Vienna Wins Knowledge Award

Every year the World Capital Institute recognizes the world’s best centres of knowledge with the “Most Admired Knowledge Cities Award”. In 2015 Vienna took first place in the category “Knowledge City Region”. The city’s educational establishments, its cultural offering, its high quality of life, its cosmopolitanism and central geopolitical location were the decisive factors for Vienna’s “pole position”, which is also of central importance in the competition for international meetings.

Commenting on Vienna’s victory as a “knowledge city”, Christian Mutschlechner, Director of the Vienna Convention Bureau, said: “Once again, Vienna has stood out as a university city with the highest number of students in the German-speaking region and as an internationally sought-after centre of knowledge.” Ever since the year 2007, the World Capital Institute based in Monterrey in Mexico singles out cities that stand out from their competitors in the generation and management of knowledge for the “Most Admired Knowledge Cities Award 2015”. Vienna was nominated this year for the first time, winning out against Copenhagen in second place. 

Vienna has also achieved success by means of its social capital, internationality and financial resources, its geopolitical position between East and West, its environmental awareness, and due to its transport and telecommunications systems. However, Vienna’s top ranking was also thanks to factors such as equality of opportunity, a functional health system and not least its innovation and knowledge-based services. Besides, the strategy of “Innovative Vienna 2020” – approved by Vienna City Council in September 2015 – has as its objective the continued promotion of the city’s innovative potential.