Prof. Georg Hans Neuweg (55) was appointed professor of Business Education and Vocational Education at the JKU’s Faculty of Social Sciences, Economic & Business a little over a year ago. During this interview, he talked about how we have to change our understanding of education and what makes JKU special.

What is your area of research?
Georg Hans Neuweg: I am a business and vocational educator and my area of expertise includes studying just how experience plays a role in skill-building as well as in broad expertise in a wide variety of fields.

What do you find particularly fascinating about this area?
Georg Hans Neuweg: I am fascinated by the fact that those who are capable of doing extraordinary things are often only capable of expressing their extensive knowledge and experience to a limited extent. I refer to this as the "silence of the experts" or "implicit knowledge".

Why is this research even necessary, meaning how will it improve our lives?
Georg Hans Neuweg: Educational institutions often produce inert, or ‘dull’, knowledge. While graduates are educated and know a lot, they are often unable to put it into practice. We have to find out just how we can create learning processes to bring knowledge, thinking and skills together, and we have to show more appreciation for the knowledge and wisdom acquired from experience.

Why did you choose to come to the JKU, in other words, what makes the JKU so special?
Georg Hans Neuweg: I myself studied here at the JKU and despite two offers from universities in Munich and Vienna, I have chosen to remain true to our university. My reward is enjoying the most beautiful campus I know.

Why should students take your classes?
Georg Hans Neuweg: A few weeks ago, a recent graduate wrote: "When you teach, your enthusiasm, sense of fun, and curiosity for the subject matter is at the forefront and it is obvious that your students’ well-being is important you as you not only provide professional advice, but also food for thought when it comes to life, especially in order to get ahead and be happy.” I was deeply touched by those words.

What are you currently working on?
Georg Hans Neuweg: I am just finishing a book I have been working on over the past few years. The book focuses on the relationship between theory and practice when educating teachers.

What are your hobbies?
Georg Hans Neuweg: I enjoy cooking and eating, running on the weekends, especially in wooded areas, and meditating to find and maintain my center.

What else do you want to do or achieve in your life?
Georg Hans Neuweg: I have been given so many gifts during my life that I simply wish to stay healthy and productive for a longer period of time.

About Georg Hans Neuweg

A Linz native, Neuweg studied Business Education at the JKU, earning a doctorate degree in Social Sciences, Economics & Business in 1993. He then taught at LMU Munich and at universities in Bamberg, Innsbruck and Klagenfurt. He has been department head at the JKU since September 2019. His research findings have been published in over 150 publications, particularly in the areas of implicit knowledge, teacher education studies, business education, and grading at schools. He also consults for the Austrian Ministry of Education.