The twenty-year anniversary of Center Austria is not only an ideal time to reflect on the many wonderful achievements of the past two decades. It is also the perfect moment to think about the future. As the new Associate Director, I am developing a vision for how the Center will evolve over the next 20 years. I see the Center building upon its core strengths to remain a vibrant and active part of both the academic and broader community.

My first and foremost vision for the future is to build upon the excellent foundation of the last twenty years. Since its inception, Center Austria has been an exceptional hub for scholarly exchange between Austria and the Gulf South. I hope to maintain and strengthen the student and faculty exchanges, and the Center’s publications as well.

In the next twenty years, I see Center Austria placing ever more emphasis on the promise contained in its recently expanded title. The new designation Austrian Marshall Plan Center for European Studies was chosen in recognition of the reality that understanding Austria requires looking beyond its borders as well. Now more than any time in recent memory, we need to emphasize the ties that bind Europe together.

Finally, I would like to see the Center make ever greater efforts to project its impact into the broader public. The scholarly community that forms the heart of the Center is, and has always been engaged in cutting edge research. This knowledge must find a place in the public discourse.

For me, an alumnus of the Academic Year Abroad in Innsbruck program inaugurated by Center Austria, it is a true honor to be able to help steer the Center as it enters its third decade of existence. My own life has been immeasurably enriched through the Center’s student exchange program; my career has taken inspiration from affiliated scholars passionate about understanding Austria and Europe. It is my sincere wish to help the Center continue to have these type of life-changing impacts.

Marc Landry
Associate Director
Center Austria