Education in Austria:
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 three additional years of education beyond the minimum mandatory level. The legal basis for primary and secondary education in Austria is the School Law of 1962. The federal Ministry of Education is responsible for funding and supervising primary, secondary, and, science 2000, also tertiary education. Primary and secondary education is administered on the state level by the authorities of the respective states.
Federal legislation played a prominent role in the education system, and laws dealing with education effectively have a constitutional status because they can be passed or amended only by a two-thirds majority in parliament. For, this reason, agreement between the OVP and the SPO is needed to pass or amend legislation relating to education.
Higher Education:
The country's university system is also free. The General Law for University Education of 1966 and the University Organization Law of 1975 provide the legal framework for tertiary education and the federal Ministry for Science and Research funds oversees education at the university level. Twelve universities and six academies of music and art enjoy a high degree of autonomy and offer a full spectrum of degree programs. Established in 1365, the University of Vienna is Austria's oldest and largest university.
As a result of the reforms since the 1960s, the university system has changed from one serving the elite to one serving the masses. The increasing number of students at Austrian universities reflects the liberalization of educational policy at secondary and higher levels. Between the 1955-56 and 1991-92 academic years, the number of students enrolled in institutions of higher education increased from about 19,000 to more than 200,000. The number of students beginning university-level education after having completed the AHS program also increased and amounted to 85 percent in 1990, compared with 60 percent in the mid-1960s.
Generally, students are free to enroll at university and in any subject field they wish to. It is even possible to enroll in several subject concurrently.
Top Universities in Austria:
Federal legislation played a prominent role in the education system, and laws dealing with education effectively have a constitutional status because they can be passed or amended only by a two-thirds majority in parliament. For, this reason, agreement between the OVP and the SPO is needed to pass or amend legislation relating to education.
Higher Education:
The country's university system is also free. The General Law for University Education of 1966 and the University Organization Law of 1975 provide the legal framework for tertiary education and the federal Ministry for Science and Research funds oversees education at the university level. Twelve universities and six academies of music and art enjoy a high degree of autonomy and offer a full spectrum of degree programs. Established in 1365, the University of Vienna is Austria's oldest and largest university.
As a result of the reforms since the 1960s, the university system has changed from one serving the elite to one serving the masses. The increasing number of students at Austrian universities reflects the liberalization of educational policy at secondary and higher levels. Between the 1955-56 and 1991-92 academic years, the number of students enrolled in institutions of higher education increased from about 19,000 to more than 200,000. The number of students beginning university-level education after having completed the AHS program also increased and amounted to 85 percent in 1990, compared with 60 percent in the mid-1960s.
Generally, students are free to enroll at university and in any subject field they wish to. It is even possible to enroll in several subject concurrently.
Top Universities in Austria:
- Fachhochschule Vorarlberg (http://www.fhv.at)
- Fachhochschule des bfi Wien (http://www.fh-vie.acat.in)
- Fachhochschule Wiener Neustadt (http://www.fhwn.ac.at)
- Fachhochschule Oberosterreich (http://www.fh-hagenberg.in)
- IMADEC University (http://www.imadec.ac.at)
- The International University Vienna (http://www.iuvienna.edu)
- Katholisch-Theologische Privat universitat Linz (http://www.kth-linz.ac.at)
- Medizinische Universitat Graz (http://www.meduni-graz.in)
- Medizinische Universitat Innsbruck (http://www.i-med.ac.at)
- Medizinische Universitat Wien (http://www.meduniwien.in)