On Wednesday, 30 September, participants of the Safavi Impact Institute joined their trainer Martin Höffinger for a cultural walk through Vienna’s city centre. The walk explored Austrian heritage and luxury brands and looked at how companies with long histories continue to thrive today. Under the title “Austrian Luxury Brands – from Lobmeyr to Swarovski”, the group visited selected stores of some of Vienna’s most established companies. Many of these names are closely connecte

Artificial intelligence has already become part of everyday life for many people. The key question is no longer whether to use AI, but how to use it effectively. This was the focus of the “KI-ne Panik” workshop held by the Safavi Impact Institute on 10 September 2026 with 21 participants. Trainer Martin Höffinger combined a basic technical understanding of AI with concrete applications. The workshop began with an introduction to how tools such as ChatGPT, Claude and Gemini wo

Two new specialised German courses and two psychological support programmes are at the heart of the Safavi Impact Institute’s autumn semester. The Institute will continue its existing professional German courses, including Business German, Business Communication, German for Office Management, Professional German with a Focus on Grammar and German for Medical Professionals. Two new courses tailored to specific professional fields will be added this semester. New Courses for Ta

Starting on 8 September, the Safavi Impact Institute will offer a new integration counselling service for Ukrainians in Vienna. The service helps identify suitable resources for each individual situation and facilitates access to specialised counselling services, organisations and public institutions. The consultation focuses on individual needs. Relevant services and organisations are identified, and practical next steps are discussed. Through its network of partner organisa

Starting in September, the Safavi Impact Institute will expand its services for Ukrainians in Vienna. Following the closure of one of the city’s largest community centres for Ukrainians, the Institute is introducing additional counselling and support services. A new education counselling service will provide guidance on education and training opportunities, retraining and career transitions in Austria. The Institute is also expanding its psychological counselling services. In

Yvonne Bauer has worked in recruiting and HR for 20 years and is now HR Manager at Certitude Consulting. In conversation with the Safavi Impact Institute, she explains how the Austrian labour market has changed, where applications from international professional women often fall short, and what highly qualified Ukrainian women can concretely do to become visible. Ms. Bauer, how has the Austrian labour market changed in recent years, and what has surprised you most? The Austri

For many people, summer is a time to slow down. At the Safavi Impact Institute, it is a season of new opportunities. While many educational programmes take a break, Ukrainian women use the summer months to strengthen their German, gain confidence, and move one step closer to meaningful employment in Austria. This year's summer programme focuses on intensive, practice-oriented language courses designed to deliver tangible progress in a short period of time. In June, participan

As part of the ongoing collaboration between the Safavi Impact Institute and the Austrian Institute of Technology (AIT), the project team presented the results of the second development phase of the Win²Work project in early June. The meeting with Francesco R. Safavi focused on showcasing a first functional version of the application, which is designed to support people with refugee and migration backgrounds in accessing the Austrian labour market. Win²Work was developed to a