Who we are

The European Forum Alpbach is a non-profit association based in Vienna, Austria. Founded in 1945 as ‘International Summer Seminars’, it is independent of ideological, religious or political worldviews.

The Forum is made possible by the collaboration of many committed people. With the exception of the full-time organising team, they are all volunteers. They work in various programming boards, making sure that our standards of relevance and high quality are met. Moreover, they ensure that all our activities follow the ‘spirit of Alpbach’, i.e. our guiding principles.

The European Forum Alpbach operates under the leadership of its Executive Board. The Scientific Advisory Board and the organisational team are responsible for programming our events.

The International Advisory Board supports the European Forum Alpbach in the selection of its topics and speakers as well as in the further development of an international network.

The Organising Team ensures that all events and the scholarship programme are well coordinated. The Council and the General Assembly determine guidlines for the activities of the Association and for programming. The voice of our many independent Alpbach Alumni Associations is present in all EFA bodies via a team of elected representatives.

We are financed by participation fees, contributions by sponsors and, to a smaller extent, by public funds. Our not-for-profit foundation supports the scholarship programme. With the help of private donors, it provides an opportunity for young individuals from all over the world to participate in the European Forum Alpbach every year.

Find out more about the history of the European Forum Alpbach.