more information 
more information
Master's Studies Event
The largest career fair in western Austria, the career & competence, will once again shine with the master lounge in the coming year. The master lounge 2026 will also take place as part of the career & competence.
The event, which is all about master’s studies, offers interested parties a comprehensive information program that provides information about the diverse range of master’s degree programs at home and abroad.
The addition of the master lounge to the fair program of the career & competence offers numerous advantages, especially at the strong business and university location of Innsbruck: On the one hand, the Tyrolean capital is home to an extraordinarily large number of students, and at the same time there are many renowned local companies that are interested in providing their staff with the best possible training and further education. The focus on master’s studies within the framework of career & competence therefore not only serves to inform visitors on site about the existing range of training courses, but also creates important networks from which students and alumni, as well as employers, employees and exhibitors, can draw synergies.
Over 2,000 visitors are expected at the master lounge and career & competence 2026, who are interested in professional or educational development.
The master lounge offers exhibitors some decisive advantages: On the one hand, innovative degree programs that are particularly popular and/or in demand in the university continuing education program due to their orientation can be specifically advertised at the event. The same applies to lesser-known master’s programs, which can be highlighted and presented again at the master lounge.
The target group of the master lounge is not limited exclusively to bachelor students and graduates who want to continue their education. Employers and employees from the fields of recruiting, personnel development and further education can also benefit from the information offered. The program of the master lounge is exactly tailored to the profile of the visitors of the career & competence and thus offers an ideal complement to the offered fair program.
Over 2,000 students, graduates, (young) professionals visit the career & competence every year. On average, 24% of visitors are graduates/young professionals. Approx. 76% are students – of which 40% will complete their studies in less than one semester. The proportion of STEM students / graduates has been increased to almost 30% in recent years through targeted marketing measures. An important aspect to meet the demand for specialists in these fields of education.
Marketing Strategy
The career & competence is advertised at the university locations in Tyrol with several flyer campaigns. The focus is on the SoWi (Social and Economic Sciences Faculty), the Campus Technik and the main university. This ensures that there is a balanced ratio of the fields of study of the visitors at the fair.
These measures are accompanied by the placement of some posters (approx. 100) at the universities and other student hotspots. In addition, the c&c is present on all important university campuses with mobile 16/1 sheet poster walls from one month before the fair. In addition, all students of the University of Innsbruck are informed several times via newsletter about the career & competence and a separate Top Performer Newsletter is sent to a selection of highly qualified students.
In addition to these direct channels, numerous online marketing measures are implemented and the promotion of the fair via Facebook, Instagram, TikTok & YouTube is of particular importance. Through numerous successful cooperations, including with student organizations, the fair can also be advertised in a target group-specific manner. Furthermore, the master lounge is advertised with flyers in several places in Innsbruck and several online campaigns are launched.
The career & competence is organized by the SoWi-Holding together with the University of Innsbruck.
SoWi-Holding
The master lounge is organized by the SoWi-Holding together with the University of Innsbruck. After the PINN-Karriere Tagen, which were successfully organized by the SoWi-Holding from 1999 to 2003, the career & competence has been held since 2008. The SoWi-Holding (founded in 1985) has more than 30 years of experience in the dialogue between theory and practice, university and business and organizes, among other things, the comprehensive career fair and educational fair Visio Tirol as well as the BeSt (fair for career, studies and further education) on behalf of the Federal Ministry of Education, Science and Research and the Public Employment Service Austria at the university locations Innsbruck and Klagenfurt.
Would you like to present your university at the 29. April 2026 at the master lounge? Then we would be happy to send you the participation options with detailed information about the fair or you can register right away.
