Akademisches Gymnasium Innsbruck

The Akademisches Gymnasium Innsbruck is a grammar school in Innsbruck, founded in 1562 by the Jesuits in the course of the counter-reformation. Thus it is the oldest school in Western Austria and one of the oldest schools in the German speaking area.

History

In 1562, Emperor Ferdinand I. entrusted the Jesuits under the guidance of Petrus Canisius with the creation of a school, which opened on 25 June 1562. Until 1575, classes took place in the "Neues Stift" (New Monastery), and afterwards in the building of the Jesuite-college. In 1606, a new school building was erected that facilitated adequate rooms for the rising number of students. When the order was suspended during the reign of Emperor Joseph II., about 500 pupils attended the grammar school.

The current school building was erected at the beginning of the 20th century, close to the Jesuit church and regional museum (Landesmuseum Ferdinandeum). After renovation and delocalisation, the school returned to this place in the autumnal semester 2007.

School and Democracy

Model European Parliament

The MEP is a simulation of the European parliament, aiming to teach students the way political decisions are made and to raise awareness of the European Union and its institutions. There are national sessions held every year at which the participants representing the country at the international sessions are chosen.

Pupils' Parliament (SchülerInnen Parlament)

The Pupils' parliament is the assembly of all students of the last 4 years (Oberstufe) and makes decisions, prepared by committees, which are forwarded to the "Schulgemeinschaftsausschuss" (body of representatives of teachers, parents and pupils, making decisions in areas that the school has an autonomous decision right). The intention is to promote democracy and integrate the pupils in the decision making process.

Youth Parliament of the Alpine Convention

Together with the Permanent secretariat of the Alpine convention, the first youth parliament took place in 2006 and is to continue on an annual basis. Questions of special interest for the inhabitants of the Alpine region are discussed by youngsters from the Alpine convention's Member states. The results are forwarded to the Permanent secretariat and presented to the Permanent committee.

Alumni

Name	Profession	Graduation
Reinhold Stecher	former bishop of Innsbruck	1939
Josef Rampold	former editor in chief of the South-Tyrolean newspaper Dolomiten	1943
Bruno Buchberger	Mathematician	1951
Andreas Khol	former head of the Austrian national assembly (Nationalratspräsident)	1959
Alexander Van der Bellen	Federal Spokesperson of the Austrian Green Party	1962

Links

• Homepage of the Akademisches Gymnasium Innsbruck (German)
• Youth Parliament of the Alpine convention (English)
• Austrian National Model European Parliament