Sabine Peternell studied dramatics, art history and journalism at the University of Vienna, attaining her master’s of philosophy in 1993.
In 2003, Peternell finished the Master’s of Applied Science program in Cultural Management at the University of Music and Performing Arts in Vienna.

She has worked at the Burgtheater in Vienna and was personal assistant to Prof. Wolf D. Prix at Coop Himmelb(l)au.
Since 1996, she has been employed at the University of Applied Arts Vienna, where she is the manager at the Institute of Architecture (IoA), as well as the study coordinator for the Institute since 2018.
From 2012 until 2016, she was CEO of the Postgraduate Program Urban Strategies at the IoA.

Research projects
2002-2003 “Kulturwirtschaft Schweiz“
International comparative study with a focus on the economic impact of design.
Partner: University of Art and Design, Zurich, Switzerland; House of Culture, Bonn, Germany; University of Applied Arts, Vienna, Austria and Center for Cultural Research, Vienna, Austria.
2003 “Erster Österreichische Kreativwirtschaftsbericht“
Partner: Austrian Institute for SME Research, Vienna, Austria; Institut für Kulturmanagement, Vienna, Austria.
2005 “Zweiter Österreichischer Kreativwirtschaftsbericht”
Partner: Austrian Institute for SME Research, Vienna, Austria; Institut für Kulturmanagement, Vienna, Austria.