NARIC Guide on Higher Education Systems in the European Union
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NARIC guide on Higher Education Systems in the European Union Edition of 1999 NARIC guide on Higher Education Systems in the European Union Edition of 1999 Austria Contents Glossary 14 INTRODUCTION 16 I. HIGHER EDUCATION SYSTEM 17 I.1. The institutions of higher education 18 I.1.1. Universities 18 I.1.2. Schools of art and music 18 I.1.3. Fachhochschul studies 19 I.2. Number of students 19 I.3. Organisation of studies 20 I.3.1. Laws on institutions 20 I.3.2. Study laws 21 II. QUALIFICATIONS AND DIPLOMAS 29 II.1. Qualifications for admission to higher education 29 II.1.1. Scope of application 29 II.1.2. Admission to studies 29 II.2. Intermediate qualifications in higher education 33 II.3. Final qualifications in higher education 33 II.4. Regulated professions under directives of the European Community 34 BIBLIOGRAPHY 35 APPENDICES I TO IV 36 Glossary Bundesgesetz Federal act. Bundesgesetz, mit dem Bestimmungen über die land- und forstwirtschaftlichen Lehranstalten des Bundes getroffen werden (Land- und Forstwirtschaftliches Bundesschulgesetz), BGBl. Nr. 175/1966 Federal act on agricultural and forestry schools. Bundesgesetz über die Akademie der bildenden Künste in Wien (Akademie-Organisationsgesetz 1988 — AOG), BGBl. Nr. 25/1988 Academy organisation act. Bundesgesetz über die Errichtung des Universitätszentrums für Weiterbildung mit der Bezeichnung Donau-Universität Krems, BGBl. Nr. 269/1994 Federal act on the establishment of the university centre for further education with the title Danube University at Krems. Bundesgesetz über die Organisation der Universitäten (Universitäts-Organisationsgesetz — UOG 1993), BGBl. Nr. 508/1993 University organisation act, 1993. Bundesgesetz über die Organisation der Universitäten (Universitäts-Organisationsgesetz — UOG), BGBl. Nr. 258/1975 University organisation act, 1975. Bundesgesetz über die Organisation von Kunsthochschulen (Kunsthochschul-Organisationsgesetz), BGBl. Nr. 54/1970 Schools of art and music organisation act. Bundesgesetz über die Studien an den wissenschaftlichen Hochschulen (Allgemeines Hochschul-Studiengesetz — AHStG), BGBl. Nr. 177/1966 General university studies act. Bundesgesetz über die Studien an Hochschulen künstlerischer Richtung (Kunsthochschul-Studiengesetz — KHStG), BGBl. Nr. 187/1983 Schools of art and music studies act. Bundesgesetz über die Schulorganisation (Schulorganisationsgesetz), BGBl. Nr. 242/1962 School organisation act. Bundesgesetz über Fachhochschul-Studiengänge (FHStG), BGBl. Nr. 340/1993 Federal act on fachhochschul studies. Bundesgesetzblatt (BGBl.) Austrian federal law gazette. Bundesminister(ium) für Land- und Forstwirtschaft Federal Minister (Ministry) for (of) Agriculture and Forestry. Bundesminister(ium) für Unterricht und kulturelle Angelegenheiten Federal Minister (Ministry) for (of) Education and Cultural Affairs. Bundesminister(ium) für Wissenschaft, Verkehr und Kunst Federal Minister (Ministry) for (of) Science, Transport, and the Arts. Bundes-Verfassungsgesetz (B-VG) in der Fassung von 1929, BGBl. Nr. 1/1930 The Federal constitutional act. Bundesverfassungsgesetz (Any) federal constitutional act. Reichsgesetzblatt (RGBl.) Imperial law gazette. Staatsgrundgesetz vom 21. Dezember 1867, Reichsgesetzblatt Nr. 142, über die allgemeinen Rechte der Staatsbürger für die im Reichsrat vertretenen Königreiche und Länder Basic law on the universal rights of citizens. Zuletzt geändert durch Most recently amended by. (Erstes) Zusatzprotokoll zur Konvention zum Schutze der Menschenrechte und Grundfreiheiten vom 20. März 1952, BGBl. Nr. 210/1958 (First) protocol to the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Basic Freedoms. Introduction In 1993, the new Austrian ‘University organisation act’ came into force. The act institutes the most significant changes in the organisation of Austrian universities to take place since 1975. New official positions were created; the terms of reference of those which existed under the university organisation act, 1975, were also fundamentally changed. In addition, the relationship between the federal Ministry of Science, Transport, and the Arts, on the one hand, and the universities, on the other, was reconstituted. In 1993, the Austrian Fachhochschul studies started. This kind of studies forms part of the higher education system, but not part of university education. The studies last three years as a minimum plus one or two practical terms. Every private and public unit which fulfils the prescribed requirements — especially in terms of quality assurance — may offer Fachhochschul programmes. There exists an autonomous body — the Fachhochschulrat — which gives the licence to offer Fachhochschul programmes, and which surveys the quality of education. Ten Fachhochschul programmes have been running from the winter term 1994/95, 10 other programmes from the winter term 1995/96. While higher education has been totally public in Austria, this new sector for the first time offers the possibility for private entities to run higher education programmes. On 1 January 1994, the European Economic Area came into being. Therefore, the directives of the European Community concerning professional recognition came into force in Austria and the other countries of the European Free Trade Association (EFTA). On 1 January 1995, Austria became a member of the European Union. I. Higher education system Universities, schools of art and music, and Fachhochschul studies are within the competence of the federal government under the fundamental provisions laid down in the Federal constitutional act. The provinces (Bundesländer), which are ‘federal States’, have no constitutional jurisdiction over these institutions. The basic law on the universal rights of citizens of 1867 stipulates that teaching, research and practice of the arts shall be free. Further general constitutional provisions of relevance are Article 18 of the basic law of 1867 (‘Everyone shall be free to choose his occupation and to obtain the necessary education and training how and where he wants.’), as well as Article 2 of the first protocol to the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Basic Freedoms (‘Nobody shall be deprived of the right to education.’). According to section 5 of Article 17 of the basic law of 1867, the Federal Government has the right to direct, manage and supervise the entire school and educational system. The administrative (executive) power of the federal government in the realm of the school system, which also includes matters relating to the universities, schools of art and music, and Fachhochschul studies, is the task of the competent federal minister. The legal situation is therefore, as follows. (i) The Federal Minister for Science, Transport and the Arts is responsible for matters concerning the universities, schools of art and music, and Fachhochschul studies (‘matters relating to sciences, in particular to scientific research and teaching’). (ii) The Federal Minister for Education and Cultural Affairs is responsible for all other school systems, i.e. other fields of tertiary education which do not come under the above heading and to which the school organisation act is applicable. (iii) The Federal Minister for Education and Cultural Affairs, and the Federal Minister for Agriculture and Forestry are both responsible for school systems for which the Federal act on agricultural and forestry schools applies. I.1. The institutions of higher education I.1.1. Universities There are at present 13 universities controlled by the university organisation act: the universities of Vienna (province of Vienna), Graz (Styria), Innsbruck (Tyrol), Klagenfurt (Carinthia), Linz (Upper Austria), Salzburg (province of Salzburg), and the technical universities of Vienna and Graz, which are all divided into various faculties; the Leoben University for Mining and Metallurgy (Styria), the Vienna University of Agriculture and Forestry, the Vienna University for Veterinary Medicine, and the Vienna University for Economics, which are all not divided into faculties; and the Danube University at Krems (Lower Austria) which is a newly founded university centre for further education. I.1.2. Schools of art and music There are six schools of art and music: the Vienna School of Applied Arts, the Vienna School of Music and Drama, the Salzburg School of Music and Drama (the ‘Mozarteum’), the Graz School of Music and Drama, the Linz School of Artistic and Industrial Design, and the Academy of Fine Arts in Vienna. The Academy of Fine Arts in Vienna is regulated by the academy organisation act, all other schools of art and music by the schools of art and music organisation act. I.1.3. Fachhochschul studies The following are responsible for the establishment and running of Fachhochschul studies. Corporations Societies (Vereine): During 1995 these were: Verein Technikum Vorarlberg, Dornbirn; Verein zur Errichtung und Führung einer wirtschaftlich-technischen Fachhochschule Burgenland, Eisenstadt/Pinkafeld; Trägerverein zur Vorbereitung und Errichtung von Fachhochschulen in Oberösterreich, Wels/Steyr/Hagenberg; Verein zur Förderung eines Fachhochschul-Studienganges Elektronik in Wien, Vienna; Schulverein der Sägewerker Österreichs, Kuchl; Verein zur Errichtung und Führung einer Fachhochschule St. Pölten, St. Pölten; Camillo-Sitte-Lehranstalt, Vienna. Limited liability companies: Wr. Neustädter Bildungs- und Forschungs Ges.m.b.H., Wiener Neustadt; Internationales Management Center Krems Ges.m.b.H., Krems; Technikum Kärnten, Spittal an der Drau; Techno-Z, Salzburg;