The Hall Foundation has extended its support for the Fulbright-Hall Distinguished Chair for Entrepreneurship in Central Europe at the WU – Vienna University of Economics and Business with an award of $ 150,000 for an additional three years: 2016-17 to 2018-19.

The Austrian-American Educational Commission is pleased to announce that the Craig and Kathryn Hall Foundation (Dallas, TX) has extended the Craig and Kathryn Hall Foundation’s sponsorship for the prestigious Fulbright-Hall Distinguished Chair for Entrepreneurship in Central Europe at the WU-Wirtschaftsuniversität Wien for three additional academic years: from 2016-17 through 2018-19.

Upon this occasion, Ambassador Kathryn Walt Hall observed that “the Fulbright-Hall Distinguished Chair, which is devoted to teaching the principles of entrepreneurism, supports what we believe is a key element of a prosperous economy and a successful society. My husband Craig and I are honored to support the Fulbright Program and proud to be a part of its longstanding support for values shared by Austria and the United States.”

The Fulbright-Hall Distinguished Chair, which is among the most generous awards available to U.S. scholars under the auspices of the Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program, was established shortly after Kathryn Hall completed her tenure as U.S. Ambassador to Austria, 1997-2001, and it was informed by Craig Hall’s interests in entrepreneurship and the special challenges economies in transition have confronted since the collapse of Communism. Mr. Hall also served on the Board of the Fulbright Commission in Vienna. This Distinguished Chair initially "floated" among Fulbright commissions in Central Europe over a five year period starting in 2004-05: from Poland to Bulgaria, followed by a spit-site appointment in Vienna and Bratislava, and then moved to the Czech Republic and Hungary.

As of the 2009-10 academic year, the Austrian-American Educational Commission suggested that Fulbright-Hall Distinguished Chair for Entrepreneurship be anchored at the Department for Entrepreneurship and Innovation at the WU-Wirtschaftsuniversität Wien for three years: an assignment combined with guest lecturing at partner institutions of the WU in Central and Eastern Europe to give it a regional presence. In 2012, the success of this collaborative arrangement encouraged the Trustees of the Hall Foundation to continue this relationship for an additional three years, from 2013-14 through 2015-16, and they have recently renewed their commitment to funding the Hall Distinguished Chair at the WU for an additional three years: from 2016-17 to 2018-19.

For a list of the holders of the Fulbright-Hall Distinguished Chair for Entrepreneurship in Central Europe, please click <link en/going-to-austria/scholars/programm/fulbright-kathryn-and-craig-hall-distinguished-chair-in-entrepreneurship-in-central-europe-2016-17/>here</link>.

For the WU Wirtschaftsuniversität Wien press release on the extension of the Fulbright Hall distinguished Chair, please click here.

For information on applying for the Fulbright Hall Distinguished Chair, pleased consult the CIES website by clicking here.

Biographical notes on Ambassador Kathryn Walt Hall and Craig Hall.

For additional information contact:

Dr. Irene Zavarsky
US. Program Officer
IZavarsky@fulbright.at
Tel. 236 7878 0