Warning: Financing of many FH degree programs not secured

2023-07-24 04:30:48

The technical college plan has been revised, but in view of the high inflation of the past few months, the basic funding for the courses is not secured with the funds provided, Prommer said in an interview with the APA. More money is “absolutely necessary”.

While the education department for the universities of applied sciences provides for an increase of 4.5 percent from autumn 2024, the FHK calls for an increase of 10 percent at the beginning of 2024 and 2025. “We are in talks with the ministry to show that there is still a need for action.” If there is still no more money, it will not only become increasingly difficult for the universities of applied sciences to find qualified staff, Prommer warned, referring to the international competition. Instead, each university of applied sciences would have to see which services could save money – for example with the opening hours of certain service facilities or with larger groups. “There are many things that are wanted so that the student can also finish in the prescribed time, but which cannot be taken for granted and require a great service from the university of applied sciences,” says FHK General Secretary Kurt Koleznik.

Study on the economic effects of universities of applied sciences

Good equipment at the universities of applied sciences is also in the interest of the state, Prommer emphasized, referring to a current study on the economic effects of the universities of applied sciences, which was commissioned by the FHK from the Institute for Economic Research Eco Austria. According to this, the GDP for the current year is 1.8 billion euros (0.41 percent) higher due to the first degrees since 2010 than would be the case without these higher qualifications. The FHs are also not only employers of 16,000 people, in the regions they indirectly secure an additional 4,200 jobs. With a total of 416 million euros, the tax return of the universities of applied sciences and their employees, including the taxes associated with the employment relationships, is even higher than the funding for university places this year (383 million).

The Minister of Finance will actually get the funding back immediately, and that with the bonus for higher-qualified workers, according to Prommer, who once again called for research funding for the universities of applied sciences. In general, it would make sense to pool the funding for research agendas, which is currently spread across several ministries, in one ministry; after all, the transition from basic and applied research is a smooth one.

Changes to the University of Applied Sciences Act desired

The FHK also sees a need for change in the University of Applied Sciences Act. This was actually quite modern when the FH sector was founded – next year it will celebrate its 30th anniversary – but indexing of the subsidy rates was forgotten at the time. In addition, this is still strongly aimed at funding after degree courses, but as a result of further development at the universities of applied sciences, more and more overarching areas (e.g. for internationalization, digitization, diversity, etc.) have been added. In order to make this further development – for example in the research area – more visible, the universities of applied sciences want to be given the opportunity to rename themselves “universities of applied sciences” in the future. Here one is in good discussions with the ministry.

Prommer also called for the expansion of study places not to focus exclusively on MINT (mathematics, IT, natural sciences, technology). “MINT is a very important area for Austria as a business location and innovation policy, but you shouldn’t forget the other areas of study.” Social work is certainly an area that should be expanded. Here, the FHK would like more flexibility when new places. The FHK also questions why every increase in study places is checked twice – first during an accreditation and then during an audit that takes place every seven years. “It’s no longer up-to-date,” said Koleznik, adding that the audit should suffice.

It is also no longer up to date that the universities of applied sciences are no longer allowed to offer a doctorate. At the European Universities, the Austrian universities of applied sciences are the only ones in the university alliances for which this is still not possible. In any case, the possibility of accredited, i.e. quality-assured doctorates is only required in individual subject areas in which the universities of applied sciences are very strong in research. At the universities of applied sciences, doctoral students are already employed for research, who are supervised there by professors and also conduct research on site, but who have to do the doctorate themselves for legal reasons at the universities. This is also a problem for personnel development.