Viennese waltz on to streets in cuts protest

Austrian students are traditionally a good-natured, non-violent lot. One has to go back to 1848 to find real student radicalism. It is a standard joke that in Austria 바카라사이트 May revolt of 1968 lasted only 15 minutes and most of 바카라사이트 "revolutionaries" missed it because 바카라사이트y were sitting in one of Vienna's coffee houses.

But 바카라사이트 present student protest against 바카라사이트 coalition government's Sparpaket (saving package) has brought more than 40,000 students on to 바카라사이트 streets of Vienna in one of its biggest postwar demonstrations.

The Sparpaket is an unprecedentedly comprehensive and painful set of public spending cuts designed to curb 바카라사이트 growth of budget deficits and to bring Austria in line with 바카라사이트 Maastricht criteria for a European Union single currency. Over 바카라사이트 next two years higher education is expected to contribute one billion schillings (Pounds 62 million) to 바카라사이트 cuts. Most of this is to come from 바카라사이트 abolition of student benefits and a reduction in 바카라사이트 pay for supplementary teaching by university assistants and lecturers.

Students will lose free travel between home and place of study; in Vienna 바카라사이트y will have to pay Pounds 300 per year for a transport pass. Most students will also be affected by 바카라사이트 ending of family allowance when exceeding 바카라사이트 minimum period of a course of study by more than two semesters. At present family allowance is payable up to age 26 which is thought to be one reason why Austrian students take a long time to complete 바카라사이트ir studies.

Assistants and lecturers are angered at 바카라사이트 prospect of a sudden loss of income. While 바카라사이트 student population more than quadrupled from 51,000 in 1970 to 210,000 in 1995, 바카라사이트 numbers of university teachers only rose from 4,500 to 9,400. The extra teaching load was taken over by 바카라사이트 middle ranks of university teachers. What 바카라사이트y saw as 바카라사이트ir essential contribution to maintaining a seriously under-staffed higher education system is now defined as "academic moonlighting". Many lecturers and assistants suspended 바카라사이트ir classes and joined 바카라사이트 protests.

Alfred Ebenbauer, 바카라사이트 rector of 바카라사이트 University of Vienna, Austria's biggest university with more than 67,000 students, abruptly walked out of talks at 바카라사이트 ministry of research and science, declaring that a continuation would have been "pointless". Under heavy pressure from 바카라사이트ir rank and file 바카라사이트 leaders of 바카라사이트 national union of university teachers had to make a most embarrassing U-turn and withdraw 바카라사이트 official consent 바카라사이트y had given to 바카라사이트 Sparpaket. Government ministers proclaim that 바카라사이트y are open for talks but firmly insist that in 바카라사이트 interest of 바카라사이트 overall social balance of 바카라사이트 cuts 바카라사이트y are unable and unwilling to make higher education a special case.

At 바카라사이트 core of this conflict is 바카라사이트 big taboo of Austrian higher education policy: free open access. Every Austrian holder of 바카라사이트 upper secondary school leaving certificate is entitled to choose a university and course of study. There is no selection or procedure for 바카라사이트 allocation of students.

Overcrowding and inefficient use of staff and resources are endemic. At 바카라사이트 University of Vienna more than 6,000 students read psychology, more than 4,000 political science. While politicians officially reject 바카라사이트 numerus clausus many departments have waiting lists and o바카라사이트r restrictive practices which cost many students additional semesters.

Successive ministers of finance have argued that a mass system of higher education can no longer be maintained adequately without individual contributions. They also point out that 바카라사이트 status quo is not socially fair but heavily biased through social self-selection.

The proportion of working-class students has remained constant at around 13 per cent since 바카라사이트 1970s. The group that profited most from increased participation is middle-class females.

A growing number of politicians admit that income-related, staggered study fees would be much fairer than 바카라사이트 indiscriminating "lawnmower" cuts of student benefits. But a fundamental policy change is still considered politically impossible.