Gabriele Ambros new honorary senator of FH Burgenland

Eisenstadt, 31 October 2023 - Honour to whom honour is due. In the festive atmosphere of the Haydnsaal at Esterházy Palace in Eisenstadt, FH Managing Director Georg Pehm and FH Rector Gernot Hanreich conferred the title of "Honorary Senator" on Gabriele Ambros on behalf of the entire university and in the presence of a large number of guests.

Committed companion and pioneer

MMag^.a DDr^.in Ambros has continuously chaired the Supervisory Board of FH Burgenland since it was constituted in 2015. "In this role, she has made a significant contribution to the strategic direction of the university, the expansion of the study programme and research activities as well as the economic development of FH Burgenland," emphasised Pehm in his laudatory speech.

During Ambros' tenure as Chair of the Supervisory Board, the range of degree programmes at FH Burgenland was expanded to 60 degree programmes and university courses. The number of regular and non-degree students grew from 2,600 to 7,700. The research activities of FH Burgenland and Forschung Burgenland have more than doubled. Last but not least, around 100 additional jobs were created at the university during this period under Ambros' chairmanship. "That is an absolutely impressive result," emphasised Pehm.

As Chairwoman of "Forschung Austria", the Austrian umbrella organisation for non-university, application-oriented and business-related research and technological development, as Chairwoman of the "Council for Research, Technology and Innovation Burgenland", the Supervisory Board of the Research Promotion Agency and as Chairwoman of the Supervisory Board of Forschung Burgenland, Ambros had contributed significantly to the development of regionally anchored, yet nationally and internationally oriented research activities at FH Burgenland, supported broad networking in the RTI landscape and was jointly responsible for the establishment and expansion of research infrastructure at the two locations of FH Burgenland.

The function at the top of the Supervisory Board of FH Burgenland includes, in particular, responsibility for the sound and sustainable economic development of FH Burgenland. Gabriele Ambros has made a significant contribution to this with her experience as an entrepreneur and her in-depth knowledge of university and non-university educational and research institutions, according to the UAS management.

Special honour with high standards

The honorary title of "Honorary Senator" is an award for which one cannot apply, but can only be nominated. This is only the second time that this special honour has been awarded during the celebrations to mark 30 years of FH Burgenland. The first Honorary Senator of the FH Burgenland is former Provincial Councillor Helmut Bieler, who accompanied the FH for many years as the responsible member of the government.

About the person

Gabriele Ambros holds a doctorate in business administration and ancient history and antiquity from the University of Vienna. Her main occupation is publishing house owner and managing director of Verlag Holzhausen, which publishes the research magazine Austria Innovativ. Ambros served on the University Council of Graz University of Technology and was a member of the Council for Research and Technology Development from 2010 to 2015. She is also a member of the supervisory board of the Austrian Science Fund FWF and the Albertina as well as chairwoman of the supervisory board of FH Burgenland and a member of the university council of the University of Salzburg.

The press release

The press picture

Further information:
Mag^.a Christiane Staab
Marketing & Communication
Fachhochschule Burgenland GmbH
Tel: +43 (0)5 7705 3537
E-Mail: christiane.staab@hochschule-burgenland.at