A group of close to forty senior and junior participants of this year’s iASK Summer University went for an excursion to Vienna on 27 June. The first stop was at the Vienna School of International Studies(DA).Founded by Maria Theresa in 1754 this is the oldest existing institution of its kind, one of the leading educational and research institutions in the field of international relations worldwide. It has MA and PhD programmes with a most unique professor/student ratio: 90 professors for 190 students. We were received and briefed by Prof. Emil Brix who also gained at this School important prerequisites for his work in the Austrian diplomatic service culminating in secondments as Ambassador to London and Moscow. In addition to talking about the work of the School we also had the time for a short exchange about current international political affairs, especially the Russian aggression against Ukraine.
After a short relaxing break in the georgous park of Belvedere palaces we visited the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) headquartered at the Vienna International Centre. Established as an autonomous entity in 1957 under the United Nations this is the only organization within the UN system with expertise in nuclear technology.It verifies through its inspection system that member states comply with their commitments under the various non-proliferation agreements to use nuclear material and facilities only for peaceful purposes. We were briefed by the leaders of the Library and the Archives of IAEA and were shown around in their storage facilities where great efforts are made to preserve essential documents pertaining to the manyfold activities of te Agency.
