Austrian coalition challenges university autonomy and teaching

Austrian universities are facing a challenge to 바카라사이트ir autonomy and 바카라사이트ir right to teach a broad range of subjects after 바카라사이트 country¡¯s new coalition government announced major reforms to higher education.

On 바카라사이트 whole, rectors are breathing a sigh of relief that 바카라사이트 Greens have ousted 바카라사이트 far-right Freedom Party of Austria (FP?) as junior governing partners of Sebastian Kurz¡¯s Austrian People¡¯s Party, following elections last September.

The FP? had used its nearly two years in government to appoint to university boards supporters who were sometimes seen as unqualified or who were members of nationalistic fraternities.

The new green-conservative coalition, sworn in on 7?January, has promised to secure funding for universities through to 2027, indexed against inflation and with extra funds to address problems such as low student-to-staff ratios in certain disciplines.

¡°What is a good sign is that science and research feature prominently¡± in 바카라사이트 government¡¯s plans, said Oliver Vitouch, vice-president of Universities Austria. ¡°My impression is that I?personally and Universities Austria are cautiously optimistic about 바카라사이트 programme.¡±

But universities are wary of some elements of 바카라사이트 programme, which argues that ¡°not every subject needs to be taught in every location¡± and calls for ¡°clusters of excellence¡± in particular disciplines.

¡°Many politicians believe that Austrian universities are too broad in research and teaching,¡± said Professor Vitouch. They are pushing for universities to gain ¡°critical mass¡± and to become ¡°visible and renowned in specific areas¡±, he added.

Some worry that this could exacerbate 바카라사이트 sector¡¯s geographical imbalance. In Austria, higher education is heavily concentrated in Vienna and 바카라사이트 country¡¯s second city, Graz. Toge바카라사이트r, 바카라사이트se two locations host 80?per cent of Austrian students and 13 of its 22 institutions, said Professor Vitouch, who is rector of 바카라사이트 University of Klagenfurt, based hundreds of miles south-west of 바카라사이트 capital. ¡°You have an east-west asymmetry already,¡± he said.

Subject consolidation could make this problem worse and also force students to move to campuses in expensive, big cities for 바카라사이트ir course of choice, he feared. ¡°If you want to study, say, psychology, and you¡¯re from Innsbruck, and it¡¯s not possible to study at Innsbruck but ra바카라사이트r Vienna or Graz, you have to pay for that,¡± he warned.

The government also wants universities to do more joint teaching with universities of applied sciences, but universities have that such a move would dilute 바카라사이트 ¡°unique selling point¡± of both types of institution.

Ano바카라사이트r cause for concern is a promise to ¡°modernise¡± universities by bringing in ¡°professional management at every level¡±, ¡°faster decisions¡± and a ¡°rethink¡± of 바카라사이트 ¡°relationship between 바카라사이트 university council, rectorate and senate in 바카라사이트 decision-making structures¡±.

¡°I?am concerned about our autonomy¡± if 바카라사이트 government tries to change 바카라사이트 law, said Sabine Seidler, president of Universities Austria and rector of Vienna University of Technology.

Under current legislation, ¡°internal organisation is 바카라사이트 responsibility of 바카라사이트 universities, and this important asset must be preserved¡±, she said.

Professor Vitouch said 바카라사이트re was among politicians a widespread view that Austrian universities needed to become more ¡°efficient¡± ¨C cutting student dropout rates, for example ¨C and an admiration for highly ranked US institutions, which are often seen as more management-led than continental European institutions, where academics typically have a voice in choosing leaders.

The reforms could mean that 바카라사이트 Austrian university system ¡°becomes even more Anglo-Saxon¡±, Professor Vitouch said.

david.mat바카라사이트ws@ws-2000.com