TIAS, WU and Caritas team up for societal challenge

August 16, 2022 | 1 min read

TIAS has teamed up with the WU (Vienna University of Economics and Business) and Caritas Austria to help Caritas solve one of their many societal challenges while at the same time providing our students and alumni with an exciting and international learning experience that focuses on business and society.

The challenge

The project, which takes place from September to December 2022, is the perfect opportunity for you to learn, help and further expand on your experience working with organizations that care about business and society. In this specific project you work collaboratively with students from the WU’s executive academy on redesigning and improving the business model and services provided by the Caritas “Josefbus“ (caritas-austria.at)

The Josefbus provides people who live at or below the poverty line with maintenance and repair work in and around their home.

Since the pandemic Caritas has been dealing with a number of challenges mostly centered around their fairly traditional business model and the need to improve (modernize) their systems and the delivery of their services. Their questions are:

- What additional services should Caritas offer to better support vulnerable individuals/households with current challenges (e.g., consulting on energy efficiency)

- What does a sustainable business model look like that satisfies all stakeholders (financially and with its performance)
- How can technology support demand & supply side exchange

Who can participate

- Students currently enrolled in a TIAS program (with approval of the Academic Director) who are looking for an alternative assignment or want to take this project as an elective
- Alumni of TIAS (for a discounted fee)

Structure of the program and timing

The preparatory online modules are facilitated by faculty from TIAS. These modules are offered before you start with the bootcamp. The bootcamp can be done online or in person (in Vienna) and is faculitated by faculty from the WU. During this bootcamp you work, in a condensed format, intensively on the challenge. The final presentation will be done in front of the challenge sponsor.

Part of the Engage.edu Partnership

By participating in helping resolve this challenge you are part of the ENGAGE.edu partnership in which nine European universities collaborate. The aim of this collaboration is, among other things:
• To bring learners together across the EU
• To strengthen participants „innopreneurial“ competencies
• AND contribute to solving grand societal challenges