Zehn ehemalige Gast-Studierende aus dem Jahr 2005/2006 trafen sich mit ihren Familien in diesem Sommer nach 18 Jahren in Kufstein wieder.

FH Kufstein Tirol

Ten former incoming students from the 2005-2006 Academic Year reunited in Kufstein this summer together with their families, 18 years after their time as exchange students.

A Happy Reunion in Kufstein: Former Incoming Students meet on Campus

19.10.2023 | International

In the summer of 2023, it had been 18 years since a group of students spent a year abroad in the ‘fortress town’ of Kufstein as part of their Erasmus+ student exchange. In August, ten of them reunited on campus together with their families to reminisce about times past.

The 2005-2006 student exchange program resulted in a tight-knit group of former students who are very close to this day. One of the participants, Maloire Cornier, originally from France, organized the reunion together with Lena Streli and Thomas Petzold, Event Managers at the University of Applied Sciences Kufstein Tirol. She was delighted that ten of her former peers took the time for this trip and even brought their families with them. “In our group, three couples met during their time in Kufstein who are now all married. This summer’s reunion was a great opportunity to bring our spouses and children with us to jointly discover the town that we always talk about back home,” says a beaming Maloire, who herself met her husband Fernando Diaz Piera during her time in Kufstein and now has three children with him. A total of eight children between the ages of zero and eleven were part of the reunion.

The University of Applied Sciences Kufstein Tirol prepared a welcome reception for its visitors. After opening remarks and an update on recent development at the university from Manuela Osterauer, Head of the International Relations Office (IRO), the alumni celebrated their reunion over a glass of sparkling wine on the university’s rooftop terrace. A guided tour of the building by Thomas Petzold, Event Manager, highlighted the university’s expanding facilities as well as the impressive range of programs currently on offer.

Sharing stories and anecdotes

For Sylvain Lalancette from Montreal, Canada, it was important to study in Europe back when he selected the university for his stay abroad. Reminiscing about old times, he shared an amusing anecdote about his journey: Sylvain booked a flight to Vienna in youthful recklessness, assuming that Kufstein was nearby. The fact that he then had to travel another four hours by train showed him that Austria is bigger than he had thought after all. Next to the opportunity to get to know other cultures, expand their language skills, and make international contacts, the former exchange students also praised the town of Kufstein itself, particularly its countless leisure activities, the stunning natural surroundings, and its central location in the heart of Europe with excellent transport connections.

The University of Applied Sciences Kufstein Tirol not only opens its doors to incoming exchange students but also offers local students the opportunity to go abroad. Its Erasmus+ mobility program recently received top marks from the Austrian Agency for Education and Internationalization (OeAD) for its excellent work, achievement of benchmarks, and outstanding quality.

Link:

Video recap of the reunion (Video Editor: Victor Heim, Multimedia Designer, E-Learning Team at the University of Applied Sciences Kufstein)

Bildergalerie

Back to Overview