Important step in difficult times enables reliability in planning, quality assurance and innovation!
As recently announced by Finance Minister Gernot Blümel, the funding for financing study places in FH degree programs will be increased by 10%. This means, a total of EUR137.4 million in additional funds will be made available for this purpose in the period 2021 to 2024, which represents the largest absolute budget increase since the establishment of this sector. The Ministry of Science has assured that any further expansion of the number of study places will not be financed from these funds.
MCI Rector Andreas Altmann is happy and relieved: "The increase in student place funding is much needed for the following:
- Planning reliability for the next years (strategy, staffing, infrastructure, academic service portfolio)
- Sustainable investment in quality assurance of teaching
- Necessary investments in digitization, internationalization and innovation
- Mitigating the inflation-related loss in value that has occurred in recent years".
And he continues: “I would like to express my gratitude – especially in economically difficult times - to the entire Austrian Federal Government under the leadership of the two Federal Ministers Heinz Faßmann and Gernot Blümel, the heads of the two coalition partners as well as the countless decision-makers who have been committed for years to make those changes happen. I would also like to thank the Conference of State Governors, the social partners, the science spokespersons of all parties represented in parliament and the many colleagues in the science and university sector who have unanimously supported this demand. With Austrian science, technology and business location in mind, it is now necessary to quickly tackle the remaining tasks (annual valorization of study place funding, sustainable research funding, further expansion of study places)".
MCI is ready to take on the challenges that lie ahead; to support motivated people in achieving their goals and to be an efficient partner for companies in research, innovation and qualification.
