MANAGEMENT of CU Carinthia University
MANAGEMENT
FH Prof. Mag. Dr. Martin Waiguny
Managing Director
+43 5 90500 7000
m.waiguny(at)cuas.at
Mag.a Barbara Taferner
Executive Assistant
+43 5 90500 2005
b.taferner(at)cuas.at
Mag.a Claudia Haid
Executive Assistant
+43 5 90500 7003
c.haid(at)cuas.at
FH-Prof. Mag. Dr. Peter Granig
Authorized signatory
+43 5 90500 7100
p.granig(at)cuas.at
RECTORATE
FH-Prof.in MMag.a Dr.in Prof. Kathrin Stainer-Hämmerle
Mag.a Anneliese Heitzinger
Assistant to the Rector’s Office
+43 5 90500 7101
a.heitzinger(at)cuas.at
SUPERVISORY BOARD
A Supervisory Board of the non-profit limited liability company (GmbH), composed of experts and aligned with the academic programsoffered by CU Carinthia University, supports the university’s operational development. The Supervisory Board oversees the company’s strategic direction in the areas of education policy, academia and research.
Chair:
- Dr. Sabine Herlitschka, CEO of Infineon Technologies Austria AG in Villach
Vice Chair:
- Univ.-Prof. Dr. Heribert Nacken, Professor and Rector’s Representative for Blended Learning and Exploratory Teaching Space at RWTH Aachen
Members:
- Dr. Karl Cernic, Managing Director of the Carinthian Health Fund
- Dr. Arnold Gabriel, Member of the Board of the Carinthian State Hospital Operating Company (KABEG)
- Mag. Wolfgang Pucher, MA, Federation of Austrian Industries/Managing Director of Junge Industrie Kärnten
- DI Dr. Petra Rodiga-Laßnig – Head of Telecommunications at KELAG-Carinthian Electricity Corporation
UNIVERSITY ADMINISTRATION of CU Carinthia University
The University Board is the highest decision-making body at CU Carinthia University.
It establishes the framework for the university’s future-oriented and sustainable development. To this end, it sets strategic goals, makes fundamental operational decisions and monitors university processes. It serves as a role model for the entire organization.
The management, the rectorate, the deans of the study areas as well as the heads of the listed service areas constitute the university leadership of CU Carinthia University:
- Mag.a Petra Bergauer, Head of Marketing & PR
- FH-Prof.in DI Dr.in Ulla Birnbacher, MSc, Vice rector
- FH-Prof. Mag. Dr. Thomas Fenzl, Dean of the Faculty of Business & Management
- FH-Prof. Mag. Dr. Peter Granig, Authorized signatory
- DI Herbert Kotschnig, MBA, Head of Controlling
- Mag.a Alexandra Liegl, Head of the CU Academy
- FH-Prof. DI Dr. techn. Christian Menard, Dean of the Faculty of Engineering & IT
- DI Dr. Claudia Pacher, Head of CU Research
- FH-Prof. Mag. Dr. Holger Penz, Dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences & Social Work
- FH-Prof. DI Dr. Martin Schneider, Dean of the Faculty of Built Environment
- FH-Prof.in MMag.a Dr.in Kathrin Stainer-Hämmerle, Rector
- Prof. Martin Waiguny, M.A., Ph.D., Managing Director
OWNER of CU Carinthia University
FH Kärnten – a nonprofit private foundation – is the 100% owner of FH Kärnten – a nonprofit limited liability company – and, as a holding company, defines the strategic framework for the university’s development.
The foundation's board of directors consists of three volunteer members and oversees the day-to-day operations of the nonprofit limited liability company.
- Dr. Karl Cernic, Managing Director of the Carinthian Health Fund, Chair of the Foundation’s Board of Directors
- Mag. Wolfgang Pucher, MA, Federation of Austrian Industries/Managing Director of Junge Industrie Kärnten, Member of the Foundation’s Board of Directors
- DI Dr. Petra Rodiga-Laßnig – Head of Telecommunications at KELAG-Kärntner Elektrizitäts-Aktiengesellschaft, Vice Chair of the Foundation Board
The Supervisory Board of the nonprofit private foundation – consisting of ten members – is responsible for establishing strategic guidelines for teaching and scientific research and for overseeing the work of the Foundation’s Executive Board. The Supervisory Board’s goal is to provide advice and input on the university’s strategic considerations, contribute expertise and foster collaboration between the university and the business community.
Chair: Mag.a Beate Gfrerer, Managing Director of Kärntner Volkshochschulen GmbH
Vice Chair: DI Walter Wiedenbauer, Managing Director of Sto Ges.m.b.H.
Members:
- Mag.a Silke Bergmoser, Director of HTL Ferlach
- Mag. Armin Ebner, Federal Construction Guild and Trade Association of the Construction Industry
- City Councilor Mag. Franz Petritz, City of Klagenfurt
- DI Josef Moser, Trade Association of the Electrical and Electronics Industry
- City Councilor Christian Pober, BEd., City of Villach
- Mag. Udo Puschnig, Office of the Carinthian Provincial Government
- Ina Rauter, Municipality of Spittal
- Mayor Martin Treffner, Municipality of Feldkirchen
The private foundation consists of 14 founders:
- Alpen-Adria University Klagenfurt
- Federal Construction Guild
- Trade Association of the Construction Industry
- Trade Association of the Electrical and Electronics Industry
- State of Carinthia
- State Capital Klagenfurt
- Silicon Austria Labs GmbH
- Municipality of Feldkirchen
- Municipality of Spittal an der Drau
- Municipality of Villach
- Association for the Establishment of the Klagenfurt University of Applied Sciences
- Association for the Promotion of the Carinthia University of Applied Sciences
- Association of Austrian Industry, Carinthia Regional Group
- Carinthian Chamber of Commerce
The Board of Trustees serves as the academic advisory board for CU Carinthia University. Its primary mission is to promote the university of applied sciences system in Carinthia and, in particular, to support and advise it in the development and evaluation of degree programs as well as in the establishment of research activities.
The members of the Board of Trustees:
- DI Josef Fugger, Infineon Technologies AG
- Associate Professor Barbara Hinterstoisser, M.A., Ph.D., University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna; Vice Chair of the Board of Trustees
- Mag.a Ulrike Koscher-Preiss, Managing Director, Humanomed Consult GmbH
- Dr. Claudia Mischensky, Federation of Austrian Industries, Chair of the Board of Trustees
- Univ.-Doz. Dr. Claudia-Elisabeth Wulz, University of Vienna (CERN)
- Dr. Tatjana Schaschl, Chair of the Supervisory Board, Treibacher Industrie AG
FACULTY of the CU Carinthia University
The University Faculty is responsible for coordinating the content of all teaching activities. The Faculty’s goal is to ensure a high level of quality in teaching, research and continuing education at CU Carinthia University.
The Faculty Council carries out its duties in accordance with Section 10(3) of the Higher Education Act (FHG).
It elects
- the chairperson and the vice chairperson based on a list of three candidates proposed by the institution. With the approval of the faculty, this list may be reduced to two candidates.
It deliberates on and decides
- the motion to the governing body to remove the director or the deputy director from office, or a statement regarding the governing body’s intention to do so, in the event that these officers have grossly violated or neglected their duties or are no longer able to fulfill their duties;
- changes concerning accredited degree programs in agreement with the governing body;
- the establishment and discontinuation of degree programs and university courses in agreement with the sponsor;
- Submission of budget proposals (capital expenditures, operating expenses and personnel costs) to the governing body;
- Strategic development of teaching, applied research, and internationalization to ensure competency-based and future-oriented higher education programs in consultation with the sponsoring body;
- Ensuring the quality of teaching and research, as well as evaluating the entire teaching operation, including examination regulations and curricula;
- the conferral of academic honors customary in the university system, in agreement with the governing body;
- the adoption of rules of procedure and bylaws in agreement with the governing body;
- to rule on appeals against decisions made by the program administration.
It coordinates
- the content of all teaching activities;
Pursuant to Section 10(4) of the Higher Education Act (FHG), as amended, the leadership of the faculty is responsible for
- – provided that they are full-time employees – the responsibility for appointing and issuing instructions to members of the teaching and research staff to ensure the proper conduct of teaching operations and high-quality, practice-oriented education at the university level, as well as, within the framework of quality assurance, the assignment of tasks and the issuance of subject-specific instructions to program directors and heads of academic organizational units;
- the awarding of teaching assignments based on recommendations or after consultation with the faculty;
- representing the faculty to external parties;
- the implementation of the faculty’s resolutions;
- the conferral and revocation of academic degrees, as well as the recognition of foreign academic degrees;
- submitting proposals to the governing body regarding the heads of academic organizational units and teaching and research staff;
- Commissioning and participating in the implementation of external quality assurance procedures in agreement with the governing body.
Members of the Faculty Council
The Faculty Council is chaired by the Rector. In addition to the Rector and the Vice Rector, the Faculty Council includes six program directors, six representatives of the teaching and research staff and four student representatives from CU Carinthia University. These representatives on the Faculty Council are elected by their respective groups (colleges) every four years. Currently, the Faculty Council comprises the following members:
NEW RECTORATE, effective October 1, 2026
At its meeting on June 17, 2026, the University Council of CU Carinthia University appointed the academic leadership. In the election, FH-Prof.in MMag.a Dr. Kathrin Stainer-Hämmerle was elected rector and FH-Prof.in DI Dr.in Ulla Birnbacher, MSc, was elected vice rector.
FH-Prof.in MMag.a Dr.in Kathrin Stainer-Hämmerle
Rector
K.Stainer-Haemmerle(at)cuas.at
FH-Prof.in DI Dr.in Ulla Birnbacher, MSc
Vice Rector
U.Birnbacher(at)cuas.at
FH-Prof. DI Daniel Bednarzek, MSc
Program Director of Sustainable Real Estate Management
Faculty of Built Environment
FH-Prof. Mag. Dr. Alexander Schwarz-Musch
Program Director Business Development & Management
Faculty of Business & Management
FH-Prof.in Evelin Haimburger, MSc.
Program Director of Advanced Practice in Diagnostic Imaging
Faculty of Health Sciences & Social Work
FH-Prof. Mag. Dr. Klaus Wettl
Program Director of Healthcare Management
Faculty of Health Sciences & Social Work
FH-Prof. DI Dr. Erich Hartlieb
Program Director of Industrial Engineering
Faculty of Engineering & IT
FH-Prof. DI (FH) Dr. Markus Prossegger
Program Director of Applied Data Science
Faculty of Engineering & IT
Prof.in Dr.in Rahel Schomaker
Teaching and Research Staff
Faculty of Business & Management
FH-Prof.in Dr.in Melanie Breznik, BSc, MA
Teaching and Research Staff
Faculty of Health Sciences & Social Work
FH-Prof. Dr. Martin Schusser, MSc. M.Ed.
Teaching and Research Staff
Faculty of Health Sciences & Social Work
FH-Prof.in Dipl.-Ing.in Dr.in Daniela Ströckl, BSc
Teaching and Research Staff
Faculty of Engineering & IT
FH-Prof. Priv.-Doz. Dipl.-Ing. Dr. Mario Kapl
Teaching and Research Staff
Faculty of Engineering & IT
Mag. Stefan Breuer
Teaching and Research Staff
Faculty of Built Environment
Maya Leitner
Student Representative
Faculty of Business & Management
Matthias Krasser, BA
Student Representative
Faculty of Business & Management
Günther Steiner
Student Representative
Faculty of Built Environment
Florentina Müller, BSc
Student Representative
Faculty of Engineering & IT
Establishment of Committees
Legal Basis (Excerpt from the Board’s Rules of Procedure):
If the Board so decides, committees may make decisions on behalf of the Board in matters not governed by Section 10 of the Family Affairs Act (FHG), as amended. Decisions by a committee in place of the Board in matters covered by § 10 FHG, as amended, are permissible only if the committee is constituted in proportion to the composition of the Board (2:6:6:4). To support its work, the Board has currently established the following committees:
The Committee on Academic Programs and Teaching Affairs develops draft resolutions for the Faculty Council; these specifically address the examination and academic regulations, proposed amendments to existing degree programs and university courses, proposals for new degree programs and university courses, continuing professional development in teaching, funding for teaching and learning projects, etc.
Students and prospective students may file complaints with the College’s Appeals Commission regarding a decision made by a program director, provided that such decision personally affects and disadvantages the complainant. In addition, a complaint may be filed if the program director failed to make a decision when one was required.
The complaint, including a detailed description of the facts, must be submitted in writing to the Rector’s Office.
Legal Basis:
Pursuant to Section 10(3)(11) of the Higher Education Act (FHG), as amended, the university is responsible for ruling on complaints from students and prospective students regarding decisions made by the program administration and has established a committee (as defined by the FHG: Committee) “Complaints.”
The internal guideline RE-P02 “Filing Complaints” is available in the QM Library on the intranet and is accessible to all staff and students.
