OMV and WU: cooperation in research and teaching

April 16, 2013 - 12 pm (CET)

OMV and the Vienna University of Economics and Business (WU) are launching a comprehensive cooperation initiative for research and teaching. Alongside the regular exchange between the partners about the latest research developments, a new institute for “Social Entrepreneurship, Sustainability and Performance Management” will be set up as part of the initiative and will include an endowment professorship. The cooperation also includes the sponsorship of rooms in the Library and Learning Center at the new campus. The cooperation will run initially for five years and complements the collaboration already in place. OMV CEO Gerhard Roiss sees the cooperation as a milestone:  “Because today’s education is tomorrow’s competitive edge”. For WU Rector Christoph Badelt “anchoring WU firmly in the world of business is a particular priority”.

The planned title for the endowment professorship is “ Business Performance Management and Sustainability” at the newly established institute for “Social Entrepreneurship, Sustainability and Performance Management”, part of the Department of Strategic Management and Innovation. The focus will be on evaluating the economic performance of companies and integrating social innovation and sustainability into the core business of established companies.

Mutual benefits from knowledge exchange
WU has been a partner in the international research project GOLDEN (Global Organizational Learning and Development Network) since 2011. The initiative’s goal is to pinpoint new ways in which companies can conquer the global challenges related to economic, ecological and social sustainability. The plan is for both cooperation partners to secure the regular exchange of research findings and practical experience. In addition, a knowledge network for the energy sector will be set up; its remit will include identifying and evaluating findings and industry trends with a focus on fossil fuels. The goal is to establish a knowledge network by exchanging expertise and promoting research. OMV CEO Gerhard Roiss: “Companies must take their responsibility towards society more seriously. High-quality education will unlock the future potential for young people, thereby securing Austria’s standing as a great place to do business. The collaboration with WU is another milestone in our cooperation with top universities”.

Intensive anchoring in the world of business
“As a university of economics and business, anchoring WU firmly in the world of business is a particular priority. We are delighted to have gained OMV – one of Austria’s largest companies – as a cooperation partner. Through the ongoing exchange of information and knowledge we expect to see important drivers from the real-life business world for our existing activities in the fields of social innovation, sustainability and business performance. Our goal is to give these topics greater attention in both research and teaching and – thanks to OMV’s support – we can also dedicate resources to this project in the future”, WU Rector Christoph Badelt on the cooperation.

Cooperation plain to see on new campus
The cooperation between WU and OMV will be clearly visible at the new WU Campus, set to open in October 2013. The rooms in the Library and Learning Center will bear the name “ OMV Library Center”. “We view the participation on campus as a declaration of long-term teamwork. Sponsoring the library clearly underlines this intention”, said Rector Badelt. The Library and Learning Center, designed by Zaha Hadid, forms the hub of the new campus and will house event rooms, study services, the Vice Rector for academic programs, the WU ZBP Career Center, a café and a bookshop, alongside the rooms of the OMV library centre.

Existing activities to continue
This is not OMV’s first cooperation with WU. OMV is a corporate partner of the WU ZBP Career Center and attends regular career events in this role. What is more, both OMV and WU are members of the CEMS network (The Global Alliance in Management Education), consisting of 29 universities and around 70 companies worldwide. As part of this network, WU is the only university in Austria to offer the dual Masters degree program “ International Management/CEMS“. OMV CEO Gerhard Roiss: “We know that as an international, integrated oil and gas company the only way we can master the challenges of the changing energy landscape is with the best technologies and the best minds. In this regard, WU is an ideal partner in making us fit for the future”. Further steps are in the pipeline for this cooperation including an OMV presence in the “Energy Management” MBA at the WU Executive Academy.

For further information, please contact:

Vienna University of Economics and Business
Cornelia Moll
PR Manager
Tel: + 43-1-31336-4977
cornelia.moll@wu.ac.at

OMV Media Relations
Robert Lechner
Spokesperson
Tel.: +43-1-40440-21661
robert.lechner@omv.com

WU (Vienna University of Economics and Business)
WU (Vienna University of Economics and Business), founded in 1898, is Europe’s largest university for business and economics with around 24,000 students from Austria and abroad. It is known for its attractive range of programs, efficient organization and a broad choice of specializations and research areas. WU works closely with the corporate world, enabling it to set new standards in fundamental research and applied studies. The academics and researchers ensure a broad range of academic excellence covering everything from economics and business through to law, socioeconomics and language studies. WU will move to the new campus in the 2013/14 winter semester; the campus is located between Messe Wien and the green Prater. The campus, one of Europe’s largest university construction projects, will boast six complexes offering ample space for teaching, studying and research and was designed by international architects.

OMV Aktiengesellschaft
With Group sales of EUR 42.65 bn and a workforce of around 29,000 employees in 2012, OMV Aktiengesellschaft is Austria’s largest listed industrial company. In Exploration and Production, OMV is active in two core countries Romania and Austria and holds a balanced international portfolio. OMV had proven oil and gas reserves of approximately 1.12 bn boe as of year-end 2012 and a production of around 303,000 boe/d in 2012. In Gas and Power, OMV sold approximately 437 TWh of gas in 2012. In Austria, OMV operates a 2,000 km long gas pipeline network with a marketed capacity of around 103 bcm in 2012. With a trading volume of around 528 TWh, OMV’s gas trading platform, the Central European Gas Hub, is amongst the most important hubs in Continental Europe. In Refining and Marketing, OMV has an annual refining capacity of 22 mn t and as of the end of 2012 approximately 4,400 filling stations in 13 countries including Turkey. OMV further strengthened its position through the ownership of a 97% stake in Petrol Ofisi, Turkey’s leading company in the retail and commercial business.

Sustainability at OMV
OMV is using the Resourcefulness concept to actively implement responsible behaviour across the entire value chain. The goal is to create win-win situations for society, the environment and OMV through innovative solutions. The focus is on water and CO2 management, securing future energy resources and local education and development measures with a focus on support for women. OMV is a signatory to the UN Global Compact and an active supporter of social and ecological values. The company reports on its activities in a sustainability report in accordance with the Global Reporting Initiative Guidelines.

download image 1: OMV CEO Gerhard Roiss and WU Rector Christoph Badelt, (JPG, 76.1 KB)

download image 2: OMV CEO Gerhard Roiss and WU Rector Christoph Badelt, (JPG, 2.7 MB)