6 research groups – one department

The Institute of Geography and Regional Science acts on a broad range of research activities. We work interdisciplinary across six research groups [two research groups within physical geography, two within human geography, geospatial technologies (GST), and geographical and socio-economical education]. The institute applies different research techniques and methods in order to investigate structures and processes on local, regional and global scales. The interdisciplinary nature of our research covering natural and social sciences, as well as humanities, invites a focus on integrative geography and therein especially on human-environment relations and interactions.

Topical foci of our institute include mountain and polar research, climate change and its consequences on landscape, water and society; urban sustainability and regional development as well as the spatial organization of goods exchange between production and consumption especially in the field of nutrition. In a regional sense we focus in particular on the vicinity of the university (Styria), the Alpine region, Central and Southeast Europe, North America and the Arctic. Research activities on our institute are embedded internationally on European and world-wide level.