FC Bayern President Herbert Hainer as guest in Innsbruck.

For years, the Deutsche Freundeskreis der Innsbrucker Universitäten e.V. (DFK) has organized high-level events with exciting guests in Innsbruck, Munich, Berlin or other locations. The visit of president of the FC Bayern Munich Herbert Hainer was one of those special highlights in Innsbruck, which led to the Congress Innsbruck booked up to the last place and a stirring discussion.

Herbert Hainer is known to speak his mind, especially when it comes to answering the discussions main topic, what life is really all about, be it in football, in his career or in society. The format was special as well: Herbert Hainer took on the many questions from a wide range of different areas from the packed event hall and via digital livestream by the presidential teams of the three student organizations from the University of Innsbruck, the Medical University of Innsbruck and MCI | The Entrepreneurial School^®. This was a daring undertaking, which compliance officers, communications departments and media professionals would generally strongly advise against, in order to protect a high-ranking public figure from the risk of possible unpleasant questions.

The event was made possible by Senator Dr. Martin Steinmeyer, a long-standing supporter and friend of the high-ranking guest, who has been associated with the university location for many years. Not only was the event attended by students and members of the three Innsbruck universities, but also by Deputy Govenor. Josef Geisler, City Councillor Christine Oppitz-Plörer and numerous other well-known personalities.

The current Chairman of the DFK, MCI Rector Andreas Altmann, moderated the event. He feels that the mission of the DFK has been fulfilled: to bring together Innsbruck's universities with renowned personalities, companies and institutions from the worlds of science, business and society, to promote neighborly dialogue and encounters, and to support scientific excellence as well as outstanding academic achievements.

"I don't distinguish between professional and personal success. If I set my mind to something, can make a positive difference and shape it, and also achieve set goals, then that's success - no matter in what area and no matter whether it's small or large," said Hainer. In the end, however, you can only be successful if you pursue your passion. He therefore advises young people in particular to do what they really enjoy: "Always be curious, open to new things, ready for change and don't avoid challenges. What's to stop you then?" recommends Herbert Hainer, citing numerous examples and a wealth of experience.

In doing so, he says, it is important to live your dreams, consistently pursue set goals, and not be discouraged by failure: "Understand it as important 'learning,' analyze why something went wrong, and then do it better!"

He motivates himself through defeats by doing even better on the next attempt, and once he has achieved a goal, he hangs the next bar a little higher again. In doing so, he builds on a broad network and surrounds himself with people who accompany him, encourage him, motivate him, provide him with advice and - what he considers particularly important - also criticize him.

As President of FC Bayern Munich, Herbert Hainer focuses not only on the team's successes, but also on the economic and social aspects of the football club and its social responsibility. In this respect, he sees a decisive difference to regular businesses: "They often think 30, 40, 50 years ahead, in soccer you think classically from Saturday to Saturday, from game to game, which makes longer-term and sustainable planning more difficult." The high media presence and public attention is an additional factor that significantly shapes the day-to-day business of the football club. Herbert Hainer's concluding assessment of the event's theme of what life is really about was also touching. The modest answer: "Pure contentment!"

An exciting event ended after 90 minutes of play plus stoppage time, without fouls, without yellow or red cards, without the need for video evidence, but with a long-lasting, thunderous applause and standing ovations.

Info about the DFK:
The DFK is an association of distinguished personalities from business, science, society and politics. The objective of the DFK is the idealistic and material support of the three Innsbruck universities LFU, MUI & MCI and their students, the promotion of the partnership cooperation of these universities and their connections to Germany, the networking of their graduates with the economy and the cultivation of the friendly relations of its members.

www.deutscher-freundeskreis-innsbruck.at