---

Main trends in young people's participation in education and training

Public schooling is free in Austria, and parents are officially able to choose the school that their child attends. Teaching materials, school meals and transport to and from school are often provided free or at low cost.

Education until 18

The Austrian Federal Government has decided that all youth until 18 years of age are required to complete an education beyond compulsory school, because it is an important goal to ensure that all young people have a solid education to enable them to organise their future life independently and to be an active member of society. The Education until 18 (AusBildung bis 18) programme was initiated - a joint project of the social partners, the provinces, relevant institutions and companies as well as several ministries (the Federal Ministry of Social Affairs, Health, Care and Consumer Protection, the Federal Ministry of Education, Science and Research, the Department for Youth at the Federal Chancellery).

Starting with the school year 2016-2017, it is compulsory after year 9 for every young person to attend a higher secondary school or a training course by law. The main focus here should always be to provide individual support to young people, taking into consideration their wide range of interests, abilities and needs.

The following educational or training opportunities are suited to Education until 18:

• General education or vocational education secondary schools
• In-company apprenticeships or apprenticeships at state-supported special workshops, including partial qualifications and apprenticeships over an extended period
• High-quality recognised labour market or educational policy measures which prepare young people for re-integration into higher-level training or education programmes
• Programmes for young people with an increased need for support.

Education until 18 is intended to improve the coordination of the many offers available, to use them more efficiently and to close gaps in the range of programmes offered. Areas which will be (further) developed here include support in making choices of education/training, avoiding dropping out of schools and courses, preparation for higher-level training courses for disadvantaged young people, and apprenticeships in companies or in specially organised workshops.

According to the platform stop-dropout, secondary vocational schools have a dropout rate of up to 42 %, and every third apprentice does not finish the vocational education. Drop out rates are higher at learners with migration background.

External Quality Assurance

The School Quality in General Education (Schulqualität Allgemeinbildung, SQA) initiative: Introduced in 2012, SQA is designed to ensure optimum learning conditions for students at school by improving teaching quality and quality assurance in general.

In a coordinated interaction of all levels of the school system, SQA aims to set up development processes which range from the formulation of needs and an analysis of the current situation, agreements on objectives, implementation measures, and success control, to conclusions and further plans. The goal is to always have concrete, needs-oriented development projects which the pupils can also attain.

Internal Quality Assurance

SQA-online (German only): The schools’ self-evaluation is backed by the web-based support system SQA-online of the Federal Ministry of Education, Science and Research, which is an evaluation instrument for teaching and school quality for the fourth grades of new secondary school, general secondary school, and academic secondary school (year 8). SQA-online can provide indications of strengths and weaknesses at the school location. Participation in SQA-online is voluntary. It allows the pedagogically responsible staff of a school to obtain feedback from pupils by using a questionnaire which focuses on 14 aspects of school quality. Therefore the survey provides an important basis for the development work at the individual school.

Student Social Survey

The Institute for Advanced Studies (Institut für Höhere Studien, IHS) did carry out the Student Social Survey 2015 on behalf of the Federal Ministry of Education, Science and Research.

The survey was supervised by a project advisory board containing representatives of the Universities Austria Association (uniko), the Association of Universities of Applied Sciences in Austria (FHK), the Rectors’ Conference of Austrian Universities of Education (RÖPH), the Conference of Austrian Private Universities (ÖPUK), the Austrian Union of Students (ÖH), the Agency for Quality Assurance and Accreditation Austria (AQ Austria) and the Austrian Science Board.

In spring 2015, all students in Austria received an e-mail from their higher education institution inviting them to participate in the online survey.

The survey, which has been carried out at regular intervals since 1970 and covers a wide spectrum of topics relating to the social situation of students, is one of the most important sources of information and a key decision basis for higher education policy in Austria.’

Organisation of the education and training system

All children who are permanently residing in Austria are subject to general compulsory education. It begins with the first of September following the child's sixth birthday, and lasts for nine years. The actual education for children starts at Kindergarten.

1. Primary School
2. New Secondary School
3. Pre-Vocational School
4. Academic Secondary School
5. Special needs education
6. Part-time Vocational School and Apprenticeship
7. School for Intermediate Vocational education
8. College for Higher Vocational Education
9. Post-secondary VET course
10. University College of Teacher Education
11. University
12. University of Applied Sciences

 

Children subject to compulsory education must be registered at a Primary School by their parents or guardians.

The New Secondary School (Neue Mittelschule, NMS) has been the standard secondary school since September 2012. The first phase of the nationwide implementation of the New Secondary School in secondary schools was completed in the 2015 –16 school year. All former secondary school sites have thus – starting with the first years – started the development work to become NMSs. All lower stages of AHS schools (academic secondary schools) are invited to take part in the reform project.

Pre-vocational School (Polytechnische Schule) follows the 8th grade and includes another grade. In the 9th or voluntary 10th year of school, pupils are prepared for life, and especially for their working life, by further general education, professional guidance and basic vocational training. An orientation period at the beginning of the school year and professional guidance as a principle of teaching provide a range of opportunities for learning more about the world of work. The choice of career is supported by exploration of businesses and professions in the scope of training workshops and extracurricular institutions, as well as one-day internships (mini-apprenticeships) in companies.

Basic vocational training is offered in specialised areas (elective subjects). They correspond to broad occupational fields in the economy, and basic skills, abilities and knowledge (key skills) are acquired. Action and work-based learning encourage the individual talents as well as the learning motivation of pupils.

Academic Secondary School (Allgemeinbildende höhere Schule, AHS) comprise a four-year lower level and a four-year upper level, and conclude with the upper secondary diploma (Matura). The upper secondary diploma entails the entitlement to study at Universities, Universities of Applied Sciences, University Colleges of Teacher Education, and other colleges.

Forms of Academic Secondary School

• Gymnasium with a special focus on languages, humanities and the arts
• Realgymnasium with a special focus on natural sciences and mathematics
• Wirtschaftskundliches Realgymnasium with a special focus on economics and life skills (including in practical terms)

Special Needs Education (Sonderpädagogik) Integrated lessons and inclusive education open up the possibility for disabled, non-disabled children and young people to have a shared learning experience. Pupils with special educational needs may be taught by way of integrated training in a Primary School, Secondary School, New Second­ary School, the Lower Cycle of Academic Secondary School, Pre-vocational School and the Domestic Science School. Integration in pre-vocational school, as well as domestic science schools, have been legally established by the amend­ment filed under Federal Law Gazette I, no. 9 / 2012. The relevant changes in fundamental provisions of the School Organisation Act (Schulorganisationsgesetz (SchOG)), School Education Act (Schulunterrichtsgesetz (SchUG)) and Schooling Obligation Act (Schulpflichtgesetz (SchPflG)) entered into force on 1 September 2012.

Special Needs School (6 to 15 years of age) consists of nine grades. The final grade is a vocational training year. With the approval of the school board and the consent of the school provider, Special Needs School may be attended for a maximum of twelve years. The Austrian special needs education system consists of ten divisions. The pupils receive basic general education from specially trained teachers, as well as by individual teaching methods, which is intended to provide a basis for further vocational training or the attendance of Secondary Schools.

Young people who have concluded an apprenticeship agreement with an instructing employer (business) or a traineeship (training institution) are obliged to attend Part-time Vocational School and Apprenticeship (Berufsschule, BS). The Part-time Vocational School and Apprenticeship curriculum comprises general educational, business, theoretical technical and practical compulsory subjects, as well as optional subjects and non-examined classes.

As part of the initiative Apprenticeship with Matura by the Federal Ministry of Education, Science and Research, apprentices have the opportunity to attend preparatory courses for the higher education entrance examination during their apprenticeship. Three exams may be completed during the apprenticeship, and the final exam upon turning 19 years of age. The preparatory courses and exams for the higher edu­cation entrance examination are free of charge to apprentices.

School for Intermediate Vocational Education (Berufsbildende mittlere Schule, BMS) lasts for between one and four years. BMS with a training period of one or two years result in partial vocational training. BMS with a training period of three or four years result in full vocational training. Graduates gain the relevant professional qualifications of the Commercial Code. After a minimum BMS of at least three years, supplementary courses (three years) lead to matriculation and diploma examinations. There are special forms of professional colleges for graduates of four-year technical schools.

College for Higher Vocational Education (Berufsbildende höhere Schule, BHS): Higher Technical and Vocational Schools impart higher vocational training as well as a broad general education, and conclude with a matriculation and diploma examination after five years. The diploma entails the entitlement to study at Universities, Universities of Applied Sciences, and Colleges of Teacher Education; it also permits the employment in legally regulated professions under Commercial Code. The recognition of relevant professional knowledge for graduates of BHS for universities and colleges is required by law; authorisation according to engineering law applies for graduates of higher technical and agricultural schools.

Postsecondary VET course (Kolleg) Colleges offer a two-year (two to three years for working professionals) higher vocational training equal to higher vocational schools or educational institutions and conclude with a diploma examination. The graduates attain the professional qualifications of the corresponding BHS.

Education careers after the upper secondary diploma

A matriculation examination, vocational matriculation examination or higher education entrance examination is a prerequisite for these courses. For some colleges and higher schools, there are special admission opportunities for graduates of relevant professional four-year colleges or with complete vocational qualifications.

In the 2015/16 academic year, new professional training for those studying in the field of primary education has been available at University Colleges of Teacher Education nationwide.

At University (Universität) courses in the humanities and cultural studies, engineering and arts, teacher training programmes for teachers in higher secondary schools (two teaching subjects), medical, natural sciences, law, social and economic sciences and theological studies are offered.

Universities of Applied Sciences (Fachhochschulen) offer science-based vocational training with an emphasis on vocational orientation (at least one practical semester is included in the course).

A graphical abstract of the Austrian education system is provided by the Federal Ministry of Education, Science and Research.

Main concepts

After primary school children move on to lower secondary level. Here the pupils’ education system di­versifies for the first time into three types of schools, i.e. the lower lev­el of academic secondary schools (Allgemein Bildende Höhere Schule - AHS), the new secondary – i.e. comprehensive – schools (Neue Mittel­schule – NMS) and general secondary schools (Haupt­schule – HS), with the latter to be replaced by the new secondary schools by the 2018/19 school year. For admission to an AHS, children completing year four of a primary school must have good or excellent marks in German (reading/writing) and maths or must pass an entrance examination to that particular school. The lower secondary level lasts four years.

Having completed the lower secondary level (8 years), pupils move on to the upper secondary level (level II).

At this level, the follow­ing education pathways are available:

• a prevocational year (Polytech­nische Schulen - PTS, one-year course),
• level II academic secondary schools (AHS, four years),
• secondary technical and vocational colleges (Berufsbildende Höhere Schulen - BHS, five years),
• secondary tech­nical and vocational schools (Berufsbildende Mittlere Schulen - BMS; one to four years).

The PTS follows directly on year eight and lasts one year. It offers general education, vocational guidance and basic vocational edu­cation.

The AHS comprises secondary levels I and II, i.e. lower and upper secondary levels. The upper secondary level lasts four years. Pupils graduate from an AHS by taking and passing the standard matric­ulation examination (Matura), which per­mits access to universities, universities of applied sciences, teacher training colleges and academies.

BHS colleges combine general education with vocational training. These upper secondary courses last five years and pupils graduate by taking a diploma and matriculation examination. There are BHS colleges for technical, economic and commercial fields of training, as well as for tourism and kindergarten teachers, etc.

BMS schools provide vocational training. These courses last between one and four years and some end with a final examination (which does not include matriculation examination). One- or two-year BMS courses provide partial vocational training, while the three- to four-year BMS courses provide full vocational training and include a leaving examination. After leaving a BMS young peo­ple may gain access to the tertiary education system via different pathways: apart from taking and passing academic entrance exami­nations (Studienberechtigungsprüfung) or vocational matriculation examinations (Berufsreifeprüfung), they may also take matriculation and diploma examinations after completion of special add-on courses (lasting two to three years). The option of using add-on courses to attain the entrance level for higher educa­tion is also open to young people who have successfully completed their apprenticeships and participated in a preparatory course last­ing one or two semesters.

As an alternative to continuing their education after completion of compulsory schooling, pupils may also choose to enter the dual training system, apprenticeships that involve on-the-job train­ing (80%) plus compulsory attendance of vocational school courses (Berufsschule, 20%). Apprenticeships involve formal training which ends with a final examination. There are more than 200 recognised apprenticeship trades in many different fields. Roughly 39% of young people leaving compulsory school in any given year enter ap­prenticeship-based training. Those who have completed their apprenticeships may move on to attend schools for master craftsmen/craftswomen or foremen/forewomen.

According to the Austrian Federal Constitutional Law (Bundesverfassungsgesetz) the fundamental principles of education in Austria are:

• democracy,
• humanity,
• solidarity,
• peace and justice,
• openness and tolerance towards everyone regardless of race, social status and financial background

According to the School Organisation Act (Schulorganisationsgesetz) of 25 July 1962 “it shall be the task of the Austrian school to foster the development of the talents and potential abilities of young persons in accordance with ethical, religious and social values and the appreciation of that which is true, good and beautiful, by giving them an education corresponding to their respective courses of studies. It shall give young people the knowledge and skills required for their future lives and occupations and train them to acquire knowledge on their own initiative“.

The Austrian legal system guarantees general access to public schools without distinction of birth, gender, race, status, class, language or religion. Private sector schools, in contrast, may select pupils according to religion, language or gender, although such selection is rarely applied.

Educational principles in Austrian schools

• Reflexive gender education and gender equality (Reflexive Geschlechterpädagogik und Gleichstellung)
• Health promotion (Gesundheitsförderung)
• Intercultural education (Interkulturelle Bildung)
• Reading education (Leseerziehung)
• Media education (Medienbildung)
• Political education (Politische Bildung)
• Sex education (Sexualpädagogik)
• Environmental education for sustainable development (Umweltbildung für nachhaltige Entwicklung)
• Road safety and mobility education (Verkehrs- und Mobilitätserziehung)
• Economic and consumer education (Wirtschafts- und VerbraucherInnenbildung)

Educational Concerns

• Promotion of gifted students (Begabungs- und Begabtenförderung)
• Education and career orientation (Bildungs- und Berufsorientierung)
• Education for sustainable development (Bildung für Nachhaltige Entwicklung (BINE))
• Development education (Entwicklungspolitische Bildung)
• Intellectual national defence (Geistige Landesverteidigung)
• Equality between girls/boys and women/men (Gleichstellung von Mädchen/Buben und Frauen/Männern)
• Global education (Globales Lernen)
• Literacy promotion (Leseförderung - Literacy)
• Project teaching (Projektunterricht)
• Linguistic education in Austria (Sprachliche Bildung in Österreich)

Educational standards

• Educational standards in general education (Bildungsstandards in der Allgemeinbildung)
• Educational standards in VET and competence-oriented teaching (Bildungsstandards in der Berufsbildung und kompetenzorientiertes Unterrichten)

Educational development and research

Early school leaving (Frühzeitiger Schul- und Ausbildungsabbruch)

National Qualification Framework

The National Qualifications Framework (NQF) form the foundation for a transparent presentation and a comparison of qualifications. The NQR in Austria is divided into 8 levels, which are orientated towards learning outcomes. Each of the eight levels is characterised by different descriptors made up of knowledge, skills and competencies. A legal foundation was developed in 2015. The development process was headed by Austria's Federal Ministry of Education, Science and Research and involved all target groups represented in the NQF steering group. The government bill was submitted for opinions in autumn and was then adopted by the National Council in spring. The law was published in the Federal Law Gazette for the Republic of Austria on 21 March 2016. Implementation of the NQF can now be formally finalised based on this law.

Early School Leaving (Frühzeitiger Schulabbruch)

Early school leaving/drop-out is an individual as well as a socially relevant problem in the context of educational poverty and chance justice. Educational poverty appears on one hand in certificate poverty (in missing graduations) as well as in competence poverty. For the phenomenon early school leaving/drop-out there are complicated causes and causal relations which can only be explained by the interaction of the socioeconomic environment, (missing) individual problem solving strategies and systematic conditions. Early school leaving decreases the later life and career opportunities and contributes in the long term to the fact that personal risks like health danger, social exclusion or unemployment are high.

Adult education

The misleading expression “adult education” is not only addressing adults but also young people. It consists of a variety of educational institutions with different objectives and educational opportunities. The training ranges from general education, basic education and remedial training, education qualifications as part of Second-Chance Education, vocational offerings, to management classes and courses for personal development, through to university courses and university education.

Schools for professionals and tertiary training individuals who have already started their professional life or have completed vocational training have the opportunity to acquire relevant qualifications in the form of evening classes. There are secondary and higher vocational schools of general education for professionals, advanced training programmes, colleges and academies. There are also continuing education courses at universities and colleges; the latter also offer additional university of applied sciences courses for working professionals.

Institutions of adult education funded by the Federal Ministry of Education, Science and Research, such as adult elementary education, vocational training institutes, business development institutes and a number of non-profit regional adult education institutions offer general education, vocational education and training measures. An important task of adult education is the development and implementation of an adult-oriented and target-group adjusted programme, and the high-quality educational and vocational guidance to enable access to lifelong learning by way of educational information /advice, provision of basic education/ basic skills, acquisition of educational qualifications, etc. Further education colleges in all provinces of Austria provide either free or low-cost courses with a large variety of subjects for every age group. At the moment there are 272 further education colleges in Austria.