Resignation of the principal: Turbulent days on the applied!

Resignation of the principal: Turbulent days on the applied!

The University of Applied Arts in Vienna is facing an unexpected upheaval: Rector Petra Schaper Rinkel has announced that it would resign her office "by mutual" with effect from January 15th. The resignation takes place just a few months after taking office in October 2023 and follows on continuing criticism of your leadership style and the strategic orientation of the university. The reason for the decision were "different perspectives regarding the strategic orientation", as it says in a press release and, as is the OÖN reported.

During her short term, Schaper Rinkel was faced with some challenges. The decision was particularly controversial not to replenish the professorship for film and media at the applied, which led to allegations of "clear sash across the organization", among other things. Former colleagues were concerned about a "regime of fear" and criticized the poor management and the abolition of the psychosocial service at the university. Katharina Gsöllpointner, a media and art theorist, called the circumstances "morally and humanly very questionable" and spoke of fear for jobs.

criticism and resignation

in the run -up to her withdrawal, Schaper Rinkel defended her measures and explained that the changes made were part of a necessary conversion process. "To create space for the new means change, and that is connected to all of us," she quotes ORF Vienna . Despite their ambitions for the university and an already formulated "comprehensive development plan", it became obvious that their visions did not match many employees. In the interior, Vice Rector Maria Zettler will take over the business until a successor is appointed.