On 10 September 2026, Dr.in rer. soc. oec. Anastasiya Savran successfully defended her dissertation at TU Wien. She is the first doctoral candidate of the STEAM – STEM – stART’em doctoral program initiated by the CTSi (short: STE[A+]M) to complete her doctorate.
During her defense, Anastasiya Savran presented her cumulative dissertation “Artistic STEAM Education. From Visual Self-Expression to Joint STE[A+]M Competencies.” Her research focuses on the connection between artistic practice and STEAM education, as well as on how forms of visual self-expression can contribute to the development of shared STE[A+]M competencies.
The examination committee consisted of Associate Prof. Dr. Hilda Tellioğlu (TU Wien, Chair), Assistant Prof. Dr. René Röpke (TU Wien), Prof. Dr. Bernadette Spieler (Zurich University of Teacher Education), Associate Prof. Dr. Koichi Kasahara (Tokyo Gakugei University), and AProf. Mag. art. Michaela Martinek (University of Applied Arts Vienna). The PhD supervision was cooperatively provided by René Röpke and HS-Prof. University Lecturer MMag. Dr. Rolf Laven (University College of Teacher Education Vienna) and HS-Prof. Mag.a Dr. Monika Musilek (University College of Teacher Education Vienna).
In a clear and comprehensive presentation, Savran provided insights into the findings of her research and demonstrated the central contributions of her dissertation in a compelling and accessible way. Her successful defense therefore marks not only the completion of her individual research project, but also an important milestone for the STE[A+]M doctoral program.
A milestone for the STE[A+]M doctoral program
With the successful defense, the doctoral program is now entering its final phase. Over the coming months, the three other doctoral candidates will also complete their research and defend their dissertations.
The doctoral program brings together perspectives from STEAM, technology, science, art, and education and is jointly carried out by TU Wien and the University College of Teacher Education Vienna (PH Wien). Collaboration with additional national and international partners enables interdisciplinary exchange, which is a central feature of the doctoral program.
For the CTSi, the doctoral program exemplifies its commitment to fostering interdisciplinary research and bringing together diverse academic perspectives. The successful cooperation among all participating institutions demonstrates how collaborative research can generate new approaches to complex societal and educational challenges.
The CTSi warmly congratulates Anastasiya Savran on her successful doctorate and wishes her all the best for her future academic career.
Header image: © Anastasiya Savran 2026