Shaping
Europe
together.

The Club Alpbach Tirol enables young people with ties to Tyrol to take part in the European Forum Alpbach and keeps the “Spirit of Alpbach” alive all year round.

Apply now

Photo: CAT/Michael Kiran Huber

CLUB ALPBACH TIROL

Young people build bridges between Tyrol and Europe

Club Alpbach Tirol (CAT) is a platform for young, committed people who take on Europe’s pressing challenges.

Our shared future should be in everyone’s hands. We promote participation in critical discourse and give creative ideas a voice. We particularly value constructive debate with diverse political perspectives, grounded in shared European values.

That is why, since 1999, we have awarded annual scholarships for the European Forum Alpbach (EFA) to young people — whether studying or working — with ties to Tyrol who want to actively help shape Europe’s future. Throughout the year, we organize events to continue the conversation about Europe beyond Alpbach.

Annual Report 2020
Annual Report 2024

Scholarship Program

EFA full scholarships (€3,000) for young people with ties to Tyrol

Apply now

Dialogue & Impulses

Fireside chats, panel discussions and much more.

Current Events

Alumni Community

300+ alumni in politics, business and science

success stories

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The European Forum Alpbach was a really life-changing experience for me. I made deep friendships and gained some of the most exciting new perspectives. The Club Alpbach Tyrol was the foundation – a community that encourages you to think beyond your own boundaries.

Lena Flörl, PhD student in microbiome research at ETH Zurich

Photo: EFA/Andrei Pungovschi

European Forum Alpbach

Idea Lab for Europe

Since 1945, the Tyrolean mountain village of Alpbach has turned into a think tank every year at the end of August. The European Forum Alpbach (EFA) brings together young people with leading minds from politics, business, civil society, culture, and academia. Together, they develop ideas for a strong and democratic Europe.

With its interdisciplinary and intergenerational community, the EFA creates a setting in which European decision-makers and our scholarship recipients can expand their knowledge and jointly develop sustainable solutions for Europe’s future

More information about EFA

the board

Club Alpbach Tirol is volunteer-run and led by former scholarship recipients. We support current scholarship recipients, connect our alumni, and welcome everyone with a passion for Europe.

Hannes
Frei

President

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Alexandra
Hilkenmaier

Vice President

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Michael Kiran
Huber

Finance & Partnerships

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Valentin
Innerbichler

Events

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Caro
Siraki

Alumni & Communications

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Ivanna
Papushenko

Social Media

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Extended Board
Jan
Thönnessen

Alumni & Communications

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Paul
Thöne

Scholarships

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Katrin
Wimmer

Scholarships

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Anna
Greil

Finance & Partnerships

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Jakob
Egger

Events

Hannah
Försterling

Events

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Photos: EFA/Philipp Huber/Andrei Pungovschi

Our Partners

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The Forum Alpbach opens up spaces for dialogue that are indispensable in our polarized world. Without the Club Alpbach Tirol I would never have become part of this network that had a decisive influence on my personal and professional development.

Jenni Zeller, Business Network Manager at MyAbility and Chairwoman Forum Alpbach Network

Current Events

Further information evenings for the 2026 scholarship program, including in Innsbruck, will be announced shortly!

02.03.2026
19:00 Uhr
Stipendienprogramm

Infoabend Wien

Dein Weg zum European Forum Alpbach

Startup House, Stella-Klein-Löw-Weg 8, 1020 Wien
09.03.2026
19:00 Uhr
Stipendienprogramm

Infoabend Tirolerheim

Interne Veranstaltung für Bewohner:innen des Tirolerheims in Wien

Aula des Tirolerheims, 1170 Wien
15.03.2026
19:00 Uhr
Stipendienprogramm

Online-Infoabend

Dein Weg zum European Forum Alpbach

Online
Hier anmelden
17.03.2026
18:00 Uhr
Stipendienprogramm

Infoabend Innsbruck

Dein Weg zum European Forum Alpbach

Palais Claudiana, Claudianasaal, Herzog-Friedrich-Straße 3, 6020 Innsbruck

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In 2019 I was a first scholarship holder at the European Forum Alpbach and since then this special time has been an integral part of my annual calendar. In retrospect, I find it difficult to say what has not had its origins in Alpbach since then. I was in Alpbach with my partner, with my co-founder, with my work colleague, with my now best friend and with many private and political friends and met most of them there. #lifechanging, unironically.

Alex Auer, Co-Founder Impact Hub Tyrol and City Councillor in Innsbruck

Our values

Engagement

For us, this means two things. On the one hand, it stands for our members’ proactive commitment within the club, at the European Forum Alpbach, and beyond. On the other hand, it means supporting club members in implementing their ideas.

Creativity

For the Club Alpbach Tirol, creativity is the ability to think outside the box. It enables people to adopt new perspectives and to express individual ways of thinking authentically. In the form of creative assignments, this plays a central role in the application process for our scholarship initiative.

Diversity

At the Club Alpbach Tirol, diversity means bringing together and fostering exchange among people with the widest range of backgrounds and orientations. We see it as a cornerstone of a functioning society and as an opportunity for the future, which is why we advocate for diversity at the EFA and beyond.

Development

Professional and personal development, personal growth, learning together, and openness — that is what the Club Alpbach Tirol stands for. In keeping with the so-called Alpbach Spirit, as part of an international, interdisciplinary network we work to promote interpersonal and professional exchange.

Sustainability

For the Club Alpbach Tirol, sustainability means prioritizing ecological aspects across many areas on the one hand, and lasting social cohesion based on fair economic conditions on the other. This includes, among other things, our commitment at the European Forum Alpbach to critical exchange on climate policy topics and to the concrete implementation of corresponding measures.

Pluralism

For the Club Alpbach Tirol, pluralism means taking other opinions seriously, engaging with divergent views, and, at times, reconsidering one’s own standpoint. We also actively strive to represent different perspectives to enable pluralistic discussion in the first place. We live pluralism by creating spaces for discussion (fireside chats, panel discussions, political meetups) and through critical participation at the EFA.

Solidarity

For the Club Alpbach Tirol, solidarity means both cohesion within our club and within the Forum Alpbach Network, as well as standing up for all other individuals and associations that share our values and goals. Solidarity is shown by everyone whose actions uphold the club’s values, contribute to achieving our vision, and especially empower those who face particular barriers to participating in our community and the EFA.