New Directions: Leadership Changes at the Institutes for Economics & Psychology and Information Technology
FERNFH is pleased to announce two new institute directors: Priv.-Doz. DI Dr. Zsolt Saffer will take over as director of the Institute for Information Technology and Business Informatics, while Dr. Birgit Teufer, BSc BA MA, will head the Institute for Economics & Psychology.
Both bring not only impressive careers and academic expertise to the table, but also a clear vision for the future of research and teaching at Ferdinand Porsche FERNFH.
Institute for Information Technology and Business Informatics: Research at the Forefront of Digitalization
Priv.-Doz. DI Dr. Zsolt Saffer has had an impressive career in the fields of information technology and business informatics. After earning his degree in electrical engineering from theBudapest University of Technology, he received his Ph.D. in computer science from the Budapest University of Technology and Economics (BUTE). Dr. Saffer spent many years working in research and development, including atAlcatel AustriaandPhilips Speech Recognition Systems. Since 2017, he has also been conducting research at theVienna University of Technologyon topics such as artificial intelligence, machine learning, queueing theory, and their applications, particularly in the healthcare sector.
He views leading the Institute for Information Technology and Business Informatics as a fascinating task:“The opportunity to actively help shape FERNFH’s future research activities is of particular importance to me. In particular, the key role of IT in digitalization and the potential of artificial intelligence are the focus of the institute’s planned research activities. AI is accelerating digitalization and enabling the development of more efficient applications and automation in many areas. Together, these form the technical foundation for a more modern, more convenient, and—provided AI ethics are upheld—also a more humane future.”
As director of the institute, his priorities include strengthening cross-institutional and interdisciplinary research—particularly in the application of AI in healthcare—as well as establishing a structured framework for transferring research findings into teaching.
Institute for Economics & Psychology: Interdisciplinary Approaches to Shaping the Future
Dr. BirgitTeufer, BSc BA MA, brings a broad range of academic expertise in the fields of consumer behavior, sustainable development, and green marketing. She has been a research associate at FERNFH since September 2023 and now heads the Institute for Economics & Psychology. Her academic career began with a bachelor’s degree in European Economics and Business Administration, a bachelor’s degree in Psychology, and a master’s degree in Business Administration and Business Psychology, all of which she earned at FERNFH. Dr.Teufercompleted her doctoral dissertation on alternative consumer networks and sustainable development at theUniversity of Klagenfurt.
Dr. Teuferis enthusiastic about her institute’s interdisciplinary work:“What particularly fascinates me about the intersection of economics and psychology is the interdisciplinary nature of the field, which allows us to examine the big questions of our lives and how we live together from different perspectives. We analyze economic relationships while also examining the behavior and needs of the people who operate within these systems. This allows us to develop approaches that are not only economically sound but also make a real difference in people’s everyday lives.”
She particularly emphasized the inspiring and enriching collaboration with her highly motivated team, whose dedication ensures that teaching in the bachelor’s and master’s programs in Business Administration & Business Psychology is of the highest quality. Together with the team, she aims to bring new ideas to research and teaching and to actively help shape the future of the institute and FERNFH.
