Daniel WaschnigOliver Vitouch, who served as Rector of the University of Klagenfurt from 2012 to 2024 and played a pivotal role in shaping its development over many years, has been elected to serve as the new Rector of mdw – University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna. He will now take on the leadership of one of the world’s most prestigious universities of the arts.

The University Council of mdw unanimously elected Oliver Vitouch as its new Rector on 31 October 2026. He will take up his position on 1 October 2027 for a four-year term of office, succeeding Ulrike Sych, who has led mdw since 2015.
The University of Klagenfurt warmly congratulates its former Rector on his appointment to this prestigious and highly responsible position. His election is a significant recognition of his extensive experience in leading and developing higher education institutions, as well as his longstanding commitment to advancing higher education and research in Austria.
mdw – a world-leading university of the arts
As Rector of mdw, Oliver Vitouch will lead one of the largest and most internationally successful universities dedicated to music and the performing arts. Founded in 1817, the university has approximately 3,000 students from around 70 countries and some 1,500 members of staff. Its academic and artistic programmes span music, music education, acting, and film, alongside a broad range of scholarly and artistic research disciplines.
Its position among the world’s leading institutions is consistently reflected in outstanding international university rankings. In the 2019 QS World University Rankings by Subject, mdw shared first place worldwide in Performing Arts with the renowned Juilliard School in New York. In 2026, it ranks sixth globally in the same subject area.
With the Max Reinhardt Seminar, its internationally acclaimed instrumental and vocal training programmes, and the Vienna Film Academy, mdw is home to institutions of exceptional artistic distinction. The university also makes significant contributions to academic research, particularly in fields such as ethnomusicology and music psychology. One notable example of its research excellence is the award of the prestigious Wittgenstein Prize to Ursula Hemetek in 2018.
In this way, mdw brings together artistic excellence, scholarly research, and educational expertise at the highest international level.
Oliver Vitouch – a biographical profile
Oliver Vitouch was born in Vienna in 1971. He studied psychology at the University of Vienna, where he completed his doctorate and obtained his habilitation in 2002. Alongside his academic studies, he pursued professional musical training in clarinet performance at the former Conservatory of the City of Vienna, now the Music and Arts University of the City of Vienna (MUK). His research interests in music and music psychology bring together these two areas of expertise.
Following research and teaching appointments in Vienna, Berlin – including at the Max Planck Institute for Human Development and Freie Universität Berlin – and St. Gallen, he was appointed Professor of Cognitive Psychology at the University of Klagenfurt in 2003.
He chaired the University Senate from 2006 to 2012 and served as Rector of the University of Klagenfurt from 2012 to 2024. From 2008 to 2010, he was President of the Austrian Psychological Society. Between 2016 and 2024, he held the positions of President and Vice-President of Universities Austria (uniko) in alternating terms.
He also serves on the Board of Trustees of the Institute of Science and Technology Austria (ISTA) and on the Executive Board of the Austrian Research Association (ÖFG).
The University of Klagenfurt extends its warmest congratulations to Oliver Vitouch on his election and wishes him every success, fulfilment, and inspiration as he takes on his new role at the helm of mdw.
Der Beitrag University of Klagenfurt congratulates former Rector Oliver Vitouch on his election as Rector of mdw – University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna erschien zuerst auf University of Klagenfurt.