Statement des Jury-Vorsitzenden

Univ.-Prof. Dr. Konrad Krainer

The list of the hosts of the former EUSO competitions is in some way an illustrious hall of fame for European universities. Beginning with the first European Union Science Olympiad in Dublin City University in 2003, the EUSO was guest in The Netherlands, a second time in Ireland, in Belgium, Germany, Cyprus, Spain, Sweden, Czech Republic, Lithuania, Luxemburg and Greece.

To host the 13th European Union Science Olympiad in Klagenfurt, Austria, is a great honour for the organizers.

The Science Centre of the University College of Teacher Education Carinthia (UCTE) and the Scientific Partner institutions, the Departments of Biology, Chemistry and Physics Education at the Karl-Franzens-University Graz, and the University College of Teacher Education Styria have been working for more than two years to make the EUSO 2015 an unforgettable event.

It is a pleasure for me – as a member of the Alpen-Adria-Universität Klagenfurt – to chair these scientific Olympic Games. I have always been in close cooperation with the organizers who are, for example, valuable partners in the Austrian-wide project IMST (former: “Innovations in Mathematics, Science and Technology Teaching”, now “Innovations Make Schools Top”) or work together in professional development programmes and a large teacher education curriculum project. Regarding all these activities, I am in close contact with the UCTE and of course with the Rector of the UCTE, Dr. Marlies Krainz Dürr.

We wish the skilled and talented students from the European Union a great week in Carinthia. We also hope that they will be able to show all their capacities and talents to their mentors and to the Scientific Jury.

I will be present during the entire EUSO 2015 week and -- as the chairman -- will do my best to ensure an open and friendly communication within the Austrian Scientific Committee and the honourable guests representing the European countries.

Konrad Krainer is Full professor at the Alpen-Adria-Universität Klagenfurt, Austria. He worked several years as a mathematics teacher and wrote his Doctoral dissertation in the field of geometry education. His recent work focuses on mathematics teacher education, school development and educational system development. He is co-editor of several books (e.g., one volume of the International Handbook of Mathematics Teacher Education, and the National Education Report Austria 2015) and leader of the nation-wide IMST project. He was Associate Editor of JMTE, founding and board member of the European Society for Research in Mathematics Education, member and provisional  chair of the Education Committee of the European Mathematical Society and was the founding Director of the School of Education of the Alpen-Adria-Universität Klagenfurt. He gave several invited lectures and took part in or chaired plenary panels at international conferences. He is the Chair of the International Programme Committee for CERME 9 (Prague 2015).