Controversial project

Plans for the rededication of the digital university are on display

(Bild: IT:U / FOTOKERSCHI / KERSCHBAUMMAYR)

From Monday, the plans for the controversial rededication of green spaces for the construction of the new digital university IT:U (Interdisciplinary Transformation University Austria) will be on display in Linz. They can be viewed in the new city hall until September 2. The process is "fundamentally open and transparent", according to City Councillor for Planning Dietmar Prammer (SPÖ).

The location of the new university next to Johannes Kepler University in Linz-Urfahr has met with much criticism in the city. The citizens' initiative (BI) "Let's save the green belt" had collected 7,000 signatures against it by the end of June, as the ecological argument was that an important cold air corridor for the city would be lost in climatological terms if the grassland was built on.

However, the BI also finds it questionable from a democratic point of view that the location near Kepler University was decided on long ago without an alternative being examined and without land being designated for construction. At the beginning of May, the winning project of the architectural competition held by Bundesimmobiliengesellschaft, the developer of the IT:U, was presented to the public. Construction is scheduled to begin at the end of 2025.

Decision in the fall
The rezoning of ten hectares of grassland for the digital university and for business relocations is to be decided by the municipal council in the fall. Only the SPÖ and ÖVP are expected to vote in favor, but this will provide the necessary majority. The concrete plans are now available as part of this process. Citizens now have the opportunity "to find out about the details of the planned rezoning at an early stage", says Prammer. "If there is a legitimate interest, people can also submit suggestions and objections to the municipal authorities. These will be dealt with as part of the procedure," it continued.

Comprehensive climate simulation
The city also plans to commission an external company to carry out a comprehensive climate simulation for the university quarter, it announced a week ago. Particular attention will be paid to the local cold air corridor, which is to be influenced as little as possible.

First founding professors appointed
In the meantime, the first founding professors of IT:U have also been appointed. Eleven scientists from Austria, Germany, the USA, Japan, Brazil, the Netherlands and Italy were selected from more than 400 applications worldwide. Founding President Stefanie Lindstaedt announced at the end of July that all of them would be researching at the interfaces between artificial intelligence, network science, sensor technology and the humanities and natural sciences. Names and chairs have not yet been disclosed.