New Our new corporate identity
It was then that she first realised that even small changes, such as not using palm oil, can have far-reaching effects on other parts of the world.
Today, she works as an EU project manager and sustainability expert at the KDZ - Centre for Public Administration Research in Vienna. Her focus is on supporting European cities such as Amsterdam, Barcelona, Hamburg and Bordeaux in integrating the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) into their local budget planning. She studied on the part-time, English-language Master's programme European Studies - Management of EU Projects at the University of Applied Sciences Burgenland.
Prior to this, she completed a Bachelor's degree programme at the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences (BOKU) with a technical and scientific focus. At the same time, she studied Transcultural Communication at the University of Vienna. As the daughter of Bosnian parents, it was important to her to further develop her intercultural background.
The combination of environmental sciences, intercultural communication and European studies with a specialisation in EU project management opened up new perspectives for me and sharpened my view of global connections.
Sara Deranja, graduate of the Burgenland University of Applied Sciences
In search of an interdisciplinary qualification, she decided to enrol on the Master's degree programme "European Studies - Management of EU Projects" (MEST) at the University of Applied Sciences Burgenland.
"I was already fascinated by the European Union when I was at school - perhaps because I felt the special privilege of growing up in a borderless Europe since I was a child. A freedom that my parents were only able to experience later. This personal experience of the free movement of people had a lasting impact on my understanding of European integration."
What she particularly remembers from her time as a student is the interdisciplinary nature of the courses - from political science and project management to EU law - as well as the international students and the practical study trips to Brussels and Prague. These experiences gave her a tangible understanding of how the EU works.
The Master's programme also enabled her to take an in-depth, academic look at EU law and the impact of European legislation on the Austrian legal system. Building on this expertise, Sara started at the Bundesimmobiliengesellschaft (BIG), where she was responsible for implementing the CSRD Directive in the sustainability department.
Now, as a project manager at KDZ, she manages the entire project life cycle of a cross-border EU project. She draws up detailed project and resource plans, monitors budgets and ensures that risks are recognised and managed at an early stage. Her other tasks include reporting to the European Commission and moderating stakeholder workshops and strategic meetings. In addition, she works as a research assistant in the project and is responsible for research on the topic of SDG budgeting.
Sara finds the intercultural, professional exchange with people from different countries particularly exciting. No two days are the same, and the work requires a lot of agility and flexibility - which is exactly what she loves about it.
Her advice to young people:
Be curious, develop different interests and network early on! In the EU sector, it's not just specialised knowledge that counts, but also intercultural competence, linguistic diversity and the ability to understand interrelationships at different levels. And don't forget the soft skills!
Sara Deranja, Project Manager at KDZ
# Gepostet in:
Besondere Stories,
Alumni Stories,
Masterstudiengang Europäische Studien - Management von EU Projekten
