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Planning policy

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Universities

Since the 2002 Universities Act (UG) came into force in January 2004, universities have had full sovereignty in personnel matters regarding their employees. As employers they have autonomous responsibility for personnel planning, selection and development. However, they have to comply with the following basic principles here:

• 2002 Universities Act (UG): This defines areas including the various personnel groups that are active at universities as well as general human resource law-related matters (e.g. employment relationships, terminations, retirements, etc.).
• Collective agreement (Kollektivvertrag or KV): This was concluded in 2009 between the national university federation "Universities Austria" and the Public Service Union (Gewerkschaft Öffentlicher Dienst). It regulates all rights and obligations connected with a university employment relationship, including regulations regarding remuneration, special payments, social benefits, personnel development measures and working hours.
• Performance agreement (Leistungsvereinbarung or LV): This is a contract under public law between each university and the federal government which is concluded for a period of three years. It sets out the mutual obligations of the two contractual parties (i.e. which services the university provides for the federal government and which services the federal government provides for the university), including with regard to personnel development and personnel structure (example: LV of the University of Vienna).

Each university receives a global budget from the federal government and can also obtain third party funds in addition. The respective higher education establishment itself decides on how these funds are used for human resources work. Each university carries out targeted activities in the areas of personnel structure planning and personnel development in order to recruit a sufficient number of the next generation of scientists and artists and to give these targeted support. Here the KV enables universities to set up two types of posts: ‘fluctuation positions’ for deepening the professional and academic training of temporary staff and also ‘career positions’ for the academic qualification of people which then aims to lead to a permanent contract as an associate professor (cf. also ‘Promotion, advancement’). The goal of universities is to have a balanced relationship between these positions which ensures ongoing training of young researchers with a sufficient number of fluctuation positions but also enables long-term career prospects as part of career positions. 

Universities of applied sciences

Universities of applied sciences (FHs) organise their human resources work (i.e. personnel planning, selection and development) entirely independently or in consultation with the respective provider organisation (e.g. municipalities, social partners, associations, etc.). There are no specific legal or collective agreement-based foundations for this.

FHs however, will very probably have to comply with the accreditation requirements specified by the Agency for Quality Assurance and Accreditation Austria [More]. In order to receive institutional accreditation, for example, FH providers have to submit a development plan, for instance, which also comprises the field of ‘staff’. As part of the accreditation of study programmes, the qualification and composition of the teaching and research staff also represents an important component. In this regard the Universities of Applied Sciences Studies Act generally stipulates that for the accreditation the teaching has to be carried out by academically, professionally and pedagogically/didactically qualified teaching and research staff and the necessary application-related research and development tasks have to be carried out to achieve the goals and ensure the basic principles are respected.

The employment of the FH staff is on the basis of contracts under private law. At universities of applied sciences there has to be a distinction between full-time and part-time teaching and research staff. The high practice orientation of the programmes offered by FHs means a large part of the (part-time) teachers are recruited from the respective occupational field. 

University colleges of teacher education

The public university colleges of teacher education (PHs) are establishments of the federal government. They are therefore subject to the supervision of the Federal Ministry of Education, Science and Research (BMBWF). The human resources work, including personnel planning, for instance, is therefore not carried out completely autonomously by the respective PH. It is essentially carried out by the rectorate in consultation with the BMBWF. The foundations are provided by the following:

• Act on the Organisation of University Colleges of Teacher Education (2005): This defines areas including the various personnel groups active at PHs.
• Amendment to the Service Code 2012 - University Colleges of Teacher Education: This regulates the rights and obligations of the people who work at a PH as well as payment-related provisions.

According to the Act on the Organisation of University Colleges of Teacher Education, the staff at PHs have to be academically/professionally and pedagogically/didactically qualified. Positions are publicly advertised for the permanent staff and for assigned federal and provincial teachers. The selection of personnel is the responsibility of the rectorate, which consults with the BMBWF to reach agreement. The employment of (temporary) lecturers is decided directly by the rectorate. The appointment is according to public law (Federal Act regulating the rights and duties of contractual employees in public service). 

Private higher education institutes

It has been possible to establish private universities (Privatuniversitäten) in Austria since 1999 and private higher education institutes (Privathochschulen) since 2021. As these private educational institutions are legal entities under private law based in Austria, accreditation with the Agency for Quality Assurance and Accreditation Austria (AQ Austria) is mandatory. There is an annual reporting obligation to AQ Austria and an obligation to provide information to the BMBWF.

The current legal basis is the 2021 Private Higher Education Institutions Act (PrivHG): This has replaced the previously applicable Private Universities Act (PUG) and contains regulations on accreditation, studies and the organization and personnel of private universities.

According to these regulations, a teaching and research staff that meets international standards and has a proven scientific or scientific-artistic background must be available for research, development and development of the arts as well as teaching from the start of the planned university operations.

The private university must set out regulations for organization and personnel in a written statute. As a rule, the appointment of a professorship, lecturer position or the granting of a teaching license is based on proof of academic qualifications and teaching experience. For example, for a so-called qualification position as an assistant professor (tenure-track position in the mid-level faculty), proof of a relevant doctorate or PhD degree, relevant specialist publications and previous experience in university teaching must usually be provided; the specific criteria and the qualification procedure are defined at faculty level.

The lecturers have a relationship under private law with the private university.

Entry to the profession

Universities

Vacant positions at universities are basically filled on the basis of a public job advertisement. Universities advertise vacant teaching positions on their own website and social media channels, in newspapers and on job platforms The positions which are exclusively for teaching tasks with a low number of hours (teaching appointments) can be filled without public notices.

Certain criteria have to be met for filling professorships and also for scientific and artistic staff. See article 9.4 and the section “Promotion, advancement” in this subchapter in this regard.

Universities of applied sciences

Universities of applied sciences advertise vacant teaching positions on their own website and social media channels, in newspapers and on job platforms. The criteria for filling the respective positions are oriented towards the quality guidelines which the universities of applied sciences have imposed on themselves and towards the requirements of the respective accredited study programmes regarding teaching staff. See article 9.4 for further information on the requirements which teachers at a FH have to meet.

University colleges of teacher education

Positions for higher education teaching staff and contractual higher education teaching staff must be advertised since 1 July 2023 on EVI  – the electronic announcement and information platform of the federal government respectively on the job platform for the public service in succession of the terminated print version of the Wiener Zeitung newspaper, on the website of the respective higher education establishment and also via the website of the Federal Ministry of Education, Science and Research (BMBWF). See article 9.4 for the precise requirements for PH staff. 

Private higher education instituts

Private Universities and Private higher education institutes fill their vacant positions basically on the basis of a public job advertisement. They announce vacant teaching positions on their own website and social media channels, in newspapers, and on job platforms.

Certain criteria have to be met for filling professorships and also for scientific and artistic staff. See article 9.4 and the section ‘Promotion, advancement’ in this subchapter in this regard.

Professional status

Universities

The legal framework for the personnel area at universities is, on account of the parallel existence of statutory regulations, heterogeneous. [More]

• Since the 2002 Universities Act came into force in January 2004, federal employment relationships (as contractual employees or officials) have no longer been justified at universities. Those persons who, before 1 January 2004, had the status of an official shall remain in an employment relationship under public law with the federal government and are considered as assigned for service at the respective university. The provisions of service and pay legislation have remained intact.
• Federal contractual employees were transferred into an employment relationship with their respective university as of 1 January 2004. The university continues to impose on them the rights and obligations of the federal government. Regarding the content of the employment contract, the 1948 Federal Act regulating the rights and duties of contractual employees in public service as amended applies mandatorily.
• For all new employees at a university since 1 January 2004 the 1948 Federal Act and also since October 2009 the collective agreement apply. 

In addition to the existing legal foundations, many universities have also defined a code of conduct in which principles of conduct (e.g. when dealing with resources, information, business partners, etc.) are set out for all university members to ensure good academic practice (examples for codices: University of Vienna, Alpe Adria University Klagenfurt). 

Universities of applied sciences

Teaching and research staff at universities of applied sciences (FHs) are employed according to private law regulations. There can be an indefinite or a temporary employment contract.

Similar to universities, many universities of applied sciences have committed themselves to a code of conduct combining principles of conduct, values and guidelines which contain ethical, moral and legal requirements for all FH employees (examples: FH Campus Wien in Vienna, Kufstein University of Applied Sciences). 

University colleges of teacher education

The federal teachers teaching and researching at university colleges of teacher education (PHs) and also the assigned or co-utilised federal and provincial teachers are either officials in an employment relationship under public law or contractual employees in an employment relationship under private law. The lecturers are also in a private law relationship with the PH by fee agreements. 

In the PH area there are, in comparison with the other tertiary establishments, hardly any codes of conduct. A few PHs, however, have one or have formulated several ‘guidelines’ which form the basis of their educational work (example: code of ethics of PH Salzburg). 

Private higher education institutes

Teaching and research staff at Private universities and Private higher education institutes  are employed according to private law regulations. Depending on the specific position a temporary or indefinite employment contract can be concluded. 

Similar to public universities also private universities may commit themselves to a code of conduct combining principles of conduct, values and guidelines which contain ethical, moral and legal requirements for the employees (examples: University for Continuing Education Krems, Siegmund Freud Private University). 

Salaries

Universities

The collective agreement (KV) for employees of universities regulates the salary structure of the scientific and artistic staff. All employees are added to a certain employment group depending on the type of activities agreed in the employment contract. This classification is carried out by the university management on the basis of the available qualifications. For each employment group, a gross monthly salary is defined and going below this figure is not permitted. The actual salary of a scientific or artistic employee is negotiated between the rectorate and the employee in question.

The following employment groups (EGs) are described in the collective agreement [More]:

• EG A 1: University professors appointed on the basis of an appointment procedure
• EG A 2: Scientific/artistic employees with whom a qualification agreement has been concluded
• EG B 1: University assistants, senior scientists, senior artists, senior lecturers, project staff with master or diploma coming into consideration for the employment
• EG B 2: Lecturers without master or diploma.
• EG C: Student employees and project staff without master or diplom

The following gross monthly salaries (as of: 2022) are specified for the aforementioned EGs [More]:

• The gross monthly salary in EG A 1 is EUR 5,826.50. This amount increases to a maximum of EUR 8,023.50 if there is at least one positive evaluation of the activity and after 24 years of service.
• The gross monthly salary in EG A 2 is EUR 4,422.30, for employees with a relevant doctorate or PhD EUR 5,124.20. These amounts increase a) to EUR 5,545.50 after fulfilment of the qualification agreement and b) to a maximum of EUR 7,749.40 if there is at least one positive evaluation of the activity and after 24 years of service as an associate professor.
• Employment group B comprises the two salary brackets B 1 and B 2. The gross monthly salary in salary bracket B 1 (all those listed in EG B 1 is EUR 3,277.30. This amount increases to a maximum of EUR 5,054.40 after eight years of service and if the employee has a doctorate. The gross monthly salary in salary bracket B 2 (lecturers) per semester hour of academic teaching is EUR 252.35 up to a maximum of EUR 335.10 after eight years of service.
• The gross monthly salary in employment group C is EUR 1,190.10 at the maximum. If the normal weekly working time is less than 20 hours, the aliquot part of the salary is due. 

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Universities of applied sciences

Since the employment is on the basis of contracts under private law, it is not possible to provide any information on the salaries of teaching and research staff at universities of applied sciences. 

University colleges of teacher education

The salaries of contractual higher education teachers at university colleges of teacher education (PHs) are stipulated in the Federal Act regulating the rights and duties of contractual employees in public service.

The monthly remuneration for contractual higher education teachers is, depending on their previous employment and qualification. Every teacher is referenced to a salary level (1-18 depending on working years) and a usage/salary group (ph3 to ph1 depending on the qualification). The salaries (2023) gradually increase from a minimum of EUR 2,709.60 (ph3 salary level 1 in the first year) up to EUR 7,701.60 (ph1 on salary level 18). In practice the individual monthly remuneration is classified by legal requirements and creditable pre-service periods.

The salary payments also depend on

• whether the teachers are part of the permanent teaching staff at the PH,
• co-utilised teaching staff (in particular in practice schools)
• or lecturers,
• on the corresponding years of service
• or other prior professional experience
• and also on various bonuses.

It is therefore difficult to make general statements about minimum and maximum salary payments (reference 2023: Salaries table published by public service union (Gewerkschaft Öffentlicher Dienst)). 

Private higher education institutes

Since the employment as well as the remuneration at Private Universities / Private higher education institutes (Privathochschulen) is on the basis of working contracts under private law, it is not possible to provide any information on the salaries of their teaching and research staff. 

Working time and holidays

Universities

The normal weekly working time for teachers at universities is 40 hours per week. For lecturers there are separate agreements regulating working hours, in accordance with the scope of their teaching assignment (according to § 110 UG 2002 and collective agreement § 31).

For teachers at universities, who are employed on the basis of contracts under private law, the holiday entitlement is 30 business days (25 working days or five weeks). For employees of employment groups A 1 and A 2, according to the collective agreement (§ 19) the holiday entitlement is 36 business days (30 working days or six weeks). For all employees of a university, according to the collective agreement the holiday entitlement increases from the calendar year in which the employees reach the age of 43, increasing to 28 working days if the employees have already been employed for six years at the respective university and to 30 working days in the case of an employment relationship of ten years. 

Universities of applied sciences

The working times of the teaching and research staff at universities of applied sciences are stipulated in the respective employment contracts according to private law regulations. The holiday entitlement is based on the Leave Act and amounts up to five calendars weeks (i.e. 25 working days with a five days (a) working week and 30 business days with a (b) six days working week. As of 25 years of service with the same employer it increases up to 30 (a) respectively 36 (b) working days. 

University colleges of teacher education

In the case of full-time employment, according to the Federal Act regulating the rights and duties of contractual employees in public service, for teachers at university colleges of teacher education – depending on the remuneration group (PH 1, PH 2, PH 3) – a teaching obligation of 160 to 480 course hours (PH 1) or 320 to 480 course hours (PH 2 + PH 3) per year is stipulated. Part-time employment is possible in consultation with the respective rectorate or in accordance with the posts allocated to the PH.

The holiday entitlement of teachers at university colleges of teacher education is, analogous to teachers at primary and secondary level, to be used during the holiday periods of the education establishment. The teachers have to be available during the follow-up period and the preparatory period for the academic year in any case. Teachers at the practical schools are subject to the school vacation regulations and university teachers have leave arrangements. 

Private higher education institutes

The working times of the teaching and research staff at Private Universities / Private higher education institutes (Privathochschulen) are stipulated in the respective employment contracts according to private law regulations. The holiday entitlement is based on the Leave Act and amounts up to five calendars weeks (i.e. 25 working days with a five days (a) working week and 30 business days with a (b) six days working week. As of 25 years of service with the same employer it increases up to 30 (a) respectively 36 (b) working days.  

Promotion, advancement

Universities

Since the 2002 Universities Act came into force, there has been the following career model at universities:

• The university career begins after a master’s or diploma programme with an university assistant position (prae-doc “fluctuation position” for a maximum of four years), as part of which a doctoral programme should be completed/the academic title PhD obtained.
• Before this fixed-term contract expires, it should be made clear in a discussion between the university management and the employee whether there are opportunities for a further academic career at the respective university. If such opportunities exist, the assistant can apply for a ‘career position’. This is a post-doc position for a maximum of six years whose holders have the title ‘assistant professor’. 
• For this post, a ‘qualification agreement’ has to be concluded with the university management. This specifies what the academic has to achieve within six years – generally certain publication achievements, positive teaching evaluations, the acquisition of third-party funds, habilitation, etc. If the agreed qualification objectives are achieved, a fixed-term employment relationship will be continued for an unlimited period and gives entitlement to hold the title ‘associate professor’
• To become a university professor, it is necessary to apply for a corresponding position and successfully complete an appointment procedure (cf. subchapter 9.4).

As part of personnel development, universities generally have their own programme for people starting an academic career, a basic course, basic modules, etc. (e. g. Unistart at the University of Graz); for junior academic staff many universities offer coaching and mentoring programmes as well as career development programmes which, in some cases, are also aimed at specific target groups such as postdocs for fixed-term positions or women. Most universities offer didactic training programmes which, in particular, target up-and-coming academics and the development of their didactic qualifications. Events aimed at the continuing education and training of up-and-coming academics to improve their soft skills, social skills, teamwork and management development are a fixed component of the personnel development measures at universities.

However, the initial and in-service training programmes offered by universities also teach qualifications which do not only support a university career but also, in particular, benefit the academic employees in fluctuation positions as they switch to a career outside the university. 

Universities of applied sciences

For the teaching and research staff at universities of applied sciences there is the opportunity to obtain the title ‘FH professor’ (cf. subchapter 9.4) and assume functions in the teaching staff committee and in the management of the respective study course. 

University colleges of teacher education

Teachers at university colleges of teacher education can, if they have a corresponding qualification, aim to obtain the position of a university professor (cf. subchapter 9.4). There is also the possibility of assuming functions in the teaching staff committee or in the management of the institute. 

Private higher education institutes

Private universities / private higher education institutions also usually regulate their career models in their statutes with qualification procedures. Announcements for new qualification positions (tenure-track positions) are aimed at academic staff with a relevant doctorate or PhD degree, previous experience in university teaching and specialist publications. In a qualification agreement (QA), the objectives in relation to academic research and university teaching are specified and a timetable (usually four to six years) with interim evaluations (progress reports) is defined. The title "assistant professor" is associated with a qualification position. If two positive evaluations are received after completion, the faculty recommends the appointment of the assistant professor as an associate professor to the rector. 

Retirement and pensions

Universities

Professors emeriti and retired university professors are not in an active employment relationship with the university but are entitled to continue to exercise their respective authorisation to teach (venia docendi) and hold lectures as well as exams (according to General Pensions Act (Allgemeines Pensionsgesetz). For their activities in research, teaching, third mission, etc. universities usually define regulations in own guidelines (Example: Universität Innsbruck). 

Teachers

at universities of applied sciences, university colleges of teacher education, and private higher education institutes are subject to the General Pensions Act (Allgemeines Pensionsgesetz) as well. The legal retirement age in Austria is 65 for men and 60 for women. People taking early retirement have to accept payment reductions. For non-discrimination reasons, the retirement age for women will be gradually raised to 65 in the period 2024 to 2033. 

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