On October 9th, the City of Innsbruck and the University of Innsbruck came together for a follow-up meeting under the EUniverCities initiative. Held at the Innsbruck City Library, the event focused on “Science Communication in Urban Spaces: Synergies Between City and University.” Representatives from both the city and the university participated in workshops to explore how they can better collaborate in communicating scientific knowledge to the public. 

Vice Mayor for External Relations, Georg Willi, Vice Mayor responsible for Education and Higher Education, Elisabeth Mayr, and University Rector Veronika Sexl emphasized the importance of this partnership. They see significant potential in linking the city’s and university’s expertise to address the challenges of conveying scientific facts in today’s rapidly evolving media landscape. 

“City and university both face the challenge of effectively communicating knowledge in a changing media environment. It makes sense to collaborate, identify synergies, and use our EUniverCities network to tackle these issues together,” stated Vice Mayor Georg Willi. 

Strengthening Ties Through Communication Initiatives

Vice Mayor Elisabeth Mayr highlighted how EUniverCities enables sustainable connections between academic knowledge and city practices. “Our projects under this initiative help bring together experts from both sides to find innovative ways of enhancing institutional cooperation,” she said. University Rector Veronika Sexl echoed these thoughts, adding, “Knowledge and science are the foundations of society. In urban settings, we have unique opportunities to bring science into public spaces, fostering dialogue between the university and the community.” 

With these initiatives, the city and university not only work towards deeper cooperation but also aim to build a society more engaged in scientific and urban issues.