Government Program: Universities Warn Against Wrong Decisions
While they support the plan to establish a new division of labor between universities, universities of applied sciences (FH), and teacher training colleges (PH) in a Higher Education Strategy 2040, this should not lead to duplications. The university rectors also want to maintain the possibility of access restrictions.
In principle, the universities welcome the plans to sharpen the profiles of the individual types of higher education institutions. Brigitte Hütter, President of the Universities Conference (uniko), however, warned against the idea outlined in the government program to bring PHs and university teacher training areas closer together organizationally, following the model of Schools of Education. This would be a further expansion of duplicate structures. Rather, it would be "economical and sensible" if the PHs were "integrated into the autonomous universities." A strict no also continues to be given to a right to award doctorates for the FH, as these were founded to quickly meet labor market requirements, while research excellence is located at the universities.
University Access Restrictions: "Fundamental Revision" to be Completed by End of 2026
Regarding university access restrictions, a "fundamental revision" is to be completed by the end of 2026, as the current solution is limited until 2027. In the SPÖ, which has appointed Eva-Maria Holzleitner as the new Minister of Science, admission procedures are traditionally rejected. However, the universities have unanimously found that "the legal possibility to enact access regulations has proven itself," according to Hütter. The regulation was last extended in 2021.
Overall, at the uniko plenary meeting on Monday, "many initiatives were rated very positively," especially in the research area (including the continuation of the Future Austria Fund, strengthening of basic research in the FTI Pact). However, the universities expressed disappointment with the handling of science during the course of the government negotiations. "Science and research played hardly any role in the substantive discussion, the areas were treated as a ministry appendix," said Hütter. However, this is to be understood as criticism of the general mindset and not of the new minister.
(APA/Red)
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