Gerald Bast

Gerald Bast studied law and economics at the Johannes Kepler University in Linz. After receiving his doctorate in law, he worked at the Federal Ministry of Science and Research and at the Ludwig Boltzmann Research Society. Since 2000, he has been rector - re-elected several times - of the University of Applied Arts Vienna where he initiated numerous new study and research programs focusing on the connection between art, science and society. The developments he initiated led to the University of Applied Arts Vienna being accepted by the EU Commission in 2022 into the "European Network of Innovative Higher Education Institutions" consisting of 37 universities in the European Union. Gerald Bast publishes in the fields of higher education management, education and cultural policy. As a speaker at numerous universities including Johns Hopkins University Washington D.C., Columbia University NYC, UCLA, NTU Singapore, Geidai Tokyo, Tong Ji University Shanghai, City University Hong Kong, University of Auckland as well as at the Venice Biennale and the European Forum Alpbach, he has addressed the role of universities in the field of tension between art, science, technology, innovation and social responsibility.