The meeting was the third in a series of meetings with key individuals from the University of Vienna. In it, ELI’s President Prof Dr Pascal Pichonnaz reassured Rector o Univ-Prof Dipl-Ing Dr Heinz W Engl that he remained as committed to maintaining and expanding on the existing cordial and mutually beneficial relations that exist between ELI and the University.

President Pichonnaz disclosed that he had already met Dean of the Law Faculty of the University of Vienna, Prof Dr Brigitta Zöchling-Jud, and Speaker of the Vienna Doctoral Academy (VDA), Prof Dr Franz Stefan Meissel, with a view to forging ever closer ties and exploring avenues for cooperation.

Among other things, Rector Engl revealed that he was pleased with the impact ELI had made since its establishment and with its integration of young and established scientists in ELI’s work.

Rector Engl has been instrumental in anchoring ELI in Vienna, having negotiated the first Framework Partnership Agreement between ELI and the University while he was still Vice-Rector. Although his term ends in 2022, he vowed to do his very best to ensure that ELI’s Secretariat remains in Vienna.

ELI is deeply indebted to him for affording it a stable base upon which to pursue its causes.