Course of a university character
The university-style course was a form of study that was offered in Austria by non-university educational institutions until the end of 2012. Depending on the duration of the training, graduates could be awarded master’s degrees (average duration of study 4 semesters) or academic expert titles (average duration of study 2 semesters). However, the master’s degrees in continuing education are not identical to the master’s degrees due to the completion of regular studies (master’s studies), even if they partly have the same wording.
History and Outlook
Courses of a university character were introduced with the University Studies Act 1997; For the first time, they made it possible for private educational institutions in Austria to offer courses and award corresponding academic degrees such as the MBA . The courses were checked and approved by the responsible Federal Ministry.
In the meantime, the framework conditions for higher education in Austria have fundamentally changed due to a series of laws ( University of Applied Sciences Studies Act , University Accreditation Act for Private Universities , University Act 2002 ). Courses of a university character were only allowed to be offered until the end of 2012, new applications were still possible until the end of 2003.
It was criticized that courses of a university character were only subject to minimal quality assurance, while the private educational institutions warned of higher costs for students. A successor solution was initially sought through the Higher Education Quality Assurance Act (HS-QSG) of 2011. “Certificate courses” were planned in a draft, but these are missing from the Private University Act that was ultimately passed.
Legal classification of the qualifications
An acquired master’s degree (e.g. MPA - Master of Public Administration , MBA - Master of Business Administration , MA - Master of Arts , etc.) is an academic degree within the meaning of Austrian legislation . Master’s courses had to be comparable in terms of admission requirements, scope and requirements with corresponding foreign master’s courses. This was checked by the Federal Ministry for Science and Research.
The master’s degrees in further education ( university courses according to Section 58 of the Universities Act 2002, courses of a university character according to Section 28 of the University Studies Act, courses for further education according to Section 9 (2) of the University of Applied Sciences Studies Act and university courses according to Section 39 (2) of the University of Applied Sciences Act 2005) However, they are not identical to the master’s degrees due to the completion of regular studies (master’s studies), even if some of them have the same wording.
Academic expert titles are not academic degrees, but designations that reflect the content of university-related training. After completing a corresponding course, these titles can be used in public correspondence (offices and authorities, etc.) on letterheads, business cards, etc. as additional information, but they cannot be entered in documents. If this is provided for in the Ministerial Ordinance, the expert title is awarded with an addition characterizing the content of the course - e.g. B. "Academic Administrative Manager", "Academic Management Consultant", "Academic Financial and Investment Advisor", "Academic Industrial Engineer" etc.
Individual evidence
- ^ AK Vienna: Unusual growth in university continuing education courses ( Memento from September 28, 2007 in the Internet Archive )
- ↑ a b Controversy about “courses of a university character”. In: DiePresse.com. May 30, 2010. Retrieved March 23, 2012 .
- ↑ Association of Austrian Adult Education Institutions (VEBÖ): Private educational institutions sound the alarm: courses of a university nature need a secure future - VEBÖ demands continuation of “private academic institutes” - otherwise there will be higher costs for students. In: APA OTS0109 / September 30, 2010 / 10:39 / Channel: Politics. Retrieved March 23, 2012 .
- ↑ Federal Act on External Quality Assurance in Higher Education and the Agency for Quality Assurance and Accreditation Austria (University Quality Assurance Act - HS-QSG) StF: Federal Law Gazette I No. 74/2011 ( ris.bka )
- ↑ Federal Ministry of Science and Research: Reorganization of external quality assurance in higher education (PDF; 19 kB)
- ^ RIS: Private Universities Act
- ↑ Master’s degrees in further education (PDF; 21 kB), Federal Ministry for Science and Research