25th MAIS Programme, 1st year
Name: Chelsea Maree DANIELS
Country of origin: South Africa
Previous university: Sciences Po, University of Stellenbosch
Previous studies: International Studies (BA Honours)
"Growing up in South Africa, I truly enjoy living within diverse environments. After living in a few different countries, I appreciate being able to learn their cultures and languages, using my intersectionality as a way to make connections and communicate with others. I am honoured to represent over 80 MAIS students as your MAIS-1 Course Speaker.
I envision a more transparent, inclusive and greener DA. I am dedicated to the well-being and easing of my fellow students lives through liaising with DASI and Administration. Forming part of the DASI Board, we aim to create and uphold the DA community spirit whilst innovatively improving our experiences for current and future DA students."
Name: Miriam GRUBER
Country of origin: Austria
Previous university: University of Vienna
Previous studies: Transcultural Communication (BA)
"My personal priorities as MAIS-1 course speaker are to represent my classmates to the best of my abilities, listen to their concerns and try to solve any problems that may arise. I want to make a positive long-lasting difference to the DA and its community and improve it in terms of accessibility and transparency.
Our general focus as course speakers this year lies mainly in ensuring good and constructive communication between students, professors and administration in times of social distancing and online learning."
24th MAIS Programme, 2nd year
Name: Alexandra-Denisa MOTICA
Country of origin: Romania
Previous university: West University of Timisoara, Faculty of Law
Previous studies: LL.B.
"Unity. Friends. Family. These are just a few meanings of the DA community for me, and I ran as a Course Speaker for the MAIS-2 program specifically to be able to give a little something back to these people who accompanied me through the good, the best, but also the most challenging times.
My goal is to not only give the students a voice and address their concerns, but to do my best for their rights and input to be respected, and my formation as a lawyer is definitely a good starting point. Together with Noemi, I will keep my mind open to each colleague and find the solution that is most favorable to everyone."
Name: Sarah Noemi WECKBECKER
Country of origin: Germany
Previous universities: Maastricht University, Netherlands
Previous studies: BA in European Studies
"The DA has been a place for me where I can live out my sense of justice together with my passion for new cultures and history. As your MAIS II course speaker, my main priority is to further improve the communication with the DA administration, enhance digital tools, especially in times of COVID-19, and improve overall transparency. Our time at the DA has unfortunately involved unforeseen circumstances for our community life, but Alexandra and I promise together with your input and support, we will make the best of our final year at the DA."
14th ETIA Programme, 1st year
Name: Petra EISCHER
Country of origin: Austria
Previous university: Karl-Franzens-Universität Graz
Previous education: Teacher Programme Latin, Geography and Economics
"There is a quote by Matthias Strolz, which says: 'Be the pilot of your life'. With passion, deep commitment and everlasting open ears, I am course speaker of the 14th ETIA Programme at the Diplomatische Akademie Wien. As a junction of my colleagues' ideas, matters and wishes, I want to contribute to a satisfied and familiar DA life, where everybody cannot just chase their dreams, but also be the artist.
Studying is one thing, but LIVING OUR LIFE is another. I want to encourage my mates to become pilots of their life in order to make every decision, every step and every moment on our remarkable earth fully enjoyable."
Name: Iris ZERLAUTH
Country of origin: Austria
Previous university: Vienna University of Economics and Business (WU)
Previous education: Business, Economics and Social Sciences (BA)
"My name is Iris Zerlauth and I have the honor to represent the ETIA-14 this year as Course Speaker. Additional to being the voice and addressing my peer’s issues and concerns, I aim to actively find solutions together with DASI and the DA administration. Organising meetings and get-togethers with ETIA alumni gives us the opportunity to learn from their experiences. Those established connections can be very helpful in our unique, interdisciplinary field of study, showing us what can be achieved with our future competences/in our future careers. Furthermore, I suggest the organisation of small events such as a Secret Santa, for example, in order to strengthen our community."
13th ETIA Programme, 2nd year
Name: Sarah BANDERA
Country of origin: Austria
Previous university: University of Life Sciences and Natural Resources Vienna
Previous studies: Environment and Bio-Resources Management (BSc)
"Through my previous studies in Environment and Bio-Resources Management I have been told since I was 18 years old, that my colleagues and I, the students of said bachelor, would become the link between politics, law and economics and the environmental sciences. Our jobs would be to translate, moderate and connect those worlds, acting as a bridge.
Now in the past year my fellow ETIA colleagues have also heard that we will be members of both these worlds. Now, as their course speaker I not only want to reach this goal with them, but I also want to be this bridge for them. Between the Diplomatic Academy and the Technical University. Between the student body and the administration. Between the students themselves."
Name: Constanze EGKHER
Country of origin: Austria
Previous university: TU Wien
Previous education: BA in Mechanical Engineering – Management
"My technical background together with my curiosity for other cultures and languages (which already culminated in two Erasmus semesters in Spain and a NZ boarding school stay) led my path to the Diplomatic Academy. The special cooperation programme ETIA combines my interests and prepares me for a future in an international environment.
As course speaker my goal is that my fellow students have an amasing time at the DA and to ensure their interests and well-being.
Furthermore I focus on bringing our group closer together and to achieve a fair, progressive and inclusive community, a DA where everyone feels welcome and can pursue their studies in a safe and enjoyable environment."
57th Diploma Programme "Katalin Karikó"
Name: Sofie KOKAS
Country of origin: Austria, Hungary
Previous university: University of St Andrews
Previous studies: Art History (MA)
"My name is Sofie Kokas. I am Austrian-Hungarian and graduated with a Master’s degree in Art History from the University of St Andrews. Before my studies at the DA, I worked at the Biennale in the Venice and the Peggy Guggenheim Collection. My experience at the Austrian Cultural Forum in Budapest ignited my interest in a diplomatic career.
My primary responsibility as course speaker is to support our wonderful international community. I am here to listen to issues and concerns of the student community and to enhance our great experience at the DA."
Name: Klara Antonia WUKETICH
Country of origin: Austria
Previous university: University of Life Sciences and Natural Resources Vienna, University of Applied Sciences Burgenland
Previous studies: Environmental Resource Management (BSc), European Studies (MA)
"My name is Klara Antonia Wuketich, I am from Austria and have a background in environmental resource management (University of Life Sciences and Natural Resources Vienna) and European Studies with a focus on the management of EU projects (University of Applied Sciences Burgenland). As a course speaker I see it as my responsibility to speak on behalf of my group when it comes to safeguarding our well-being and improving the quality of the learning experience while at the DA."