MCI professorship awarded to Raffael Heiss

In recognition of his outstanding achievements in research and teaching and his exemplary contributions to the further development of the Entrepreneurial School^®, the MCI recently awarded the professorship to Raffael Heiss from the Center for Social & Health Innovation. In the presence of family, friends, and colleagues, he was presented with his certificates by MCI Rector Andreas Altmann and Head of the Academic Council Franz Pegger, before giving fascinating insights into his research areas in his subsequent inaugural lecture.

Prof. Dr. Raffael Heiss completed his bachelor's degree in political science at the University of Innsbruck. In 2008, he continued his academic career at the University of Vienna, where he completed a master's degree in political science as well as a master's and PhD in communications at the in 2008. He has since published numerous international publications, received awards, given lectures, and held a Fulbright Visiting Professorship at Georgetown University (Washington, DC).

Since 2018, he has been working at the MCI Center for Social & Health Innovation, where he focuses his research and teaching on the topics of health communication, digital media, and health policy. He was also significantly involved in the design of the "SDG Practice Project Semester" in the MCI bachelor's degree program in Nonprofit, Social & Health Management, which was awarded the "Ars Docendi Recognition Award" by the Federal Ministry.

In his inaugural lecture on "Sick makers or saviors: How social media influencers impact our health", he explained how especially young people often blindly follow the health recommendations of celebrities who turn their popularity into a business model.