• When should researchers start implementing IT in their project management?
• What IT services are available at the University of Vienna? 
• How can IT solutions be adapted to individual needs?

Programme

• Facem: A Repository for Ancient Ceramic Fabrics from the Mediterranean by Barbara Borgers
• Humanities in Cooperation with the ZID: Implementing the right IT solutions for your projects by Raman Ganguly
• Data Flows Along the Danube: The Digital Development of The Danube Trade – From Past to Present by Beate Pamperl, Peter Rauscher, Andrea Serles

The IT for Science Forum brings together researchers, IT professionals, and academics to discuss research projects and explore new possibilities for collaboration. By focusing on real-world applications like Facem and The Danube Trade the forum demonstrates the tangible benefits of integrating IT services into Humanities research. Attendees will gain valuable insights into how digital tools can enhance their work, opening up new avenues for discovery and understanding.

Details about the event

When? Wednesday, 30 April 2025, 10:30-12:00 (GMT +02:00)
Where? Online, via Zoom
Language: English

More information and event registration: it4s.univie.ac.at

The portal combines a booking platform with a course administration platform (classic Moodle functionality). Courses can be linked to a Moodle course if required, for example to share documents and provide certificates.

In addition to the ZID, 5 other units of the University of Vienna currently offer events in u:rise. In order to search the extensive range of courses according to your own needs, u:rise offers access via the communities pages. Communities represent different target groups, for which filtered course offerings and user-relevant information can be displayed.

During the summer semester, employees and students can use u:rise to choose from an extensive IT course programme. The range of courses extends from classic Office applications (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) to programs for graphic, photo, and video editing (Illustrator, InDesign, Photoshop, and Premiere) and the basics of web design (HTML, CSS).

In addition, tutorials are offered for study-related software, such as statistics and data analysis tools (SPSS, MaxQDA, ATLAS.ti, Stata), programs for mathematical calculations (Mathematica, MatLab), and visualisation tools (LaTeX, Quarto).

Furthermore, the programming languages Python 3 and R can be learned.

Find the right IT course

The u:rise portal is available at https://urise.univie.ac.at/.

• On the services page you can enter terms in the search field or use the filter settings.
• For a complete list of all IT courses offered by the ZID, select Zentraler Informatikdienst under services offered.
• You can filter the displayed search results even further, for example, by type of offer (on-site or online) or course language (German or English).

To view the course details or to make a booking, you need to log in with u:account. The ZID IT courses are free of charge for employees. You can find your booked courses under My area. You can also cancel them there if necessary.

You can find detailed information about the courses offered, how to book and cancel them on the IT course service page.

This is where you will find all the ZID IT courses in u:rise.

Have fun browsing!

Activate biometric security features such as fingerprint or face recognition to restrict access to your device. With biometrics, for example, there is no risk of third parties being able to spy on your access data as you enter it.

Always keep the software on your smartphone up to date

Keep the automatic update function for your operating system activated and always carry out updates as soon as they are offered to you. This way, new security updates will always be installed promptly. You should also always keep the apps installed on your device up to date. The easiest way to do this is to activate automatic updates in your respective app store.

Save your data regularly

Make regular backups of your personal data (photos, videos, documents, etc.). This will help you avoid data loss if your device is lost or damaged, for example. What's more, if you change devices, you can quickly transfer your data and settings to the new device using the backup.

For details, please refer to the user guides from Google for Android devices or the user guides from Apple for iPhones.

Activate the device location

Device location allows you to locate a lost or stolen smartphone, lock it or clear all your data by resetting your device to the factory settings. Most of the time, when configuring a new smartphone, you will be asked whether you want to activate device location. However, you can also do this later in the settings.

For details, please refer to the user guides from Google for Android devices or the user guides from Apple for iPhones or iPads.

Check the permissions of your apps

As a general rule, only install apps from trusted sources, such as the pre-installed app stores. Check the permissions of the apps you have installed both during installation and regularly thereafter. Only allow apps access to sensitive data such as location, contacts and camera if they really need this information.

Whether it is documents, instructional videos, podcasts, images or slides, educational resources can be integrated into courses in a didactically useful way with little effort. This gives students access to a wide range of teaching and learning materials to promote personal engagement and collaborative discussion of current topics.

The Center for Teaching and Learning (CTL) Digital Teaching team and the ZID E-learning team developed the plug-in together as part of a project at the University of Vienna.

Detailed user guides (in German) on how to use the OER collection and further information on OER at the University of Vienna (in German) support teachers in their practical application.

Help shape Moodle

The learning platform is constantly being developed and new features, such as the OER collection, are added at regular intervals. The Moodle Preview test environment allows employees and students to test new features, find out about current developments and planned changes in Moodle and create a personal course.

The feedback form allows all users to contribute ideas on how the e-learning platform can be improved or further developed. This is how Moodle can be actively shaped at the University of Vienna.

• Registering for Moodle course (in German): find the right course quickly and easily
• Downloading all files from a course (in German): access all documents offline with just a few clicks
• Subscribing to forums (in German): never miss a post
• Uploading assignments to Moodle (in German): easily submit work via the platform
• Contacting other students (in German): connect yourself with other students in Moodle

For more diversity: your pronouns in Moodle

She/her, he/him, no pronouns? To make the teaching and learning space more inclusive, you can now specify your preferred pronouns in your Moodle profile. This information will be displayed in Moodle next to your name, for example in the lists of participants or forum posts.

You can find more information about the function and how you can use it at Pronouns in Moodle (in German).

Help use shape Moodle: Your opinion counts

The learning platform is constantly being improved for its users and new features are added at regular intervals. In the test environment Moodle Preview, you can create a course, test the new features and find out about current developments and planned changes in Moodle.

The e-learning team of the ZID invites all students to actively shape Moodle at the University of Vienna. You can use the feedback form to submit ideas for improving and further developing the e-learning platform.

The e-learning team is looking forward to your feedback and wishes you a successful new semester!

Fabian Jusufi is a member of the Coordination Digital Transformation team, which is in charge of the Azure service. In this interview, he talks about this year’s funding, why it exists and why Azure is interesting for researchers.

—

IT-News: Can you give us an overview of this year’s submissions? Are there any projects that use Azure in a particularly creative way?

This year, too, there are some very interesting topics and projects. The focus of the projects is clearly on artificial intelligence (AI). The topic of AI is ubiquitous in current times and in our daily work, and it is no different in the funded projects.

One project, for example, is developing an AI-supported student assistant chatbot and investigating the effects on students’ learning success. It is also designed to quickly and easily answer students’ questions. Other projects are working on making library collections more visible and are investigating the potential of AI to communicate scientific content in an appealing way. In addition, a knowledge database is being developed to make it easier for students to search for study-related information.

However, I don’t want to commit to saying which project is particularly creative. Each project is creative in its own way and has its raison d’être, otherwise it would not have received funding.

Which departments did the project submissions come from this year?

There are projects in the fields of psychology, computer science, German studies, and economics. This year, too, the submissions were very diverse. We are particularly pleased that, in addition to the classic research projects, there are also projects from the service units for research and teaching support, such as the Library and Archive Services and the Teaching Affairs and Student Services.

We see this as proof that providing Azure as a ZID service offers added value for the entire university and not just for technical or IT-focused departments. We also notice this from the many requests for Azure and the intensive use of the service by different departments, quite apart from the funding.

Why are Azure services of interest to researchers? How can they support them in their research?

Azure services are very versatile, flexible and scalable. However, we can particularly observe 2 reasons why Azure is used at the University of Vienna:

1. The ZID does not offer the desired IT service as a separate, local ZID service. In this case, it makes sense to use a public cloud platform like Azure through the ZID, where a secure environment is offered in the cloud.
2. Problems with the flexibility or scalability of local services. These problems do not exist with Azure services: they can be quickly and easily configured, started, stopped, deleted and restored. Especially in research projects, this flexibility is often the key to success. If you need to make a change after the initial configuration, such as more computing power or additional AI models, it can be done quickly and easily. All of this is a major advantage compared to on-premises services, especially for research.

Why is funding available for research with Azure services and what does the ZID hope to achieve by awarding it?

We want to motivate members of the University of Vienna, especially researchers, to implement or at least start their projects in Azure. In our daily work, we often hear that researchers would like to use Azure but lack the budget for it or are deterred by the cost uncertainty in the public cloud. With this funding, we want to make the first step in Azure easier.

At the same time, we as the team that operates Azure benefit enormously, because many use cases are new to us as well. So we are also learning, gaining new experiences, and at the same time, our service is growing.

How has the use of Azure services in research at the University of Vienna developed since the funding was established?

Azure is still a fairly new ZID service, having only been introduced at the beginning of 2023. Since then, it has grown continuously and we are seeing increasing interest, even from departments where we did not expect it before the service was introduced. We are therefore hoping that this year’s funding will also bring us new long-term users. In any case, the learning experiences in the first year of the funding were enormous and we also see that some projects are continuing to operate in Azure despite the funding expiring.

The projects began in February. Do you have any insight into how the start went?

After the funding had been awarded, the project environments were set up in Azure in January. 8 of the 10 projects have now started their project work. For the projects that are already working more intensively, the start was smooth and without major problems. There will be an interim report from the projects in September and the final report at the end of December.

Will funding also be available in 2026?

Yes, we expect so. There are many reasons to support a new call for proposals. We will assess the demand, evaluate the projects and then provide information about the call for proposals.

—
A complete list of the funded research projects, including abstracts, can be found at Funding for research with Azure services.

The Zentraler Informatikdienst supports open science through its IT infrastructure, including repositories for research data and open access publications. Take the opportunity to learn more about these services and network with other interested parties at the Open Science Festival.

Date: September 8–9, 2025
Location: University of Vienna, Campus

More information about the program and registration will soon be available on the Open Science Festival website.

More about Open Science

Open Science stands for various approaches to open scientific practice, with the aim of making the scientific process more transparent, inclusive and reproducible. The best-known elements of Open Science are open access publications and open research data. The University of Vienna uses the long-term archiving system PHAIDRA (Permanent Hosting, Archiving and Indexing of Digital Resources and Assets) to permanently secure, archive and provide digital resources. PHAIDRA supports the University of Vienna’s open access policy and thus contributes to free and unrestricted access to scientific information on the internet.

DeepL is known for its outstanding translation quality and is now available to all employees in the pro version. With DeepL, you can translate texts and documents without limit, upload and edit glossaries and customise the style of the output language to your preferences. Scientific articles, presentations or e-mails can be translated in no time at all. Furthermore, the included DeepL Write function checks your texts for grammar, spelling and expression and even offers suggestions for more creative phrasing. Soon, it will also be possible to use the university terminology of the UniVieTerm database as a glossary in DeepL.

Grammarly: Perfect texts directly in your browser

Grammarly is another handy tool to help you optimise your English texts. It supports you with grammar checks and spelling corrections and gives style suggestions to improve the quality of your text. The pro version of Grammarly comes with the Grammarly editor, which allows you to write and edit documents directly in your browser without having to install additional applications. In addition to using Grammarly online in your browser, you can also install it as an app and use it locally on your PC and mobile device.

Data protection compliant and easy to use

An important aspect when using AI tools is data protection. The versions of DeepL and Grammarly provided by the University of Vienna are data protection compliant and ensure that your data is treated securely and confidentially. This means you can use the tools for your academic and administrative tasks without hesitation.

Eva Schadinger, who is responsible for providing the new translation tools in the Licensing & Training team, is pleased with the achievement: “The introduction of DeepL and Grammarly in the Pro version is a great benefit for our daily work. These tools provide enormous support when writing texts.” When asked about the feature she likes most, she mentions the writing assistant DeepL Write: “If I want to linguistically adapt a text to our users, DeepL Write helps me with a wide range of options. I get suggestions for alternative words and can even change the writing style and tone.”

Both software products can be ordered for a fee in the form of a personal license via the Self-service portal. The ZID web pages also contain user guides for ordering a DeepL account and a Grammarly account.

Spoilt for choice: DeepL or Grammarly?

Whether you want to translate, write or edit texts, both translation tools are ideal for you. Since they are very similar in their basic functions, the decision for one tool or the other depends on your personal preferences. Here is an overview of the most important functions:

Choose DeepL if you

• need precise, multilingual translations of texts, documents and images,
• want to create and manage your own glossaries to maintain translation consistency,
• want to use different forms of address (formal or informal) in texts and
• want to look up alternatives for words and whole sentences.

Choose Grammarly if you

• want to improve your English skills,
• correct the grammar, punctuation and style of a text and
• check texts for plagiarism.

Happy translating!

More information about DeepL and Grammarly of the University of Vienna can be found at AI services of the ZID.

Fabian Jusufi: It starts with the login to the service: For Microsoft Copilot with full service, you need a Microsoft license, including a Microsoft account. u:ai, on the other hand, can be used simply with the u:account access details. You don’t have to order a software license or register.

August Szabo: The AI system behind u:ai is not only operated for the University of Vienna, but also for numerous other universities in Austria. These synergies make it more cost-effective for the University of Vienna to provide u:ai. In any case, costs are not an issue for our users now, as they are not passed on, but are covered centrally.

What does a request in u:ai cost?

Fabian Jusufi: That depends on the length of the request and also on the length of the answer. You have to expect about 0.01 to 0.20 euros. You are at the upper end of this range or above if you have longer texts analysed, such as a PDF with 15 pages or more. As I said, the costs are not passed on to the users at this time.

Why should u:ai be used instead of a freely available ChatGPT version?

August Szabo: Data protection is an especially important point. If you enter data in freely available ChatGPT versions, it can be used to train the AI. That’s why our data protection officer expressly advises against using these tools in a university context. In contrast, the data entered in u:ai is not used for training purposes, which is why u:ai has been approved for use by the data protection officer.

How can u:ai support users in their daily work?

Fabian Jusufi: u:ai is excellent for anyone who works with text and can also help with text creation. For example, if you need to write an e-mail in English, you can first formulate it in German and then have it translated. But you can also have texts analysed, structured or optimised. u:ai can also be very helpful for programming or mathematical calculations. In the IT world Artificial intelligence or on the u:ai service page, we have collected examples of how u:ai can be used.

August Szabo: But it’s important not to rely on u:ai blindly. As with other AI chat applications, u:ai’s answers may contain errors or made-up content. This is also called hallucinating. We therefore recommend always checking answers with other sources. Another important piece of information: u:ai has not been trained with data from the University of Vienna. If you ask it a question specifically about the university, it may give the wrong answer instead of admitting it doesn’t know the answer. So it’s better to look up such information directly on the University of Vienna’s web pages.

Are there tutorials for u:ai?

August Szabo: Yes, there is a new webinar in German to accompany the launch of the service: Erste Schritte in u:ai. Participants will learn how to use u:ai and what they should be aware of when doing so. You can find all the information in u:rise, where you can also register for the webinar. The intranet also offers an overview of all other training opportunities related to AI at the university, as well as a page with prompting tips.

Fabian Jusufi: I recommend just trying u:ai – learning by doing, so to speak. Getting started with the u:account is very easy and the interface is self-explanatory. And if the next tutorial is too far away, you can also ask u:ai for advice ;).

What is the long-term outlook for u:ai? Can users expect more features in the future?

August Szabo: We want to gain experience with the tool and also see how intensively it is used. We will plan future service extensions on this basis.

Fabian Jusufi: The first fixed stage of expansion is that you will be able to add your own documents to the u:ai knowledge base in the future. You will then be able to upload several documents and, if you wish, also allow other users to access these documents with u:ai. Two additional features are also planned for the chat application: it will be possible to conduct several chats simultaneously in u:ai. In addition, users will be able to decide for themselves whether they want to save chat data for future sessions. Currently, u:ai only stores data from the current session.

More information: AI software – u:ai

Why u:book?

The u:book service was launched in 2008 and has taken place twice a year since then, at the beginning of each semester. "Unlike various commercial offers, u:book is a service that was developed at a university for universities. As a university IT service provider, we have the technical expertise on the one hand, but we also know exactly what our users’ requirements are in the education sector", says Michaela Bociurko, head of marketing at u:book. This is also reflected in the selection of devices. "u:book laptops, convertibles and tablets have to meet strict criteria. The devices are reconfigured for each sales period. The key selection criteria for us are quality, suitability for specific applications in research, teaching and degree programmes, sustainability and, of course, a fair price", says Bociurko.

To meet all these requirements, the u:book sales period is only open for a limited time. The u:book team also ensures a balanced range of offers: from entry-level, lightweight devices to powerful workstations that can perform several computing-intensive tasks simultaneously. During this sales period, the manufacturing companies Lenovo, HP, Apple, Acer, Asus and Dell offer a wide range of products that meet all requirements.

How does u:book work?

All employees and students of the University of Vienna can order from u:book. From now on until 24 March, all devices can be found at ubook.at/en/shop/.

Once you have selected the device you want, click on Go to shop. You will be redirected to the online shop of the respective sales partner. Log in with your u:account access details. Shipping is free of charge throughout Austria, and you can also pick up Lenovo and Apple devices yourself.

Do you need a device that meets certain criteria? "In this case, the filter function in the u:book shop is very helpful", recommends Sara Curtis from the u:book team. "You can select the screen size and a maximum price, for example. This way, you only get product suggestions that meet your requirements. Or you can search specifically for labels. These are only awarded to selected devices that meet certain requirements." This makes it easy to find the right laptop.

Would you like to win something?

ACP, Dell, Acer, Asus and HP have once again sponsored great prizes during this sales period! You could win:

• a versatile HP ProBook 465 G11
• an efficient Vivobook S15 from Asus
• an ultra-wide Acer CB2 monitor
• a practical hands-free kit from Dell

Answer the tricky question by 24 March at: ubook.at/en/competition

Do you have any questions?

Use our contact form: ubook.at/en/contact

After a year of operation, the ZID and the Digital Accessibility project group have thoroughly reviewed the software. When axe Monitor was introduced in March 2023, it was decided that the software would be evaluated after an extended test phase. After all, the service is designed to help administrators of the University of Vienna’s web pages to find barriers on these web pages in the simplest possible way. Unfortunately, the feedback from users shows that the software is too inflexible to use. In addition, the costs for the software have increased.

The ZID has therefore decided to discontinue the operation of axe Monitor as of 31 December 2024.

This means for users:

• axe Monitor and all projects and reports created in it will no longer be available from 1 January 2025.
• If you still need issues that axe Monitor has identified, you must export them from your projects by 31 December 2024. The user guide Exporting issues will help you.

The ZID and the project group are currently looking for alternatives to axe Monitor. An important criterion is that the new software is easier to use. It should also enable better quality testing of web pages. The ZID will inform users as soon as a new software is available.

If you have any questions in the meantime, please use the Servicedesk form Anfrage zu Barrierefreiheit prüfen (Request for Checking accessibility, in German).

Microsoft 365 is a comprehensive software suite that helps you complete your study tasks efficiently. Whether you want to create and edit documents, design layouts or collaborate with others, you'll find everything you need here.

The Microsoft 365 package also includes access to Microsoft Teams. With Teams, you can chat, exchange files, brainstorm and hold (video) meetings. It makes communicating and collaborating with your fellow students much easier. ‘By adding Microsoft 365 to the software portfolio for students, we have succeeded in providing access to a comprehensive tool for modern studying and working across the university,’ summarises Markus Ankner, who is responsible for the service at the ZID.

Pure flexibility

Microsoft 365 is extremely flexible to use: you can use apps as a desktop app for local use or as a web app in your browser. Some apps are also available as mobile apps. With a single license, the software can be used on up to 5 desktop devices (PCs or Macs) plus 5 tablets and 5 smartphones. You can be logged in on 5 devices at the same time – a great advantage when using the apps on the go on your smartphone and at home on your desktop device. So you are well equipped everywhere and at all times.

Easy and secure access

When you order Microsoft 365, a personal Microsoft account is set up for you. You can then use your u:account to log in to the service, which is not only practical but also secure. Markus Ankner explains: ‘Microsoft 365 at the University of Vienna places a high value on data protection and security. Registration for Microsoft services takes place on the ZID's own infrastructure. This means that passwords remain on the University of Vienna's servers.’
 

What makes Microsoft stand out?

With Microsoft 365, you get a real power tool that offers you a whole range of advantages. The most important of these are:

An extensive range of tools

From the classic Office apps to layout and design programs and collaboration and organisation tools, it has everything. You probably know Word, Excel and PowerPoint, but have you ever heard of Visio? Or do you know the difference between OneDrive and OneNote? Here is an overview:

Office apps

• Word: perfect for writing and designing documents.
• Excel: ideal for data analysis and visualisation.
• PowerPoint: great for impressive presentations.

Layout and visualisation

• Publisher: create cool layouts for brochures, flyers and more.
• Visio: create meaningful visualisations with a range of templates and customisable shapes.

Planning and organisation

• OneNote: your digital notebook for everything – texts, images, files and more. Share and edit notes together.
• Planner: Organise your (degree programme) tasks easily and clearly.
• OneDrive: Save and share your files in the cloud.

Collaboration

• Teams: Work together via chats and video meetings.
• Whiteboard: Use the drawing area for visual collaboration.
   

You can find a list of all available apps and functions here.

Access from anywhere, anytime

You can log in via the Microsoft 365 portal and use all applications directly as a web app. Many apps are also available as a desktop version. Everything is designed for use in the cloud, so your documents and settings are synchronised across all devices and you can access them from anywhere. All you need is an internet connection – at least once every 30 days, otherwise Microsoft 365 switches to a mode with restricted functionality. Then documents can only be read and printed, but not edited, until you log in again.

Microsoft 365 portal (login with your Microsoft account of the University of Vienna)

Real-time collaboration

With Microsoft 365, you can collaborate in real time with others on projects and tasks. Share and edit documents with your fellow students via Teams and OneDrive. This makes group projects much more easier!

Microsoft Teams service page

Cloud storage

With OneDrive, you get free cloud storage. You can use it to store and save data in Microsoft 365 and access it at any time.

Artificial intelligence (AI) support

With your Microsoft account of the University of Vienna, you can also access Microsoft Copilot with Enterprise Data Protection – a standalone AI chat application that is specifically designed for the University of Vienna with special security measures. Enterprise Data Protection is activated by logging in with the University of Vienna's Microsoft account.

On the studying web pages, you can find information about AI in studies and teaching.

Data protection and security

The University of Vienna's Microsoft 365 set-up places a great deal of importance on data protection and security, especially in a university environment where sensitive data or academic (research) results are handled. The data protection page provides comprehensive information on the data protection aspects that have been taken into account for Microsoft 365 at the University of Vienna.

You need multi-factor authentication (MFA) to log in to Microsoft 365. Securing with a second factor is an essential component for the security of the university's IT infrastructure.

How do you get Microsoft 365?

You can easily order Microsoft 365 for free via AcadCloud. A Microsoft account and a personal license will be created for you. Check your e-mail inbox after ordering – you will receive all important information about your license and how to use the software at your university e-mail address. Please note that it can take up to 2 hours after ordering for your access to be available.

Use the user guide Microsoft 365 for students.

Are you currently using Microsoft 365 Apps?

The Microsoft 365 Apps software will soon be discontinued. You can no longer extend the license and you will no longer be able to use the software after the termination of the u:account. Therefore, the ZID recommends immediately switching to Microsoft 365 for students. To do so, first return the Microsoft 365 Apps for Students (1-year subscription) product via AcadCloud and then order the free Microsoft 365 – Office Apps and Teams product.

Please make sure to save any data from OneDrive that you still need before returning Microsoft 365 Apps for Students (1-year subscription).

Where can I find information and help?

For information and user guides, go to the Microsoft 365 service page.

If you have specific questions about Microsoft 365 at the University of Vienna, please use the Servicedesk form Microsoft 365.

For questions about the ordering process, go to the AcadCloud support page.