"I work for the future and for young people"

You have been working at the FHV since the summer of 1995. What position did you start in back then and how has your career developed?

Sabine Fister-Tramschek: Klaus Weber was solely responsible for accounting and human resources at the time. The two areas were then separated due to growth and I took over the HR department. We went from 30 employees at the beginning to 70, so we more than doubled in size. Markus Linhart was university management at the time. From 1998, I was on maternity leave for a year and a half and then joined the IT Purchasing department. In 2017, the opportunity arose to take over the degree programme administration for the InterMedia bachelor's degree programme. I had always been interested in InterMedia, so it was a perfect match.  

What was the spirit like in the early days?

Sabine Fister-Tramschek: It was like one big family. Everyone helped out at the staff party or the open day. Back then, we had to explain to people who we were as a university of applied sciences and what we did. It was all new. I remember events in the garden of the beer pub to get the information out to people. There have been many developments since then. Today, I often go to education fairs and realize how much there is on offer for young people. But on the other hand, there is also the opportunity to study at any age and with different approaches. Whereas in the past there was the traditional route with a school-leaving certificate and degree course, today there are more diverse routes, for example with the entrance qualification examination without a school-leaving certificate. The wide range of part-time study programs at the FHV is also impressive. We are broadly positioned with the fields of Engineering and Technology, Business and Management, as well as Work and Health. Our students are diverse - from high school graduates to 50-year-olds who want to know more and are lifelong learners. It's not just Vorarlbergers who appreciate studying with us - we have international students from many countries.  

You have been working for the same organization for 29 years - what makes the FHV stand out as an employer?

Sabine Fister-Tramschek: I work for the future and for young people. I accompany them from the first information evening to graduation. I'm always dealing with young people, that's the best thing about my job. It gives me a deep sense of satisfaction in my work, it's simply a meaningful task. It often happens that I meet graduates. We are happy to see each other again and I am pleased to hear about the interesting paths they have taken in life after studying with us at the FHV.  

What do you wish the FHV for the future?

Sabine Fister-Tramschek: Committed young people who appreciate what they find at the FHV. There are many positive aspects to studying at the FHV. You can feel the spirit here. We are small and personal and offer an excellent infrastructure. The area in Vorarlberg is also unique. We have an impressive landscape with mountains and lakes, a diverse cultural offering, a very well-developed public transport network and a wide range of attractive employers. Students at the FHV are not anonymous. They are not a number and they feel that. And then I wish not only the FHV, but everyone in general, that our graduates carry the graduation promise in their hearts and beyond for the rest of their lives: "...to use the knowledge acquired during my studies responsibly, to contribute to solving society's problems with my knowledge and skills and to protect the natural foundations of life ... "*.  

*Excerpt from the graduation pledge