Horst Bischof has been at the helm of TU Graz as Rector since October 2023. The current rectorate term ends in September 2027. Horst Bischof was reappointed as Rector of TU Graz by the relevant committees in April 2026 for the term of office from 2027 to 2031.
Both the University Council, chaired by Professor Christa Neuper, and the Senate, chaired by Professor Annette Mütze, are committed to the continued dynamic development of TU Graz, building on the focal points and achievements of recent years: ‘We’re extremely pleased to reappoint Horst Bischof as Rector and thus to continue to pursue the successful strategic orientation of TU Graz. The approval of both electoral committees is a strong signal of unity and continuity and at the same time recognition of the extraordinary dedication of Rector Horst Bischof. “With him at the wheel, TU Graz will continue to consolidate its position as an internationally networked and regionally influential scientific institution of excellence, even in challenging times,” said Neuper and Mütze in a joint statement.
TU Graz as a global player with a strong regional impact
“The trust placed in me fills me with gratitude and humility,” says Horst Bischof on the occasion of his reappointment. “I am aware of my responsibility to keep TU Graz on a reliable course into the future.” In his second term of office, Bischof will be focusing on the sustainable positioning of TU Graz as a 4th Generation University – as an internationally effective trendsetter with a strong regional impact. High-profile research priorities will be further strengthened; knowledge and technology transfer will be intensified through the expansion of industry and university partnerships, spin-offs and start-ups will be boosted and regional value creation will be sustainably increased. In teaching, digital and research-based training will be further expanded. More freedom and even better studyability should make studying and teaching at TU Graz even more attractive, with strong programmes that extend into the postgraduate area of lifelong learning. Sustainable campus and infrastructure development – keyword Campus Inffeldgasse – as well as ambitious sustainability measures will also characterise the second term of office. Rector Horst Bischof: “I am very much looking forward to continuing to provide important impetus for society and the economy with TU Graz and to strengthening our international profile in research and teaching.”
Biographical sketch: Horst Bischof
Born in 1967 in Saanen, Switzerland, and brought up in Upper Styria, Horst Bischof studied computer science at Vienna University of Technology (TU Wien) and then worked as a research assistant at the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences (BOKU), Vienna. He returned to TU Wien as a university assistant, where he gained his doctorate in 1993 and his habilitation in 1995. He then became visiting professor at the Institute of Computer Graphics and Vision at TU Graz before he was appointed Professor of Computer Vision in 2004. Horst Bischof was Vice Rector for Research at TU Graz from 2011 to 2023, before succeeding Harald Kainz as Rector in October 2023. Further details about his responsibilities can be found on the website Rectorate of TU Graz.
