Rolf Steininger, full professor, head of the Institute of Contemporary History at the University of Innsbruck and also since 2008 at the Free University of Bozen/Bolzano, born 1942 in Plettenberg/Westphalia; studied English and History in Marburg, Göttingen, Munich, Lancaster and Cardiff; Ph.D. 1971, Hannover; habilitation 1976 in modern and contemporary history inclusive of Anglo-American history, Hannover; 1980 professor at the University of Hannover, since 1983 in Innsbruck; German and Austrian citizenship; Senior Fellow of the Eisenhower Center for American Studies at the University of New Orleans; Jean-Monnet-Professor; board member of the European Community Studies Association; Advisory Board Member for H-German; guest professor at the Universities of Tel Aviv, Queensland (Australia), New Orleans; editor of various book-series, including the "Innsbrucker Forschungen zur Zeitgeschichte"; numerous monographs and articles in scholarly journals; international award-winning television-, film-and radio documentaries, numerous reviews in leading journals and newspapers. Major field of research and teaching: history of the 20th century.

Prof. Steininger is a faculty member of the Academic Year Abroad (AYA), organized under the Friendship Treaty between the University of Innsbruck and the University of New Orleans, for which he regularly conducts courses in the English language, focusing on Austria and Germany in the 20th century and including fieldtrips to relevant historical locations (e.g. the "Eagle's Nest" in Obersalzberg, the former concentration camp at Mauthausen), and three days in South Tyrol; up to ten German-speaking Innsbruck students with good proficiency in English are invited to take part in each of these courses with full credit at Innsbruck.