Report of the Final Symposium

The final symposium of the EQoL research project, titled “Teaching the Good Life,” took place on September 25, 2026. The EQoL team would like to express its sincere thanks to keynote speaker Prof. Ida Kubiszewski (University College London), as well as to all participants in the panel discussion from the fields of politics and practice for their valuable contributions. Special thanks also go to all the guests who enriched the symposium with their questions, suggestions and perspectives. 

The diverse programme spanned the spectrum from the macro level of the Beyond GDP movement to the micro level of Vienna’s educational neighbourhoods, thereby highlighting the thematic complexity of the EQoL project within the context of the overarching question: “How does the Quality of Life movement affect education, and what role can education play in this?” The symposium also centred on the presentation of the key findings of the research project. In the the panel discussion, these different perspectives were brought together and the implications for policy, teacher training and practice were discussed by practitioners from the educational neighbourhoods. 

The EQoL team looks back on the symposium with many new insights and is looking forward to further exchanges in the future. 

Final Symposium

September 25, 2026, 14:00 - 17:00, online

Zoom Link: https://univienna.zoom.us/j/66762855411?pwd=bzJmJOtFsbxjrGb6ab1Dt4bw3mWTPC.1

Program: 

  • Opening by Prof. Evi Agostini (University of Vienna) & Bettina Emmerling (City Councillor for Education, Youth, Integration, Transparency, and Markets, City of Vienna)
  • Keynote by Dr. Ida Kubiszewski (University College London)
  • Presentation of results by Dr. Denis Francesconi (University of Vienna) & Dr. Sibilla Montanari (University of Vienna) 
  • Break
  • Presentation of results by Dr. Sandra Matschnigg-Peer (University College of Teacher Education Vienna) & Dr. Tamara Peer (University College of Teacher Education Vienna)
  • Plenary discussion with Dr. Nazime Öztürk (University of Vienna): Simone Atzesberger (University College of Teacher Education Vienna), Petra Feldhofer-Mahmoudian (Headmaster OVS Am Kaisermühlendamm 2, City of Vienna) & Michaela Zimmermann (Bildungsgrätzl Coordinator, City of Vienna) 
  • Closing by Prof. Evi Agostini (University of Vienna)