The Austrian Marshall Plan Center for European Studies Reopens in New Orleans

Ribbon cutting. From left: UNO Student Government President David Teagle, Consul General of FranceGrégor Trumel, Dr. Anton Fink, Ambassador Hans Peter Manz, Alea Cot, Peter J. Fos, Steve Striffler.

Dr. Anton Fink, Vice President of the Austrian Marshall Plan Foundation, joined foreign dignitaries at the grand opening of the University of New Orleans' new International Center on January 19, 2015. The Center also houses the newly renamed Center Austria: Austrian Marshall Plan Center for European Studies.

Center Austria builds on four decades of student and faculty exchange between the University of New Orleans and the University of Innsbruck. The Center today serves as a major hub for academic exhange between Austria and the United States and also hosts the Austrian Marshall Plan Chair in Austrian Studies.

The new International Center, which will serve as a campus hub for all of the University's international programs and services, was opened by Dr. Anton Fink, Vice President of the Austrian Marshall Plan Foundation, the Austrian Ambassador to the United States, Hans Peter Manz, the Consul General of France in New Orleans, Grégor Trumel, the President of The University of New Orleans, Peter J. Fos, UNO Student Government President David Teagle, Steve Striffler, the Doris Zemurray Stome Cahit in Latin American Studies, and the master of ceremomy, Alea Morelock Cot, UNO assistant vice president for international education.

The opening ceremony was followed by a Q&A session with Austrian and German students with Dr. Fink and Ambassador Manz, moderated by Dr. Karin Liebhart, the 2014-15 Austrian Marshall Plan Chair at the University of New Orleans. 

Center Austria director Dr. Guenter Bischof (center-left) in conversation with Dr. Fink, Ambassador Manz and President Fos.

Ambassador Hans Peter Manz in front of the Austrian Marshall Plan Center for European Studies.

Q&A session with students: Dr. Anton Fink (left), Ambassador Manz, Dr. Karin Liebhart, and Dr. Guenter Bischof