From bachelor's degree to parliament – KoWi student presents her research in Vienna

From bachelor’s degree to parliament – KoWi student presents her research in Vienna

How visible can student research projects be?
The answer to this question was recently provided by Irina Grießer, a former bachelor’s student in communication science at the University of Salzburg and now a master’s student at KoWi Salzburg.

Her bachelor’s thesis on “Plain language in public news broadcasts in Austria and Germany” earned her an invitation to the prestigious Posters in Parliament event at the Austrian Parliament in Vienna.

Research with social relevance

In her bachelor’s thesis, Irina Grießer examined how easy-to-understand language is implemented in public news broadcasts and what significance it has for inclusion and social participation. Especially in the context of news media, comprehensibility is a key factor in reaching as many population groups as possible.

The work was carried out under the supervision of Prof. Thomas Birkner, Head of the Division Journalism Studies in the Communication Studies Division at the University of Salzburg. Together, they presented the results to a broad audience from the worlds of politics, academia, and the general public as part of Posters in Parliament.

Posters in Parliament: Science meets politics

Posters in Parliament is an event format that brings together students, academia, and politics. In the Austrian Parliament, students present their research on socially relevant topics—in 2025 with a special focus on inclusion.

The aim of the event is to

making scientific research visible,
promote exchange between research and politics, and
giving young scientific perspectives a place in political debates.

The invitation to Parliament represents a special recognition of student research achievements and shows how relevant university theses can be beyond the academic context.

From bachelor’s degree to impactful research – now in master’s program

After successfully completing her bachelor’s degree, Irina Grießer is now continuing her academic career with a master’s degree at KoWi Salzburg. Her example impressively demonstrates how students can already conduct research during their bachelor’s degree that has a social impact – and how this experience can be further deepened in a master’s degree.

The Department of Communication Studies congratulates them on this achievement and is delighted to be able to accompany students on their journey from their first research project to public visibility.