2005: An Idea Is Born

The year 2005 marks the beginning of the Projects Vernissage at the St. Pölten University of Applied Sciences. The idea came from Dipl.-Ing. Grischa Schmiedl, Head of the Institute of Media Informatics at the St. Pölten UAS, and MMag. Birgit Schmiedl, lecturer in the field of project management, who wanted to introduce the students to the secrets of project management within the framework of a project management event and to market projects from the study programme Telecommunications and Media in the form of a trade fair.

Even in its first edition, the Projects Vernissage exuded a certain interdisciplinarity due to the project ‘Bildungsportale’ (education portals) in which students from the degree programmes Telecommunications and Media and Media Management  worked together on the implementation of online media for children and young people. The project was headed by Grischa Schmiedl and FH-Prof. Dipl. Päd. Corinna Haas, lecturer of media management.

Projects Vernissage 2005

In December 2005, the first Projects Vernissage took place at the St. Pölten UAS under the supervision of Grischa and Birgit Schmiedl as well as Corinna Haas. 16 project groups from the study programme Telecommunications & Media and four interdisciplinary project groups from the study programmes Media Management and Telecommunications & Media presented their projects. Thanks to a budget of EUR 30 for designing their respective booth, the students were able to make their project presentations interesting and to give their exhibition area a personal touch. Visitors consisted of the project teams themselves as well as their fellow students, friends and invited guests who had the opportunity to examine the various projects in details for two to three hours. In a pleasant and friendly atmosphere, the guests made new contacts, exchanged information and enjoyed the evening with a glass or two of sparkling wine.

Projects Vernissage 2007

Following the great success of the first Projects Vernissage, this ambitious event was repeated in 2007. With more than 30 projects from the study programmes Telecommunications & Media, Media Management, and Computer Simulation, the range of projects and topics was even broader than the first time.

Projects Vernissage 2008

The Projects Vernissage 2008 was off to a good start in terms of growth and innovation: for the first time, project groups of all UAS study programmes were invited to participate in the project exhibition. Student teams from Dietetics, Media Management, Media & Communication Consulting, Media Technology, Telecommunications & Media, and Social Work presented their projects to a broad audience. At approximately 50 projects (and more than 300 project team members), the number had almost doubled. As luck would have it, the Assembly Hall of the new UAS building was available as an event venue for the first time and gave the Projects Vernissage a great trade exhibition flair. Guests from the St. Pölten UAS as well as external visitors such as Lower Austrian state representative Dr. Michalitsch, city councillor Mag. Gamsjäger and Mag. Kolarz-Lackenbacher from the Society for the Promotion of the St. Pölten UAS all expressed their admiration for the innovative potential and inventiveness of the students.

Projects Vernissage 2009

More than 40 student exhibitor teams from all study programmes presented their projects to a broad audience made up of UAS members and external guests. The topics ranged from school cooperation as well as image and experimental film to virtual tours of the UAS. The visitors were enthusiastic about the creative potential, the technical know-how and the high level of expertise of the UAS’ students. The exhibitors were pleased as well: in addition to presenting their own projects, they also used the Projects Vernissage to gather information about the other study programmes.

Projects Vernissage 2010

‘GipfelstürmerInnen unter sich’ (peak performers united) was the motto of this student fair at the St. Pölten University of Applied Sciences. More than 60 exhibitors from all areas of study presented their innovative and creative ideas. This pleasing number of exhibitors meant a new record in the history of the Projects Vernissage. The event provided an opportunity for students and staff members to assess each other’s project and product ideas, thus stimulating a lively exchange of experience, interests and teaching. ‘Sensing Movement’, an early warning system for slope movements, was awarded the prize for best project.

Projects Vernissage 2011

Under the motto ‘Sprungbrett in die Zukunft‘ (jump into the future), approximately 60 exhibitor teams from all study programmes presented their projects to the public at the 6^th Projects Vernissage. A jury made up of six business representatives unanimously selected the project ‘Website VS Pottenbrunn’ (elementary school Pottenbrunn website) as the winner of this year’s Projects Vernissage. The high quality of all teams – from the project assignment to the implementation – made it hard for the jury to decide. For the first time, the second prize was awarded to two projects: ‘Hilfe für Lugarawa’ (help for Lugawara) and ‘Dressya – der virtuelle Kleiderschrank’ (Dressya – the virtual wardrobe).

Projects Vernissage 2017

With 111 exhibitors from ten study programmes, the event exceeded the mark of 100 for the first time. An expert jury selected the winners in ten categories (read more here). The students presented highly creative and innovative but, at the same time, workable projects representing an enormous density of interesting works at the St. Pölten UAS. An audience prize was awarded through text message voting for the first time as well. It went to the project ‘Schmerzfreikarte’ (pain-free card).