The Austrian School System

The Austrian School System
http://www.virtuelleschule.at
Information for Project Partners
School Education
School education is compulsory for all children, who are permanent residents
of Austria. Compulsory schooling starts on September 1 following a child´s sixth
birthday and lasts nine school years.
The education for children is divided into three main categories; primary, lower
secondary and upper secondary.
Primary education (Volksschule) lasts for four years.
Lower Secondary education lasts for four years,
At lower secondary level, students may choose the following options:
Hauptschule (general secondary) or
Allgemein bildende höhere Schulen (academic secondary) divided into
Gymnasium (general), Realgymnasium (Science-based) and
Wirtschaftskundliches Realgymnasium (Home Economics).
Upper secondary education lasts for four to five years
Upper secondary is divided into the following types of Allgemeinbildende höhere
Schulen: Gymnasium, Realgymnasium, Wirtschaftskundliches Realgymnasium
and Oberstufen-Realgymnasium.
Vocational secondary education lasts five years. All streams lead to the
Reifeprüfung/Matura, which gives access to higher education.
In 1997, the Berufsreifeprüfung (Vocational Certificate) was introduced, which
also gives access to university and Fachhochschule programmes.
Apprentices are now able to pass an examination to get access to higher
education. The new Secondary Technical and Vocational Certificate was designed
for apprentices who successfully pass their final apprenticeship examination and
for those completing vocational colleges, including Nursing Colleges and Technical
Medical Colleges.
Higher education
In Austria, higher education is provided by universities (including the universities
of the arts) and Fachhochschulen (Universities of Applied Sciences), introduced in
1994. There are also Academies (e.g. Teacher Training Colleges).
Stages of studies
Non-university level post-secondary studies (technical/vocational type):
These schools offer courses to holders of the Reifeprüfung: Akademie für
Sozialarbeit (Social Work), Speziallehrgänge (Technology, Economics, Tourism
and Catering), Kollegs (Tourism and Catering, Commerce and Technology),
Schulen für gehobene medizinisch-technische Dienste (medical laboratory
technicians and related occupations). Some intermediate and higher vocational
schools also provide evening classes for working people.
University level studies
University level first stage: Bakkalaureus, Bakkalaureus (FH):
Bachelor (Bakkalaureus) programmes have only been introduced in a few fields of
study. The universities or Fachhochschulen respectively are free to split diploma
programmes into Bachelor and Master programmes.
Fotos: eLC, IT4education
The
CO Austrian School System
LLAGE
University Level
University level second stage
Magister, Magister (FH), Diplom-Ingenieur, Diplom-Ingenieur (FH):
Access to university diploma programmes (I.e. programmes which are not
preceded by a Bachelor programme) is based on the Reifeprüfung/Matura or
on the Studienberechtigungsprüfung for non-secondary school leavers.
University level third stage: Doktoratstudien (Title “Doctor”)
Doctoral studies generally require a minimum of four semesters. Access is
based on a completed Diploma or Master programme at a university or a
Fachhochschule (in the latter case, the doctoral programme is 2 semesters
longer).
University level fourth stage: Habilitation
The Habilitation is acquired within the university system and is based on
special research achievements after the Doctorate and production of a
research monograph.
_____________________________________________________________
Teacher education
Training of pre-primary and primary/basic school teachers
Primary-school teachers are trained in three years, at post-secondary level, in
Pädagogische Akademien (Teacher Training Colleges), each of which is attached to
a practical school. Candidates must pass an aptitude test and at the end of their
studies they must pass a Lehramtsprüfung.
Training of secondary school teachers
Secondary-school teachers, except for Hauptschulen, are trained at university.
The minimum duration of studies for the award of a teaching qualification is nine
semesters, including a practical training period. On completion, students sit for the
second Diplomprüfung in their major subject and are then conferred the degree of
Magister/Magistra. They must, moreover, have one year's work experience as a
probationary teacher.
Training of higher education teachers
After completing their diploma or master degree, most university teachers begin
their career as university assistants (Universitätsassistent/inn/en) and acquire the
additional qualifications necessary for advancement (Doctorate, Habilitation Rectors
of the individual universities decide on the final selection of candidates.
Appointment as a professor requires a Habilitation or a commensurate form of
scholarly, scientific or artistic qualification and a "call" (Berufung) by the
responsible organs of the university.
eLearning in Austria School System
eLearning and Blended Learning have been integrated in regular education and the
official curricula since 1998. The Ministry of Education provides a high number of
teacher training seminars as well as high quality digital materials. The Ministry also
faciliates several eLearning initiatives – interdisciplinary or subject oriented - and
the spreading of laptop classes to ensure the establishment of learning and
teaching with new media for all school types and age ranges in the Austrian school
system.
schools
classes
pupils
Primary *
Lower secondary *
3.296
1.950
18.210
14.609
356.477
500.676
Higher+Upper
secondary *
1.461
33.169
1.033.755
Teachers training *
67
502
26.152
Teachers active*
121.362
* Data from 2005/06, Source:
http://www.bmukk.gv.at/schulen/bw/uebersicht/grunddaten.xml
Structure of the Austrian
School System:
Primary
Type of school:
Volksschule, Sonderschule
Length of program in years: 4
Age level from 6 to 10
Lower Secondary
Type of school:
Hauptschule, Allgemein bildende höhere
Schulen, Gymnasium
Length of program in years: 4
Age level from 10 to 14
Upper Secondary
Type of school:
Allgemein bildende höhere Schulen,
Gymnasium
Length of program in years: 4
Age level from 14 to 18
Certificate/diploma awarded:
Reifeprüfung/Matura
Vocational
Type of school providing this education:
Berufsbildende höhere Schulen
(Handelsakademie, Höhere technische
Lehranstalt,
Höhere land- und forstwirtschaftliche
Lehranstalt)
Length of program in years: 5
Age level from 14 to 19
Certificate/diploma awarded:
Reifeprüfung/Matura
---------------Federal Ministry of Education,
The Arts and Culture ,
Department V/3, IT-Systems
for Education
[email protected],
0043 (1) 53120 - 35 39
[email protected],
0043 (1) 53120 - 3538
[email protected],
0043 (1) 531 20 - 3524
[email protected],
0043 (1) 53120 – 3527
Virtuelle Schule Österreich:
http://www.virtuelleschule.at
Ruth Sattler, [email protected]
---------------12/2008