Austria

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Country in a nutshell

Map of Austria

Austria (German: Österreich), officially the Republic of Austria (German: Republik Österreich), is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It borders both Germany and the Czech Republic to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the west. The capital is the city of Vienna on the Danube River.

The origins of modern Austria date back to the ninth century, when the territory of Upper and Lower Austria became increasingly populated. The name "Ostarrichi" is first documented in an official document from 996. Since then this word has developed into the Österreich.

Austria is a parliamentary representative democracy comprising nine federal states and is one of six European countries that have declared permanent neutrality and one of the few countries that includes the concept of everlasting neutrality in its constitution. Austria has been a member of the United Nations since 1955 and joined the European Union in 1995.

Education in Country

Austrian educational system

The Republic of Austria has a free and public school system, and nine years of education are mandatory. Schools offer a series of vocational-technical and university preparatory tracks involving one to four additional years of education beyond the minimum mandatory level. The legal basis for primary and secondary education in Austria is the School Act of 1962. The federal Ministry of Education is responsible for funding and supervising primary, secondary, and, since 2000, also tertiary education. Primary and secondary education is administered on the state level by the authorities of the respective states.

Education starts long before school attendance becomes compulsory. The lowest level of education (ISCED 0) includes various child-care facilities such as crèches, kindergardens or nurseries. Attendance at these facilities is voluntary.

In Austria, as in most other countries, compulsory schooling begins at the age of six. Most children attend primary school, although a small proportion of school-age children attend special schools. School-age children who are not ready for school are taught in the pre-school level of primary schools. At the transition from the four-year primary level to the lower secondary level (ISCED 2), the general education system is divided into three types of schools: academic secondary schools, lower secondary schools and special schools. Special schools comprise both primary and lower secondary levels.

The lower secondary level ends with the eighth school year and is followed by the upper secondary level (ISCED 3), which offers four different options: academic secondary schools, higher technical and vocational colleges, intermediate technical and vocational schools and the pre-vocational year. The pre-vocational year acts as a kind of bridge between the four-year lower secondary level (first stage) and entry into working life (in order to comply with the requirement of nine years of compulsory schooling) or entry into the dual system of vocational education (attendance at a vocational school and apprenticeship with a company).For most children, compulsory schooling is completed at the end of the ninth grade. However, if a child had to repeat a particular year he or she is able to leave school earlier.

At tertiary level (ISCED 5) university, Fachhochschule or post-secondary college are available. The secondary school leaving certificate (MATURA) or other certificated gained through special examinations (i.e. the Berufsreifeprüfung) allow students to gain access to tertiary education. The tertiary level has been significantly expanded in recent years, partly as a result of the introduction of Fachhochschulen and also due to the Bologna Process. This entails degree programmes being divided into bachelor programmes, which generally last for 6-8 semesters, and master programmes, which follow on from bachelor programmes and last for 2-4 semesters. In all probability, conventional diploma programmes will be gradually replaced by bachelor and master programmes in future.

The highest formal academic qualification, the doctorate, can be attained at ISCED level 6.

see also http://www.statistik.at/web_en/statistics/education_culture/formal_education/index.html and http://www.bmukk.gv.at/enfr/school/index.xml for a comprehensive description of the Austrian education system

Further and Higher education

In the tertiary sector there are the following training institutions:

• Medizinisch-technische Akademien (paramedical college) and Hebammenakademien (midwifery college) (Full-time training at one of these colleges lasts three years). Since 2006, some Fachhochschulen (universities of applied sciences) have provided bachelor’s degree programmes for paramedic practice and midwifery;
• Universities and accredited private universities;
• Fachhochschulen (universities of applied sciences);
• Pädagogische Hochschulen (university colleges of teacher education).

Colleges in Country

Post-secondary and Tertiary Education

Post-secondary courses provide short study programmes for people holding standard entry qualifications for university. These courses run for four or eight (for people under employment) semesters, impart technical and practical qualifications to be acquired at technical and vocational colleges and end with a diploma exam.

Post-secondary colleges offer high-quality training for occupations in the social and services sector.

Training for diagnostic and therapeutic professions.

In-service teacher training colleges provide for further training of teachers offering courses on general, theoretical, pedagogical, practical and methodological matters. Moreover, these colleges also engage in research activities and impart key qualifications; they initiate and co-ordinate projects as part of the further education and training of teachers and in the field of school development and provide for various other services.

Access to advanced vocational education is conditional upon standard entry qualifications for university. Successful completion of "Fachhochschul"-courses gives access to doctoral programmes at university.

Universities and art colleges reform measures towards more autonomy have already been started. Thus, universities and art colleges will be turned into legal entities which may independently avail of their respective budgets. Moreover, this also provides for autonomy when it comes to personnel matters like appointments. Post-secondary Courses

Access to post-secondary courses [Kollegs] is conditional upon a "Reifeprüfung"-Certificate, a "Reifeprüfung"-Certificate and TVE-Diploma or the respective Higher Education Entrance Exam. Post-secondary courses run for four semesters (or six semesters for people under employment), provide students with the practical and theoretical education of a secondary technical and vocational college and end with a diploma exam. Such courses are offered in engineering, business and the social and services sector. It is also possible to attend training courses in the fields of nursery school teaching and social education. Post-secondary courses are designed to provide mainly graduates of secondary academic schools who do not want to take up studies at university or at a "Fachhochschul"-course with the opportunity to acquire initial vocational qualifications within a relatively short time.

Additional courses for the training of teachers in nursery schools for children with special needs and for the training of non-teaching supervisory staff for children with special needs may be offered as well. These courses run for four semesters (for people under employment for six semesters) and end with a diploma exam for nursery school teachers for children with special needs or for non-teaching supervisory staff for children with special needs.

Post-secondary Colleges

There are post-secondary colleges [Akademien] for the following fields of study: social work, teacher training and training of para-medical staff.

Admission usually presupposes the "Reifeprüfung"-Certificate, the respective Higher Education Entrance Exam or a "Reifeprüfung"-Certificate and TVE-Diploma. Classes and exam procedures are similar to those at universities.

Lectures at post-secondary colleges are based upon curricula and exam as well as other regulations which may be autonomously designed.

Post-secondary Colleges for the Training of Para-medical Staff

Post-secondary colleges for the training of para-medical staff [medizinisch-technische Akademien] train for advanced para-medical professions, offer different fields of specialization and are installed at hospitals.

While laboratory findings are the province of diagnostic professions, therapeutic professions concern themselves with the treatment of patients. There are seven occupational groups which fall into the category of advanced para-medical professions:

• qualified physiotherapists
• qualified medico-technical assistants
• qualified radiologico-technical assistants
• qualified dieticians and nutritional advisors
• qualified ergotherapists
• qualified logopedists
• qualified orthopists

Courses at post-secondary colleges for the training of para-medical staff run for six semesters and are regulated by the Federal Ministry of Labour, Health and Social Affairs in co-operation with the Federal Ministry of Education. Students are subject to the legislation for the promotion of higher studies.

A well-balanced curriculum providing for general theoretical subjects, technical theory and practical orientation (work placements at the college and in hospitals) provides the students with qualifications necessary for independent and qualified exercise of the respective occupation right after completion of the post-secondary college.

Psychological know-how and communication skills prove to be of importance when dealing with patients. Post-secondary colleges for the training of para-medical staff end with a diploma exam which consists of a theoretical as well as a practical part and a thesis.

In order to qualify for special tasks, for teaching jobs and executive functions further specialized education programmes have to be attended.

Post-secondary Colleges for Social Work

Post-secondary colleges for social work [Akademien für Sozialarbeit] provide for a several years lasting training which provides students with the qualifications necessary for the exercise of white-collar jobs in the social sector (e.g. youth and family welfare offices, crisis centres, educational guidance, streetwork).

Education in post-secondary colleges for social work is complemented by work placement periods (800/720 hours).

There are also post-secondary colleges for social work for people under employment, these colleges are organized as evening classes.

Graduates are conferred the occupational title "Qualified Social Worker". The post-secondary college for social work provides students with qualifications which comply with the EU directive 89/48/EECa (recognition within the EU).

Post-secondary Colleges for Teacher Training

Post-secondary colleges for teacher training [Pädagogische Akademien] run for six semesters and are responsible for the training of teachers for primary, lower secondary and special needs schools and for the training of teachers for the pre-vocational year. In line with their high level of pedagogical and didactic know-how, these post-secondary colleges also provide for courses for non-school pedagogical occupations.

Applicants have to hold standard entry qualifications for university and do an aptitude test.

Educational Research

Apart from educating and training students, these colleges are also engaged in research work in the pedagogical field. Moreover, each post-secondary college for teacher training has an adjacent school for practical training which provides students with the opportunity to apply their hitherto acquired theoretical didactic know-how.

Post-secondary Colleges for the Training of Vocational Teachers

Post-secondary colleges for the training of vocational teachers [Berufspädagogische Akademien] run six-semester courses and train teachers for

• part-time vocational schools for apprentices,
• technical subjects at secondary technical and vocational schools and colleges (these subjects comprise practical training as well as specialized theory in the respective field at secondary technical and vocational schools and colleges),
• dietetics and home economics at technical and vocational schools and colleges,
• instruction in word processing (applicable to all school types).

Differing Admission Requirements

Admission to colleges for the training of vocational teachers presupposes the "Reifeprüfung"-Certificate. In some cases (practical subjects), however, the "Reifeprüfung"-Certificate may be substituted by a Master Craftsman Certificate.

Admission to courses for teachers at part-time vocational schools and for teachers of technical subjects also presupposes up to six years of work experience in the relevant field. As for courses for dietetics and word processing, this practical work experience forms an integrative part of the first section of studies.

Apart from educating and training students, these colleges also engage in research work in the field of vocational education.

Post-secondary Colleges for the Training of R.E. Teachers

Post-secondary colleges for the training of R.E. teachers [religionspädagogische Akademien] run for six semesters and are responsible for the training of R.E. teachers for primary schools, lower secondary schools, special needs schools, the pre-vocational year and for part-time vocational schools for apprentices.

Admission presupposes the "Reifeprüfung"-Certificate or the respective Higher Education Entrance Exam.

Depending on the need for it, post-secondary colleges for the training of R.E. teachers may also engage in field-specific pedagogical research work. Each post-secondary college for the training of R.E. teachers has to name schools where R.E. teachers may do a teaching practical.

Apart from the post-secondary colleges for the training of R.E. teachers of the Roman Catholic Church there is also a Protestant, a Jewish and a Muslim one.

In-service Teacher Training Colleges

In-service teacher training colleges [Pädagogische Institute] are post-secondary colleges for the advanced training and further education of teachers.

In-service teacher training colleges have been established in all federal provinces and are financed either by the federal government or the individual provincial governments. In-service teacher training colleges are responsible to the respective Regional Education Board.

Budgetary and curricula matters are regulated by directives and guidelines issued by the Federal Ministry of Education, Science and Culture and the respective Regional Education Board.

"Exchange" for Experts

From an organizational point of view, these colleges are centres where information on further education possibilities is gathered, an "exchange" for experts holding resources of which teachers may avail.

In-service teacher training colleges also engage in pedagogical fact research. Depending on the target group, seminars may either be organized for the teachers of one school, one region or one or several (or even all) federal provinces. Moreover, seminars may be held for teachers of one or several subjects or for teachers of one or several school types.

In order to be able to meet the needs of teachers of all school types, in-service teacher training colleges are sub-divided into four departments corresponding to the main school types.

• Department for lower secondary schools
• Department for secondary academic schools
• Department for secondary technical and vocational schools and colleges
• Department for part-time vocational schools

Separate in-service teacher training colleges have been established for R.E. teachers. Further education of teachers at secondary schools and colleges for agriculture and forestry takes place at the training college for teachers in the field of agriculture and forestry [Land- und forstwirtschaftliches Berufspädagogisches Institut].

Main Points of Emphasis in Further Education of Technical and Vocational School Teachers

Teachers are to be offered courses on new academic and didactic developments in the respective fields of specialization and on the respective legal provisions. In addition to that, in-service teacher training colleges also offer

• courses for newly recruited teachers:

these courses inform about the special features of technical and vocational schools and the subjects taught there;

• training of newly recruited technical and vocational school teachers:

In-service teacher training colleges provide for pedagogical training of those newly recruited teachers who did acquire their specialized knowledge at university but did not do their State Examination for the Teaching Profession there. In addition to that, teachers-to-be at part-time vocational schools and teachers of specialized theoretical and practical subjects may do the first part of training for the teaching profession at an in-service teacher training college

Other Courses

Other courses provide teachers with additional qualifications necessary for the teaching of new subject fields and specialized areas. Accreditation of such courses requires the submission of curricula, exam regulations and the organizational framework for the respective in-service teacher training college.

As of July 1, 1997 the following courses have been nationwide accredited at in-service teacher training colleges (dpts. technical and vocational schools and colleges or part-time vocational schools):

Creative design, geriatric care and auxiliary nursing, quality management I, quality management II, waste disposal consultancy, clothing management, industrial design, clothing, business computing at secondary schools and colleges for occupations in the social and services sector, hotel management, basics of pedagogics for engineering subjects, school librarianship, design classes, electrical engineering, plastics engineering, vocational guidance, environment, multimedia, German and communication.

Imparting of Key Qualifications

• School development, school autonomy
• In-service teacher training colleges provide schools with assistance in the field of school development. This trend will be promoted by an increase in school autonomy.
• Further training and education of heads of schools
• In view of the fact that heads of schools have to fulfil important management tasks, special seminars are offered to them.
• Training firms
• In-company further training of teachers
• Internationalization – European consciousness
• Foreign languages and international certificates
• Communication technologies, multimedia and telecommunications
• Environment
• Principles of teaching
• Other services
• co-ordination of teacher work groups,
• project centres, partnership agreements with institutes of further education abroad,
• realiziation and support of EU projects,
• other projects like counselling activities in the field of organization development and training in the field of quality management

Administration and finance

Schools

Administration and responsibilities

The Federal Ministry for Education, the Arts and Culture (http://www.bmukk.gv.at/) is the supreme supervisory body for the whole of primary and secondary education, which includes academic secondary schools and technical and vocational schools, as well as colleges of teacher education. The work experience part of initial vocational education is the responsibility of the Federal Ministry of Economy, Family and Youth (http://www.bmwfj.gv.at/). As is the case with government administration in general, responsibilities for legislation and implementation in school education are split between federal and provincial governments. This split is based on the principles outlined below:

• The federal government has exclusive responsibility for legislation and implementation: this applies particularly to the entire field of academic secondary education (secondary levels I and II), but also to medium level and higher level technical and vocational schools (secondary level II), training schools for educators and training schools for kindergarten teachers, and to the conditions of service and staff representation of teachers at these schools.

The federal government is responsible for legislation, whereas the provinces are responsible for implementation: this applies, among others, to the conditions of service and staff representation of teachers at public compulsory schools.

• The federal government is responsible for fundamental legislation, while the provinces are responsible for issuing and implementing by-laws: this particularly applies to the organisational structure of federal education authorities or the external organisation of public compulsory schools. The term ‘external organisation’ refers to the development, construction, maintenance and closing of schools, but also to the fixing of pupil numbers per class and teaching periods. All fundamental legislation is in the nature of a framework which has to be filled in by implementing by-laws promulgated by the respective provincial parliaments, the legislative bodies at provincial level.
• The provinces are responsible for legislation and implementation as, for example, with regard to kindergartens.

Separate federal bodies have been established wherever the federal government is responsible for implementation. These are:

• Bezirksschulräte (district school boards) at the level of political districts;
• Landesschulräte (provincial school boards) at the level of the provinces; and
• the Federal Minister for all of Austria.

Customarily the federal government introduces draft laws as government bills in the Nationalrat (National Council). Such a draft produced by the Federal Ministry for Education, the Arts and Culture will first have been submitted to a number of relevant authorities (collegiate councils in the district and provincial school boards, provincial governments, various interest groups, churches, etc.) for an expert opinion. Fundamental laws enacted by the federal government will normally prescribe a deadline by which the provinces must issue the necessary implementing laws (six months to one year). These implementing laws are passed by the provincial governments. More detailed provisions are contained in the individual provincial constitutions. Austria’s education system is characterised by a well developed system of school inspection. Federal school authorities in the provinces are responsible for primary and secondary education (district school boards, provincial school boards). At the level of the provinces, school inspection is carried out by provincial school inspectors who are responsible for specific school types. At compulsory school level, provincial school inspectors are assisted by district school inspectors, and in medium and higher-level secondary education by subject inspectors. In addition to the inspection of individual schools, the school inspectorate also performs comprehensive functions across schools. At district level, this especially refers to regional educational planning. Regional educational planning aims to ensure

• a diversity and balance of educational options,
• comparability of educational options,
• school and instruction planning oriented towards quality,
• personnel and organisational development,
• providing the schools with personnel and material resources,
• infrastructure for school development counselling and in-service training for teachers.

In the academic year 1993/94 Schulautonomie (school autonomy) entered the mainstream education system. Flexibility of Austrian schools has gradually increased since and was put on a new legal basis. (The following applies only to a limited extent to years 1 to 4 of primary schools, with only two weekly lessons and optional exercises under school autonomy.) Individual schools are now allowed to decide certain school matters independently. A school may develop a certain profile, e.g. by specialising in foreign languages, ecology, intercultural focal points, information technology or generally by extending or supplementing curricular content.

Finance

Schools of compulsory education (primary schools, general secondary schools, special schools, pre-vocational schools and vocational schools) are maintained by the provinces, municipalities or municipal associations. While most of the schools in general compulsory education are maintained by municipalities or municipal associations, part-time compulsory vocational schools are maintained by the provinces. Maintaining and operating a school includes the establishment, maintenance and repair of the school buildings, payment of overheads, purchase of equipment and teaching aids, provisions for the school doctor, and the employment of the necessary auxiliary staff (caretakers, maintenance staff, etc.). The employment of teachers at compulsory schools is exclusively the responsibility of the provinces. Teachers in public sector schools of compulsory education are employed by the provinces, which pay the cost of their salaries. However, the provinces are fully compensated for this cost by the Federation in the process of fiscal adjustment. (The sole exception being teachers at compulsory vocational schools, where this refund is granted only up to 50 %.) Public sector schools of compulsory education are not allowed to charge tuition fees. Transport to and from school using public transport facilities is free. Textbooks are provided to pupils free of charge, and they are entitled to keep them. In recent years, a contribution of 10 % from the pupils has been introduced both for transport to and from school and for textbooks. Medium level and higher secondary schools are established and maintained by the Federation, which bears the full cost, including teachers' salaries. Teachers do not enter into an employment contract with the school in this case either, but with the Federation. The same is true for medium level and higher secondary schools with respect to the absence of tuition fees, free transport and textbooks as for compulsory education. In 1996 the legal basis for extending the financial autonomy of schools was established. On certain conditions laid down by law, schools can rent out school rooms or parts of school property (e.g. gymnasium or sports grounds) to third parties and allocate the respective income at their own discretion as long as it is used for school purposes. The same applies to external funding received from sponsoring or commercial activities at school. Since 1998 federal schools have been entitled to establish quasi legal bodies which are authorised to perform certain activities in their own name (e.g. organisation and staging of certain events for third parties).

Austrian schools may, in a limited way, also choose how to use the funds allocated to them by the school authorities. For medium and higher level technical and vocational schools this can facilitate the procurement of computers and technical equipment (financial autonomy). This makes it easier to implement occupation-oriented forms of education centred on students (e.g. training firms).

Quality assurance

Schools

The Federal Institute for Research on Education, Innovation and Development of the Austrian School System (Bundesinstitut für Bildungsforschung, Innovation und Entwicklung des österreichischen Schulwesens, BIFIE) is responsible for the following areas:

• Applied research on education,
• Education monitoring,
• Quality development,
• Regular reports on Austrian education.

In addition, the BIFIE is responsible for advising, on the basis of evidence collected, the decision-makers of Austrian education policy (http://www.bifie.at). The BIFIE is headquartered in Salzburg where it focuses on education monitoring and education standards. The Salzburg centre mainly conducts international assessments such as PISA, PIRLS, TIMSS, etc. and reviews education standards. Furthermore the BIFIE’s central service areas, i.e. the central management and the centre for data management and statistics, are located in Salzburg. The Graz location mainly deals with educational research and evaluation, carrying out specific projects such as the evaluation of the ‘new secondary school’ and research-based projects on topics such as ‘early language support’. The BIFIE Vienna location (‘innovation & quality development’) concentrates particularly on the development and implementation of innovations in the school area. Model projects are the development and implementation of a standardised Reifeprüfung (matriculation examination) and further development and implementation of education standards. Tasks are coordinated between the Ministry for Education and BIFIE based on a revolving three-year plan. A two-member board of management, a nine-member supervisory board and the scientific board consisting of renowned Austrian and international scientists and scholars are the bodies of the BIFIE, which is a legal entity under public law.

Introducing national education standards into the general education system Introducing national education standards into the general education system ultimately aims to improve the pupils’/students’ core competences in selected subjects and to secure returns to education in the long run. This is to be achieved especially through: changing didactics and focussing on results in the planning and performance of school instruction (standards serve as orientation); improving teachers’ capabilities in diagnostics and remedial instruction (remedial function), as well as feedback concerning the proficiency level and targeted site-related quality development (evaluation function). An amendment of the School Instruction Act of August 2008 provided the legal basis for the introduction of education standards: http://www.bmukk.gv.at/schulen/recht/erk/novelle_schug.xml. The pertinent statutory regulation sets out the subject-specific proficiency pupils/students are expected to acquire upon completion of the 4th and the 8th grades. The standards were introduced in primary and general secondary (level I) schools on 1/1/2009: http://www.bmukk.gv.at/schulen/recht/erk/vo_bildungsstandards.xml. Baseline surveys were conducted in spring 2009 (8th grade) and/or 2010 (4th grade). The first reassessments at grade 8 are scheduled to start as of 2012, at grade 4 as of 2013. The periodic reappraisal of the standards both guarantees and optimises the quality of classroom work, and provides feedback for teachers on the learning outcomes of pupils/students. Introduction of a standardised, competence-oriented Reifeprüfung (matriculation examination) The new matriculation examination, which will be launched for academic secondary schools in the academic year 2013/14 and for the vocational and technical schools in the following year, consists of three pillars: standardised written examinations, compulsory pre-scientific paper and oral examinations. Standardised written examinations: all students in Austria take these standardised competence-oriented written examinations at the same time. Examinations in German, mathematics (taking account of curricular differences), English and foreign languages (Italian, French, Spanish, Latin and Greek) are centrally defined. Teachers’ corrections and assessments are carried out locally at the school location in compliance with a set formula. The results are therefore comparable throughout Austria. Pre-scientific Paper: in the second half of year seven, students, in agreement with their teachers, will select a topic for a paper they will prepare as part of the matriculation examination. Students then prepare this paper in a subject of their choice during year eight to demonstrate their capability to carry out independent academic work and to go on to university. The paper is presented by the student during the matriculation examination, similar to examinations at university. Oral examinations: in addition to the written examinations, a student will have to take oral examinations in 2 or 3 subjects. Tasks and assessments of the oral examinations are not centrally defined, but lay within the scope of responsibility of the teacher in charge of the examination. Teachers at the location are required to identify up to a maximum of 24 subject areas per subject, which are presented to the students. Students are assigned one subject area, for which questions are formulated by the examiner. To evaluate the new matriculation examination, a federal matriculation commission with advisory functions will be established. It is composed of school partners, representatives of the provincial school boards, ‘Universities Austria’, the Ministry of Science and experts. It is chaired by the Federal Minister for Education.

Quality assurance at schools The Quality in Schools (Q.I.S.) initiative was launched by the Federal Ministry for Education to promote school development and quality assurance within the respective schools. Individual schools are stimulated and encouraged to monitor, check and further develop their quality standards themselves. The concept centres around preparing and implementing a school programme, which contains a model policy and development plans (actual situation, targets, actions, evaluation) for the school’s specific projects. The background consists of four quality areas:

• teaching and learning,
• classroom and school as living environment,
• school management,
• school partnership and external relations,
• professionalism and human resources development.

The initiative addresses all school types and highlights the importance of cooperation between teachers, pupils/students and parents. Internet: http://www.qis.at The Quality Initiative for Vocational Education and Training (Qualitätsinitiative Berufsbildung, QIBB) is a further development, extending the concept to cover all levels of the education system (www.qibb.at). In 2009 the first National Education report prepared by the Austrian Federal Institute for Education Research, Innovation and Development of the Austrian School System was published (http://www.bifie.at/nationaler-bildungsbericht).

References

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