London Insights: A study trip to the world of technology and business

From 22 to 24 April 2025, 15 students from the Faculties of Computer Science & Applied Mathematics and Electronic Engineering & Entrepreneurship were given practical insights into businesses, technologies, and research institutions in the British metropolis of London. The study trip, for which more than 150 applications were received, not only offered the participants valuable professional insights, but also the opportunity to expand their intercultural skills. The students were accompanied by Rector Sylvia Geyer, Managing Director Florian Eckkrammer, the two faculty heads Alexander Mense and Michael Windisch and Kerstin Kraus from the International Office. The trip was organised by the International Office of UAS Technikum Wien.

Advantage Austria: Economic impetus in the UK

One item on the program was a visit to ADVANTAGE Austria, the Austrian Foreign Trade Centre, which is located not far from Hyde Park. Michael Müller, Peter Pesl and Peter Franklin gave the students and the five staff members exciting insights into the work of the centre and the economic relations between Austria and the UK. The intercultural differences in the British and Austrian way of working were also discussed.

On the same day, the group visited British Telecom’s headquarters not far from Tower Bridge, where they were welcomed by a motivated team of employees. In addition to theoretical insights into the network infrastructure, participants were given a tour of the ‘Future Showroom’, where current technologies and some technologies not yet available on the market were presented.

Communication and information systems in practice

Another highlight of the trip to London was the visit to the Metropolitan Police, where the communication and information solutions developed by the Viennese company Frequentis could be seen in action. A preparatory visit to the Frequentis headquarters took place two weeks before the start of the study trip. There, the students were given an overview of the organisation of the company and the various areas of activity in which Frequentis is represented worldwide with its communication and information solutions. The visit to the Metropolitan Police gave the group an in-depth insight into the work of police officers and the technical networking of the emergency services. The tour of the dispatcher rooms was particularly impressive and was one of the highlights of the visit.

The group then visited Frequentis’ London site and Georg Berger gave them an insight into the structure and operational activities of Frequentis in the UK, including the various projects and business areas. An important point was the discussion of the challenges involved in establishing and building up the UK subsidiary. This included both operational and cultural aspects that had to be considered when launching an international subsidiary.

The trip concluded with a visit to Imperial College London, one of the world’s most renowned technical higher education institutions. Peter Pesl gave the group an overview of the college, followed by a tour of three different areas: the Institute of Biomedical Engineering, the Institute of Data Science and the facilities of the Carbon Capture Pilot Plant.

Pub Flair and Sightseeing

In addition to the packed program, there was some time to explore London as well. The accommodation was not far from the well-connected Oxford Street and allowed the participants to discover different neighbourhoods of London. On Wednesday evening, UAS Technikum Wien hosted a dinner in a traditional British pub. The presence of Austrian Ambassador Bernhard Wrabetz, who accompanied the dinner together with Peter Pesl and offered insights into his work for Austria in London, was particularly pleasing.