From China to Mexico: Participants in the international summer academy at Wels University of Applied Sciences travelled to Austria from around 15 countries – and spent a day with the Austrian baking-ingredients manufacturer.

The programme is aimed specifically at young women studying technical subjects, such as food and process engineering or food-processing technology. Over a three-week period, the aspiring engineers were given the opportunity to take part in guided tours of companies, practical projects and presentations. backaldrin took part once again and presented a special feature on the programme for the first time this year. 

Following an introduction to the company and a presentation on quality management by Katharina Pupeter, backaldrin’s expert for sustainability and certification management, participants were treated to a first: a baking workshop with backaldrin bakers Günter Koxeder and Stefan Hochreiter. The dough pieces were already prepared, but hands-on work was expressly encouraged: various small baked goods such as pretzel sticks and poppy-seed rolls were shaped, baked and, of course, tasted. 

At the same time, a second team showed the guests around the House of Bread, the Innovation and Technology Centre (ITZ) and the laboratory. After two to three hours of baking, the groups switched places and later concluded the day with a guided tour of the PANEUM – Wunderkammer of Bread.

The students’ feedback was overwhelmingly positive: lots of hands-on experience, exciting insights into the world of bread and a strong statement about the role of women in technical professions.