Photo by Stefan Ogris on Unsplash
On 17 February we decided not to risk the insecurities and inequalities that would come with a face-to-face conference and to hold MES 11 as an online conference. The information below still applies to the originally planned face-to-face conference and will be replaced in time.
Austria
Austria (in German: Österreich) is an Alpine country in Central Europe and a member of the European Union. Austria has a secularised parliamentary democracy. It borders Germany, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Slovenia, Italy, Swizerland and Liechtenstein. The country has nearly 9 million inhabitants, the majority of which identifies as Roman Catholic christians, while there are considerable Eastern Orthodox, Protestant and Muslim minorities. Austria's official language is German, although a variety of dialects are spoken throughout the country. The highest proportion of inhabitants of non-Austrian ethnicity are autochthonous or immigrated speaker of South-Slavic languages such as Slovenian and Croatian, followed by Germans and Turks. Communication in English for asking your way or for shopping is usually possible, but Austrians are not generally fluent in English. Until 1918, Austria was a multi-cultural hegemonial state with up to 53 million inhabitants, which explains some of the representational grandeur, especially in the capital Vienna, despite the small size of the country today.
Klagenfurt
Klagenfurt am Wörthersee is the capital of the Austrian federal state of Carinthia (in German: Kärnten) and has about 100,000 inhabitants. It is a regional centre of business, culture and science, and has an airport and a university. Its location at the shores of the Wörthersee, a clear Alpine bathing lake that stretches for 16.5 km, combined with the proximity of the Mediterranean Sea, Italy and the Balkans, accounts for its touristic appeal.
Entry and visa policy
Citizens of European Union states, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland do not need a visa to enter Austria. As of June 2020, the same applies for citizens of the United Kingdom. As of June 2020, citizens of Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Honduras, Israel, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Singapore, South Korea, Uruguay, Venezuela, the United States, and some smaller countries do not require a visa either. If they enter with a biometric passport, citizens of Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia and the Ukraine can also enter without a visa. An official list with General visa information can be accessed by clicking here. If you cannot enter Austria visa-free, you will have to apply for a Schengen visa. You find a list of official agencies for issuing such visas by clicking here.
Finances
Austria's currency is the euro (sign: €; code: EUR), which divides into 100 cents. Everyday payment is usually done with debit cards such as Maestro or V Pay. Bigger shops, especially supermarket chains, also accept credit cards such as Visa and Mastercard. Payment in cash is very usual, and there are still some smaller shops which accept cash only. If you come to Austria from a non-euro country and want to get hold on euros, it is usually the cheapest option to withdraw euros with a credit card from a cash machine. Check your credit card's terms for details!
Weather
The weather in Klagenfurt in September can be sunny and hot, reaching up to 30 °C, or windy and rainy, struggling to reach 20 °C. At night, temperatures drop by 10 °C on average. Be sure to bring clothes and shoes both for hot and for messy days! There is a good chance that you can swim in the Wörthersee in close proximity to the campus, so consider to bring your swimwear! As Klagenfurt is located at 446 m above sea level, sun radiation is less filtered and stronger than at sea level.
Food
Austria has a rich bread culture. Bread is usually eaten with butter, jams, cheese and sausages. Warm meals traditionally include meat, mostly beef (German: Rind or Kalb), pork (German: Schwein) and poultry (German: Geflügel), at occasions also game (German: Wild). However, there is a growing offer of vegetarian and vegan dishes, and waiters can usually recommend such meals to you. In supermarkets, you usually find a wide choice of fresh fruit and vegetables. There, you can also buy food for special food requirements, especially lactose-free and gluten-free products. The consumption of alcoholic beverages at lunch and in the evening is common. Alcoholic beverages can be drunk in public.
Smoking
Smoking is not permitted in public buildings, especially not in university buildings. Some restaurants may, however, have special rooms for smokers. Cigarettes can only be bought only at petrol stations and at special shops called Traffik. If you smoke on the campus or on the street, look for a quiet spot and make sure not to molest non-smokers!
