Table soccer is a well-loved activity at the institute, with yearly tournaments taking place.

photo credit: Nadine Poncioni

At ISTA, being part of a vibrant community of scientists from diverse backgrounds starts from Day One.

Students have the opportunity to join a number of extracurricular activities, groups, and social events, all stemming from the outside interests of our dynamic student community.

There is a range of clubs and social groups that meet regularly at ISTA. Here is a sample of some of them.

IST Choir
The IST Choir meets regularly and performs, amongst others, at the graduation ceremony as well as the IST Charity concert.

Under the direction of Karin Mitosch and Lenka Matejovičova the IST Choir has developed a diverse repertoire of international music.

photo credit: May Chan

IST Photography Club
The IST photography club has regular club meetings where members discuss shared interests such as astrophotography, macro photography, nature photography, and topics on camera equipment and photography techniques.

photo credit: Stefan Jeschke


Here are some other social activities happening regularly at the institute:

  • Board game nights
  • Climbing
  • Cycling
  • Dancing (e.g. Salsa)
  • Fitness room
  • German and English lessons
  • Institute-wide events: retreat, BBQ, Winter Bash
  • Running
  • Soccer
  • Social events: e.g. game and film nights
  • Table-tennis
  • Table-soccer
  • Pool
  • Tennis
  • Yoga classes (with costs)

Beyond social activities, our students are also involved in shaping the future of our rapidly-growing institute through the Graduate Student Association.

Student voices are really heard here. As a student advisory group, we gave feedback that was implemented a month later. We’re part of the growth and progress.
Karla Huljev, PhD Student, Cell & Developmental Biology
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