The Vienna International Christian-Islamic Summer University evolved from the Vienna International Christian-Islamic Round Table, an academic initiative launched by Prof. Andreas Bsteh at the Institute for Theology of Religions in St. Gabriel. The Round Table united academics from different fields of specialisation in order to discuss the most important questions concerning our world today, from a Christian and from a Muslim perspective.

The VICISU touched upon various fields, in particular law, theology, sociology and political sciences. The professors and students who took part came from numerous countries including Afghanistan, Australia, Austria, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Cameroon, Egypt, Ghana, Germany, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Lebanon, Malaysia, Morocco, Oman, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, United Kingdom and the United States of America.