Research trip – Wirtschaftsuniversität Wien

On 17-18 December 2025, with the assistance of the Central European Academy, I had the opportunity to participate in a two-day research trip to the Vienna University of Economics and Business as a PhD student. The aim of the visit was to explore Austrian legal literature of particular relevance to my comparative law dissertation as well as to attend a court hearing.

On the first day of the programme, a hearing was held at the Vienna Regional Criminal Court on the subject of ‘prohibited use of symbols of autocratic rule’, in which a juvenile offender was charged with using National Socialist symbols on social media platforms and promoting the ideology. The case clearly highlighted that committing crimes on online platforms poses a real threat to contemporary society, and that irresponsible or even illegal use of such platforms will result in criminal liability. However, the case was elevated to an exceptional level by the evidentiary proceedings and the outstanding quality of the data previously uncovered by the police. The internet as a crime scene often causes latency, nevertheless, evidence has been provided, including all social media platforms and all private or public groups accessible on them, which left no doubt as to the certainty of guilt. However, the most instructive part of the hearing was clearly the judge's ability to negotiate with juvenile offenders, which cannot be learned from the law, but as a lawyer is an extremely important skill that must be mastered.

The rest of the day and the following day of the study trip were devoted to individual library research. The library of the Vienna University of Economics and Business is famous throughout Europe for its unique architectural style, which visitors can admire thanks to architect Zaha Hadid. The institution draws extensively from both domestic and foreign sources, which are not limited to the field of economics. In addition, there is also a lawyer-economist training programme, thanks to which both students and visiting researchers can find numerous legal articles and books in the law faculty's own library.

In summary, it can be said that the study trip to Vienna enriches one's perspective with unforgettable experiences, especially given the opportunity to meet PhD students from other universities and learn about economics-focused legal education. Furthermore, it also serves as a useful breeding ground for research into Austrian law.