The Senate is one of the three collegial governing bodies of the Medical University of Vienna (MedUni Vienna).
The Senate is made up of 13 representatives of the University's professors, including the heads of organisational units with research and teaching responsibilities, six representatives of university teaching and research staff, including doctors in specialist training, six student representatives and one representative of the non-academic staff.
The student representatives shall be appointed to the Senate in accordance with the provisions of the Federal Act on the Student Representative Organisations (Students’ Union Act 2014 – HSG 2014). The representatives of the other groups of persons shall be appointed by means of an "election to the Senate" (see "Election to the Senate" below).
Furthermore, a co-opted representative of the Working Group for Equal Opportunities has the right to participate in the meetings of the Senate in an advisory capacity.
The constituent meeting of the Senate for its eighth term of office (October 1st, 2025 to September 30th, 2028) took place on September 12th, 2025.
Duties of the Senate
The duties of the Senate are defined, in particular, in section 25 (1) of the University Act 2002.
In short, the tasks of the Senate include:
- enacting and amending the statute as proposed by the Rectorate;
- approving the draft development plan prepared by the Rectorate;
- approving the draft organisation plan prepared by the Rectorate;
- electing the members of the University Council;
- approving the advertisement for the post of the Rector within two weeks upon receipt from the University Council;
- drawing up a shortlist of three candidates for the election of the Rector by the University Council, taking into account the shortlist of the search committee;
- expressing an opinion on the Rector’s recommendations with regard to the Vice-rectors (number, extent of employment and shortlist);
- participating in procedures for the dismissal of members of the University Council, the Rector or Vice-rectors;
- participating in procedures for the awarding habilitation degrees;
- participating in procedures for the appointment of professors;
- enacting and changing the curricula for study programmes (§ 58) according to § 22 para 1 subpara 12 and § 54d para 2;
- prescription of the academic degrees and titles for graduates of certificate university programmes for further education;
- preparing reports as part of the procedure for preliminary rulings on appeals, for appeals in matters relating to studies;
- appointing collegial bodies with or without decision-making power;
- enacting directives on the activities of collegial bodies;
- approving the implementation of decisions by collegial bodies with decision-making power;
- opinions to the Rectorate prior to the assignment by it of persons to given organisational units;
- establishing a working group on equal opportunities;
- nominating one female and one male member of the arbitration board.
Senate members of the current term of office 01.10.2025 - 30.09.2028
including the heads of organizational units with research and teaching tasks
Univ.-Prof. Dr. Angelika Berger
Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine T: +43 (0)1 40400-32320
angelika.berger@meduniwien.ac.at
Researcher Profil
Univ.-Prof. Mag. Dr. Walter Berger
Center for Cancer ResearchT: +43 (0)1 40160-57555
walter.berger@meduniwien.ac.at
Univ.-Prof. DDr. Christoph Binder
Laboratory MedicineT: +43 (0)1 40400-73755
christoph.binder@meduniwien.ac.at
Researcher Profil
Univ.-Prof. Dipl.-Ing. Dr. Barbara Bohle
Institute of Pathophysiology and Allergy ResearchT: +43 (0)1 40400-51140
barbara.bohle@meduniwien.ac.at
Researcher Profil
Univ.-Prof. Mag. Dr. Wilfried Ellmeier
Institute of Immunology
Univ.-Prof. Dr. Irene Lang
Department of Cardiology
Univ.-Prof. Mag. Dr. Eva Schernhammer
Department of EpidemiologyT: +43 (0)1 40160-34704
eva.schernhammer@meduniwien.ac.at
Univ.-Prof. Dr. Shahrokh Shariat
Department of Urology
Univ.-Prof. Mag. Dr. Maria Sibilia
Center for Cancer ResearchChair
T: +43 (0)1 40160-57501
maria.sibilia@meduniwien.ac.at
Univ.-Prof. Dr. Tanja Stamm
Institute for Outcomes ResearchT: +43 (0)1 40400-16370
tanja.stamm@meduniwien.ac.at
Univ.-Prof. Dr. Rudolf Valenta
Institute of Pathophysiology and Allergy Research
Univ.-Prof. Dr. Ursula Wiedermann-Schmidt
Institute of Specific Prophylaxis and Tropical MedicineT: +43 (0)1 40160-38290
ursula.wiedermann-schmidt@meduniwien.ac.at
Assoc. Prof. Priv.-Doz. Dr. Markus Zeitlinger
Department of Clinical PharmacologyThird Deputy Chair
T: +43 (0)1 40400-29810
markus.zeitlinger@meduniwien.ac.at
including doctors in specialist training
Ao.Univ.Prof. Dr. René Wenzl
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology T: +43 (0)1 40400-29620
rene.wenzl@meduniwien.ac.at
Ap.Prof. Priv.-Doz. Dr.rer.nat. Stefanie Widder
Department of Medicine I
Ao.Univ.-Prof. Dr. Birgit Willinger
Divisions of Clinical MicrobiologyFirst Deputy Chair
T: +43 (0)1 40400-51510
birgit.willinger@meduniwien.ac.at
Jakob Hütter
Marius Polay
Alexis Treitler
Carolin Vollbrecht
Sophie Weißgärber
Second Deputy Chair
sophie.weiszgaerber@oehmedwien.at
David Zach
Gordana Sikanic
Department of Biomedical Imaging and Image-Guided TherapyFourth Deputy Chair
T: +43 (0)1 40400-48210
gordana.sikanic@meduniwien.ac.at
Univ.-Prof. Dr. Alexandra Kautzky-Willer
Department of Medicine IIIAll members of the Senate perform this task on an honorary basis and receive no remunerations for this.
Dates of meetings 8th periode
- 12.09.2025 - Constitutive session
- 17.10.2025
- 28.11.2025
-
23.01.2026
-
20.03.2026
-
13.05.2026
-
19.06.2026
-
02.10.2026
-
20.11.2026
-
22.01.2027
-
19.03.2027
-
30.04.2027
-
18.06.2027
-
15.10.2027
-
03.12.2027
-
28.01.2028
-
17.03.2028
-
05.05.2028
-
23.06.2028
The Senate shall appoint collegial bodies (commissions) with decision-making powers for appointment and habilitation procedures as well as for the enactment and amendment of curricula.
The following commissions are currently established at the MedUni Vienna:
- Curriculum Commission Human Medicine
- Curriculum Commission for Doctoral Studies
- Curriculum Commission Dentistry
- Curriculum Commission for University Courses
- Curriculum Commission for Master's Studies
- Habilitation Commissions
- Appointment Commissions
In addition, the Senate may establish other collegial bodies to advise or decide on individual tasks, such as the "Senate Commission for Complaints in Student Affairs".
The commissions fulfil important design and supervisory functions at the MedUni Vienna.
The MedUni Vienna is a highly respected institution for research, teaching and applied medicine. The MedUni Vienna is constantly being further developed through the work of all its staff.
Interest, commitment and cooperation in our institution are most welcome.
If you are interested in the work of the Senate, please contact its representatives in the Senate.
The term of office of the Senate is three years and starts on October 1st of the referred year. The last election which led to the current composition of the Senate was held on June 12th, June 13th and June 16th, 2025.
Elections to the Senate have to be announced by the Rector in the Notification of the MedUni Vienna no later than five weeks before the election day (day of announcement of the election, "effective date").
All persons who are in active employment or service at the MedUni Vienna on the day of announcement of the elections ("effective date") are eligible to vote and to stand for election.
Proposals for election may be submitted in writing to the election commission no later than two weeks before the election day.
The conduct of the election to the Senate is regulated in detail in Section I of the Statutes of MedUni Vienna (content is only available in German).