IIASA welcomed H.E. Ambassador Nikolaus Marschik, Secretary General of the Austrian Federal Ministry of European and International Affairs (BMEIA), for a high-level visit to Schloss Laxenburg on Friday, 20 February 2026.
The visit, hosted by IIASA Director General Hans Joachim (John) Schellnhuber, opened with an overview of the Institute's scientific excellence and its unique mission as a bridge-building institution connecting nations through rigorous, policy-relevant research at the intersection of science and global challenges.
Ambassador Marschik expressed Austria's pride in IIASA as a truly singular institution, emphasizing the country's strong commitment to its continued success. The delegation, which also included Martin Rauchbauer, International Cultural Affairs, and Catalina Zallinger, Attaché, engaged in an open and forward-looking discussion with IIASA leadership on science diplomacy: its growing importance in today's complex geopolitical landscape, and its central role in IIASA's founding mission of building bridges across political divides.
The Austrian Foreign Ministry pledged its full support, committing Austria's global diplomatic network to facilitating and advancing IIASA's upcoming international missions.
At a time when multilateral cooperation faces unprecedented pressures, this visit reaffirmed that science diplomacy is not merely a historical principle, but an ever more vital tool for global resilience and understanding.
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