The Austrian Education System

The Austrian Education System

Reference: OeAD, Ebendorferstraße 7, 1010 Vienna -

Survey: Education for Tourist Trades in Austria

Compiled by A. Steindl, March 2014

Tourism and Leisure Industry accounts for around 15 % of Austria’s GDP – therefore appropriate education for tourist trades is very essential.

1)Apprenticeship (=”Lehre”): 4 days weekly in hotel, restaurant… + one day in vocational school (“Berufsschule”) – for 8 professions, from cook to fitness trainer; final apprenticeship exam. EQF level 2 - 3

2)Tourism Schools on medium secondary level, main type “Hotelfachschule”: EQF level 3; 3 years

3)Preferred type: Tourism Schools on higher secondary level (“HLT” – HöhereLehranstaltfürTourismus”): 5 years, EQF level 4 / 5 for last year; concludes with “general school-leaving and diploma examination” (“Matura”).

4)“Kolleg” – 4 semesters after “Matura” – EQF level 5; 30 credit points (“Leistungspunkte”) per semester – in cooperation with a FH (in accordance with ECTS-Standard „European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System“); Innsbruck, Semmering, Bad Leonfelden…

5)“Fachhochschule” = University of Applied Sciences: EQF level 6 and 7, ends with Bachelor / Master of Business Administration MBA…; Vienna, Salzburg, Innsbruck…

6)Universities with Depts. For Tourism and/or Leisure Studies; EQF level 6 – 8: Bach /Master /PhD.; Vienna, Innsbruck a.o.

Responsible Entities for above types 2 – 4/5:

a)Public authorities: federal government / Carinthian provincial government – for “Bundesschulen” (state schools): no tuition Or

b)“Private”: Chamber of Commerce: fee to pay, also open to public.

Both institutions guarantee high quality education; same curricula; compulsory practical training during holidays; free text books.

Types 1 – 3 (4) offer” initial vocational qualifications”;

approx. 50 % go for apprenticeship, 50 % attend tourism schools;

graduates of vocational schools are normally qualified for one or more professions or occupations

Trend: towards higher education.

FH – type 5 above: mostly combined PPP (public private partnership, with the Provincial governments or the Chamber of Commerce in the lead).

Universities: mostly public, MU Modul University: private.

A specific feature of the Austrian system is the

four-year primary/elementary educationfollowed by

secondary education that is split up into two four-year periods.

Compulsory education / AllgemeineSchulpflicht :6 – 15 years of age

The divisions above and below are made according to the ISCED (International Standard Classification of Education) classification of the UNESCO.

ISCED > EQF (more practical, result-oriented)

Pertinent authorities:

The “Federal Ministry of Education and Women's Affairs”coordinates important tasks such as education and training of teachers and maintenance of schools,

The “Federal Ministry of Science, Research and Economy” assumes the governance of the tertiary education system.

Plus “Provincial School Councils” (Landesschulräte) in each of the 9 Federal States

Levels:

Elementary Level“Kindergarten” – now: 1 year pre-school class compulsory

The elementary level (ISCED 0) in Austria refers to the following childcare institutions: crèches, kindergartens, after-school care facilities and children’s groups. Playgroups and nannies also offer their services. And also pre-school education of children of school age who are not yet ready for school belongs to the elementary level.

Primary Level“Volksschule” 4 years – age 6 – 10

Secondary Level I:

“Gymnasium Unterstufe” or “NeueMittelschule” or “Hauptschule”: 4 years, age 10 – 14; this level has been subject to longstanding quarrels between the political parties “Social Democrats” and “People’s Party”.

After completion of the 4-year primary level secondary level I (ISCED 2) starts 5th to 8th form. Pupils can choose between the following types of schools (different admission requirements): primary school upper cylce (Volksschul-Oberstufe), lower secondary school (Hauptschule), new secondary school (Neue Mittelschule), academic secondary school lower level (AHS Unterstufe) as well as special needs schools and inclusive education.

> Secondary Level II:

The upper secondary level (school years 9 to 13) (ISCED 3 & 4), comprises

a general education branch and

a vocational branch.

•General upper secondary education:

◦Pre-vocational school (“PolytechnischeSchule”) (year 9)(= schools preparing pupils for an apprenticeship or job);

◦Upper level of academic secondary school (Oberstufe der allgemeinbildendenhöherenSchule or “AHS-Oberstufe”) (years 9 to 12).

•Vocational upper secondary education:

◦Part-time vocational school (“Berufsschule”) – in tandem with company-based vocational training (dual system), 3 – 4 years; (school years 10 to max. 13); apprenticeship.

◦Secondary technical and vocational schools – medium level (BerufsbildendemittlereSchulen) (years 9 to max. 12);ISCED 4B.

◦”Colleges” for higher vocational education (BerufsbildendehöhereSchulen) (years 9 to 13).

AllgemeinerHochschulzugang - General higher educationentrance qualifications

Reife- u. Diplomprüfung | Reifeprüfung and diploma examination

Zulassung zu weiterführendenStudiennachEntscheidimEinzelfall

Admission to further studies on case-by-case basis

HöhereBerufsqualifikationHigher-level vocationalqualifications

BeruflicheErstqualifikation Initial vocational qualifications

The post-secondary non-tertiary sector (ISCED 4) comprises:

-“Kollegs”:Postsecondary VET Courses ISCED 4C | 5A | 5B - : 2 years, Diploma examination; without academic degree

-Preparation courses (Vorbereitungslehrgänge) for apprenticeship graduates;

-Add-on courses for the matriculation and diploma examination (AufbaulehrgängezurReife- und Diplomprüfung) for graduates of secondary technical and vocational schools;

-A higher education entrance examination (Berufsreifeprüfung).

After having completed a general or vocational education one can pursue an education in the non-university tertiary sector (ISCED 5B): schools for mastercraftsmen, foremen and construction trades, kollegs.

> Tertiary Level:

- University,

- University of Applied Sciences (= “Fachhochschule” FH)

academy, technical university, college).

The “Matura” (school-leaving examination) is the prerequisite for higher education;

Can be replaced by “study entitlement examination” (“Studienberechtigungsprüfung”).

Second reference: mainly to compare the translations:

Das Österreichische Bildungssystem | The Austrian Education System

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This publicationhasbeenfundedwithsupportfromthe European Commission. This publicationreflectstheviewsonlyoftheauthor, andtheCommissioncannotbeheldresponsibleforanyusewhichmaybemadeoftheinformationcontainedtherein.

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Legende des Bildungssystems | Key Education System

ISCED 1

ISCED 2

ISCED 5A

Berufsvorbereitungsjahr

Preparatoryvocationalyear

Allgemeiner Hochschulzugang

General highereducation

entrancequalifications

Höhere Berufsqualifikation

Higher-level vocational

qualifications

BeruflicheErstqualifikation

Initial vocationalqualifications

ISCED = International Standard Classificationof Education

Lehrabschlussprüfung (LAP) | Apprenticeshipexamination

Diplomprüfung | Diplomaexamination

Abschlussprüfung | Leavingexamination

Reifeprüfung | Reifeprüfung

b Diploma Programmes: 8 – 12 sem.

Universitäten der Künste

(Werk-) Meisterschulen

Kollegs

Postsecondary

VET Courses

ISCED 4C | 5A | 5B

Lehrgänge an Universitäten, Fachhochschulen und Pädagogischen

Hochschulen Continuingeducationcourses at universities,

Universitiesof Applied Sciencesand University Colleges ofTeacher

Education

MASTER

DOCTOR, PhD

Privatuniversitäten

Private Universities

Fachhochschulen

Universitiesof Applied Sciences

Universitäten

Universities

ISCED 6

Vorschule | Preschool

Volksschule

Primary school

Kindergarten

Nurseryschool

ISCED 2

Allgemein bildende

höhere Schule (AHS)

Unterstufe

Academic secondaryschool

Lowerlevel

Hauptschule

Lowersecondaryschool

Berufsreifeprüfung

Neue Mittelschule

New secondaryschool

examination

ISCED 3A | 4A

Berufsbildende

Höhere Schulen (BHS)

Upper-level secondary

technicaland

vocationalcolleges

ISCED 3A

Allgemein bildende

höhere Schulen (AHS)

Oberstufe

Secondary

academicschools

Upperlevel

secondarylevel

Postsekundar- und Tertiärstufe

postsecondaryandtertiarylevel

BACHELOR

Vorbereitungslehrgänge

Bridge courses

Aufbaulehrgänge

Add-on courses

ISCED 4A

Berufsschulen 1

und Lehre

(Duales System)

Vocationalschools

forapprentices

(Dual system)

Polytechnische Schulen

Polytechnicschools1

ISCED 3C

DIPLOMA PROGRAMMES b

Berufsbildende 3

Mittlere Schulen

(BMS)

Secondary

technicaland

vocationalschools

Medium-level

ISCED 4B

-3

compile