More than 380 exchange students from more than 50 countries begin their studies abroad at the University of Salzburg at the beginning of the winter semester 2019/20. Bürgermeister-Stv. Dr. Barbara Unterkofler, Dr. Sabine Veits-Falk and Vice-Rector Prof. Dr. Sylvia Hahn welcomed the students on Monday in the Marmorsaal of the Schloss Mirabell in the “City of Knowledge Salzburg”. The evening was musically framed by three gifted musicians of the Universität Mozarteum.

In the current Economists’ Ranking of the German Handelsblatt, University Professor Florian Huber (31), from the Salzburg Centre of European Union Studies (SCEUS), placed 100th place in the ranking for current research achievement and 62nd place in the Young Economists’ ranking, which rates the overall research performance of under-40s.

The neurobiologist Belinda Pletzer from the University of Salzburg is researching the effect of contraceptive pills on the brain. In an extensive study with 300 subjects, it should be determined whether and in what way this drug influences their thinking. The top Salzburg researcher was awarded a Starting Grant from the European Research Council (ERC) for her project. The high-profile EU funding was endowed with 1.5 million Euro.