Dr. Sebastian Heidebrecht, BA MA
Public Outreach
Press and Media
31/01/2026 Kann die EU unabhängig vom US-Finanzsystem werden? [Could the EU become independent of the US financial system?] Sebastian Heidebrecht in an interview with Deutschlandfunk Radio, available on the Podcast Tacheles. (deutschlandfunkkultur.de, 31.01.2026)
29/12/2025 "Deutschland und Österreich: Freunde, aber nicht immer auf einer Linie" [Germany and Austria: Friends, but not always of one mind], Interview in KURIER, 29 December 2025, with M. Schoeller.
Title in the print version (29 December 2025, p. 5): Eine bewegte Partnerschaft [A partnership with ups and downs]
25/09/2024 Obendiek, A., Heidebrecht, S., Falkner, G. & Seidl, T. (2024): Digitale Souveränität. Zwischen Rhetorik und Realität. Makronom, 25. September 2024. Available here. [Digital Sovereignty. Between Rhetoric and Reality, Makronom Blog of 25 September 2024].
01/08/2024 Heidebrecht, S., Falkner G., Obendiek, A. & Seidl, T. (2024). Digitale Souveränität: Rhetorik und/oder politische Realität? Der Standard vom 01.08.2024, Politikwissenschaftsblog. [Digital Sovereignty: Rhetoric and/or political reality? Political Science Blog in the Austrian Newspaper Der Standard, 1 August 2024] Available here.
11/07/2024 Interview with Austrian News Magazine on the Council of the European Union and the Hungarian Presidency. Article available here.
30/05/2024 Salzburger Nachrichten – Interview contribution on young voters in EU election and the role of digital media. Article available here.
08/05/2024 ORF – Panel Discussion: Young people interviewed EU experts: “Your voice counts” (“EUre Stimme zählt”). Video available here.
18/08/2023 Krone – Interview: Commenting on the meeting of German chancellor Scholz with his Austrian colleague Nehammer regarding continued checks along the border and other EU issues. Read the article here (in German).
20/02/2022 Der Standard - Interview: “New EU laws for Big Tech: What digital companies have to prepare for”. Article available here.
10/2021 Ponto.Podcast Interview: Talking about the European Union’s Digital Single Market and the consequences for the European economy and democracy, online available here.
16/04/2021 Radio Arabella – Interview: commenting the “Nomination of the candidate for the German chancellery of the ‘Union’ parties” (Christian democrats and conservatives), in German: “Kanzlerkandidatur in der Unionspartei”.
06/2016 Expert Interview on Questions regarding the Brexit, Student Journal „Pflichtlektüre“. The interview can be found here.
Invited Talks and Presentations
10/12/2025 The Politics of Digital Money: Cryptocurrencies and the Future of the Euro, invited talk at BISA International Studies and Emerging Technologies working group, co-ordinated by Newcastle University.
24/09/2025 Podium Discussion on “Driving Competitiveness: Europe’s Economic Strategies for Tomorrow”, together with Anthony Gooch (Secretary General, European Round Table for Industry), Almudena de la Mata (CEO, Blockchain Intelligence), and Peter Hefele (Policy Director, Martens Centre), Universidad Francisco de Vitoria, Madrid.
13/05/2025 Panel Discussion on “Free Speech for All. Tackling Hate, Misinformation and polarisation in the Age of AI and Tech-Oligarchs”, Vienna Citizen Lab 2025 – Dialogue Perspectives. More information here.
10/07/2024 Invited talk on the EU’s geoeconomic role and the digital euro project at the German Institute for International and Security Affairs (Stiftung Wissenschaft und Politik, SWP), Research Group on the European Union.
03/06/2024 Co-Moderator (together with Tobias Boos) of the IPW Lecture of Carola Westermeier on “Technologies of (in)security? Re-designing international financial relations with Central Bank Digital Currencies. Part of the IPW Lecture Series. More information here.
03/06/2024 Invited talk on “The digital euro and European politics” at Faculty of Economics, University of Vienna. More information here.
24/05/2024 Invited workshop participant with a presentation on the EU’s Global Gateway Strategy at the First Annual Viennese Workshop in Political Economy, Central Eastern University, Vienna
22/03/2024 Invited workshop participant at Princeton University on the EU’s Global Gateway. More information here.
09/01/2024 Organiser and Moderator of EIF Lunchtime Seminar on “Chinese Currency Exceptionalism: The Curious Internationalization of the Renminbi” with David Howarth (University of Luxembourg)
13/12/2023 Talk on “Digital Sovereignty in the European Union” at Diplomatic Academy of Vienna as part of a module series for the Austrian Ministry for Foreign Affairs.
10/11 & 17/11/2023 Talk on Diplomacy in the Digital Age at Diplomatic Academy of Vienna, as part of a training programme of the Kurdistan Region President’s Office.
15/2/2023 Digital Sovereignty in the European Union, Invited Talk at Diplomatic Academy of Vienna (in Cooperation with Free University Brussels) as part of the Winter School on Analyzing Digital Rights in Today’s EU.
23/11/2022 Invited Talk at University of Duisburg-Essen, From Market-Liberalism to Public Intervention: Digital Sovereignty and Changing EU Digital Single Market Governance.
16/2/2022 “Digital Sovereignty in the European Union”, Invited Talk at Diplomatic Academy of Vienna (in Cooperation with Free University Brussels) as part of the Winter School on Analyzing Digital Rights in Today’s EU.
22/11/2021 Invited Talk/Panel Discussion on European Politics and Research on EU Digital Policy, University of Amsterdam, together with Julia Rone and Claske Vos, invited by Prof. Jamal Shahin.
Knowledge Transfer
23/06/2025 EPP Café Connect, with President of Eurogroup and Minister of Finance Ireland Paschal Donohoe, Briefing Note: “The Digital Euro: Balancing Innovation, Stability and Citizens’ Trust”, Brussels 23 June 2025
06/05/2024 Science ambassador (Wissenschaftsbotschafter) for the Austrian Scientific Exchange Service (ÖAD) for the 2024 EU elections at HLTW Bergheidengasse. You can find impressions here.
10/08/2021 Advisory discussion with the German Federal Minister of Technology, Research and Higher Education, for discussing a co-authored position paper on potential improvements of working conditions in German higher education.
2019 “Der Europäische Binnenmarkt Q&A” [The European Single Market Q&A], Democracy Massive Open Online Course, Demokratiezentrum Wien [Democracy Centre Vienna] / Verband Österreichischer Volkshochschulen [Association of Austrian Adult Education Centres], with M. Schoeller. More information here.
10/2019 Public discussion on “History of Europe - Keine Sicherheit ohne Gewalt?” Inter alia with Andreas Püttman, St. Gereon Cologne.
11/2018 Instructor for the Trans European Policy Studies Associations (TEPSA) Course PONT – Professional Training on EU Affairs, European Parliament, Brussels.
11/2017 Public discussion with Prof. Dr. Wilfried Loth on questions of the European Integration Process, invited by the Adult Education Center of the City of Duisburg (Volkshochschule).
04/2017 Conference convener on “The Political Role of the ECB in European Union Governance”, with 40 active participants, University of Duisburg Essen. Information available here.
03/2017 Public Discussion with Harald Loy (Senior Economist) Deutsche Bundesbank, Adult Education Center of the City of Duisburg (Volkshochschule).
02/2016 Public Discussion with Harald Loy (Senior Economist) Deutsche Bundesbank, Adult Education Center of the City of Duisburg (Volkshochschule).
12/2015 Expert adviser on European economic governance and the European Central Bank for a multimedia project of the "Centre universitaire d'enseignement du journalisme" (CUEJ) University of Strasbourg.
