The title of honorary senator is one of the highest academic distinctions. Today, Thursday 24 November, the president of the Austrian Council for Research and Technology Development, Hannes Androsch, and Magna Europe president Günther Apfalter were made honorary senators by TU Graz. According to the statutes only “outstanding personalities external to the University who have notably distinguished themselves through meritorious service to Graz University of Technology and to the promotion of its academic, technological and cultural tasks” are qualified to receive this honour.
“Hannes Androsch and Günther Apfalter are such outstanding personalities who mould and shape the path of TU Graz continually and with great personal commitment. We would like to express our thanks and solidarity through the award of the title of honorary senator,” said Harald Kainz, Rector of TU Graz. At the academic ceremony on Thursday, 24 November, physicist Werner Hanke from Würzburg was also honoured: he was awarded a honorary doctorate of TU Graz. Harald Kainz: “Werner Hanke is an internationally highly regarded scientist who has had a close connection with TU Graz for many years. The honorary doctorate from TU Graz is in recognition of Werner Hanke’s academic achievements.”
Spirited commitment to science and education
As no less than president of the Austrian Council for Research and Technology Development, Hannes Androsch has stood up for education, science and the Austrian tertiary educational sector for many years. He has a special connection to TU Graz and, for instance, was instrumental in establishing the close cooperation with the Austrian Institute of Technology (AIT).The close cooperation of TU Graz with the automotive supplier Magna is very much due to Günther Apfalter, president of Magna International Europe. The FSI, which was founded together in 2004, led to a sustainable strengthening of the research core area Mobility & Production at TU Graz. Furthermore, the research and science policy strategy of the University is a matter of great concern to Günther Apfalter in his position as member of the Research & Technology Advisory Committee of TU Graz.
