage in Europe. As a state member, it participates in major EU projects for education and culture— such as the Erasmus and Erasmus+. The university offers multiple events that allow participants to meet innovative and creative educational solutions serving the transmission of cultural heritage. These include digital skills modules, workshops, study visits, and structured exchange programs.

Additionally, the university is the leading university in a Visegrad Four Countries Research Project that aims to make Central European Universities more visible to international rankings. It believes in a global mindset and encourages students from beyond Europe to apply and pursue their studies at the university.

Prioritizing Internationalization

Óbuda University prioritizes internalization—offering multiple English-language academic programs. The university provides an opportunity to foreign students for part-time study, guest student studies, and preparatory studies. The International Education Office is responsible for organizing international mobility and non-academic activities for international students.

Óbuda University harbors the belief that interaction between students from varied cultural, ethnic, and social backgrounds, and worldviews can help change minds or shape their ideas and build community at the same time.

Active Encouragement of Non-Academic Activities

Óbuda University supports the establishment of research groups that satisfy market needs and lays the foundation of various production processes. The university initiates the establishment of competence centers that intensively cooperate with market players and carry outstanding research, development, and innovation activities.

Óbuda University is an active player in the international scientific community. The university provides outstanding results in various fields, namely—robotics, biomedical engineering, cyber-medical systems, machine intelligence, intelligent systems, and many more. In collaboration with the IEEE Hungary Section, the university organizes numerous IEEE-sponsored international conferences in Europe as well as overseas—providing high-level publication platforms for authors.

Additionally, Óbuda University has a strong applied science and technology focus. Its development strategy hinges on championing industry-business engagement including various science park development projects.

Garnering Career Opportunities

To help Hungarian and international students prepare for their careers in the globalized world, Óbuda University devotes attention to the internationalization of its programs. Its faculties and members have made tremendous efforts to develop, include and enhance international elements into the university’s curriculum. This includes education in the international classroom which is supported by the fact that students of Óbuda University are obliged to take a minimum of two courses taught in a foreign language during their degree program. 

The university helps its students develop contacts for information and advice for career planning. It connects them with companies offering internships from dual-program studies to cooperative programs.  For strengthening practice-oriented education, the university established its Industry Council in 2020 that intends to expand to its various sites with local industry councils. It aims to initiate the establishment of industrial departments, which will have a strong impact on the number of dual places, the model of vocational training transformation, the creation of knowledge centers, and the increase in the number of industrial R&D jobs.

Swift Steering through Transitions

The COVID-19 pandemic severely impacted the entire higher education sector around the world. Due to its impact, Óbuda University had to undergo rapid change in the conditions of performing education and research.

However, the university managed to achieve a smooth transition to online teaching with its cutting-edge technologies, infrastructure, and well-established online education solutions. Despite campus closures, all the classes and examinations, including the final examinations, were fully organized online successfully.

Renewal of Educational Policies

An important goal of Óbuda University is the renewal of its educational offer. The university strives to accomplish this by launching, in many cases interdisciplinary programs and specializations aimed at improving Hungary’s competitiveness on the international market in various fields such as cyber security, artificial intelligence, green and sustainable energy, military industry specializations, and others.

In addition to the unified transformation of its BSc and MSc courses in the Industry 4.0 direction, the university intends to implement its ideas by establishing new doctoral schools with both Hungarian and English language programs. The university aims to instigate a development trajectory that continuously increases its scientific performance, which with consistent work can achieve the metrics of the world’s first thousand universities.

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