Lost Places Linz 63: Biologiezentrum & IT:U

The Biodiversity Center has been located in Urfahr, Linz, since 1993, next to the Johannes Kepler University. Spanning 12,000 m², it houses 5 million different insect species, 1.1 million plant species, and 100,000 fossils, minerals, rocks, and vertebrate specimens. The collection comprises approximately 16 million objects, making it one of the largest natural history collections in Austria. The center's focus is on biodiversity, zoology, botany, geology, and natural sciences. The Biology Center is home to the internationally renowned ZOBODAT database, which contains extensive scientific records of plant and animal species. However, the future of this building is uncertain. There is ongoing discussion about whether the new location of the digital university IT:U (Interdisciplinary Transformation University Austria) should be established here. Since 2025/26, zoning and site selection procedures for a new IT:U campus have been underway. The JKU, on the other hand, has existed since 1966, located outside the city center, with the intention of being able to expand in all directions. Expansion of degree programs since 1966: 1966: Founded as the University of Social and Economic Sciences. 1968/69: Founding of the Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences (TNF). 1969: First computer science program at an Austrian university. 1975: Granted university status and renamed Johannes Kepler University Linz; at the same time, the Faculty of Law was added. 1990: Launch of the world's first independent mechatronics degree program. 2014: Opening of the Faculty of Medicine. As of 2026, the JKU will be 60 years old (founded in 1966). With approximately 27,000 students, it is the largest university in Upper Austria.