Austria
Recent developments:
- Extension of restrictions on student numbers to more subject areas
- Introduction of institutional accreditation arrangements from 2012
- New career paths for academic staff introduced from 2015
- Part of the public funding received by universities was simplified through the 2012 reform introducing the ‘Higher Education Structural Funds’
Organisational autonomy: medium high
Universities can select and appoint their executive heads autonomously. The process for the dismissal of an executive head is stated in the law and the exact length of their term of office is also stated in the law. Universities must include external members in their board/council-type governing body and half of these external members are appointed by an external authority. Universities can decide on internal academic structures and create legal entities.
Financial autonomy: medium low
Universities receive a block grant as part of a three-year funding period. They control internal allocation, may keep surpluses and borrow money, as well as own buildings. Universities may not charge fees to national/EU students who complete their studies on time. An external authority sets the level of fees to non-EU students.
Academic autonomy: medium high
Student selection at Bachelor level is entirely regulated externally and based on free admission. At Master level admission criteria are co-regulated by universities and an external authority. There are some restrictions on student numbers in some subject areas which are agreed on between universities and an external authority. Universities must undergo mandatory institutional accreditation, for which they can choose the provider. Universities may design the content of their academic programmes freely and choose the language of instruction.
Staffing autonomy: medium high
Terms and conditions including salaries and dismissal procedures are regulated externally for those staff with civil servant status. Universities set salaries for private employees on the basis of collective agreements. All new recruitment is based on private employee contracts.
Organisational weighted 78% unweighted 77%
100% Selection procedure for the executive head
The selection of the executive head is not validated by an external authority
100% Selection criteria for the executive head
The selection criteria for the executive head are not stated in the law
This applies to 9 other countries: Wallonia, Iceland, Ireland, The Netherlands, Norway, Slovakia, Slovenia, Switzerland, United Kingdom
80% Dismissal of the executive head
Other restrictions
0% Term of office of the executive head
The exact length is stated in the law
57% External members in university governing bodies
Universities cannot decide as they must include external members
This applies to 23 other countries: Croatia, Denmark, Finland, Flanders, France, Wallonia, Hesse, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Lithuania, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, North Rhine-Westphalia, Norway, Portugal, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland
External members are partly appointed by the university and partly by an external authority
100% Capacity to decide on academic structures
Universities can decide on their academic structures without constraints
This applies to 19 other countries: Brandenburg, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Flanders, Wallonia, Hesse, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, The Netherlands, North Rhine-Westphalia, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom
100% Capacity to create legal entities
Universities can create legal entities without constraints
This applies to 18 other countries: Brandenburg, Croatia, Estonia, Finland, Flanders, France, Wallonia, Hesse, Hungary, Italy, Lithuania, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, North Rhine-Westphalia, Norway, Serbia, Spain, United Kingdom
Financial weighted 59% unweighted 44%
100% Length of public funding cycle
More than one year
This applies to 2 other countries: Brandenburg, Luxembourg
80% Type of public funding
Block grant with other restrictions
100% Ability to borrow money
Universities can borrow money without restrictions
100% Ability to keep surplus
Surplus can be kept without restrictions
This applies to 15 other countries: Croatia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Hesse, Italy, Latvia, The Netherlands, North Rhine-Westphalia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Switzerland, United Kingdom
100% Ability to own buildings
Universities can sell their buildings without restrictions
This applies to 9 other countries: Denmark, Estonia, France, Wallonia, Italy, The Netherlands, Slovakia, Spain, United Kingdom
0% Tuition fees for national/EU students at Bachelor level
There are no tuition fees
0% Tuition fees for national/EU students at Master's level
There are no tuition fees
0% Tuition fees for national/EU students at doctoral level
There are no tuition fees
This applies to 10 other countries: Brandenburg, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Hesse, North Rhine-Westphalia, Norway, Poland, Slovakia, Sweden
0% Tuition fees for non-EU students at Bachelor level
Only an external authority is allowed to set the level of tuition fees
0% Tuition fees for non-EU students at Master's level
Only an external authority is allowed to set the level of tuition fees
0% Tuition fees for non-EU students at doctoral level
Staffing weighted 73% unweighted 72%
83% Recruitment procedures for senior academic staff
Recruitments are carried out freely by universities
This applies to 17 other countries: Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Flanders, Hesse, Iceland, Lithuania, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, North Rhine-Westphalia, Norway, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom
Other restrictions
100% Recruitment procedures for senior administrative staff
Recruitments are carried out freely by universities
This applies to 20 other countries: Brandenburg, Estonia, Finland, Flanders, Wallonia, Hesse, Hungary, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, North Rhine-Westphalia, Norway, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom
58% Salaries for senior academic staff
Salaries are set by an external authority/civil servant status for some staff
This applies to one other country: Portugal
58% Salaries for senior administrative staff
Salaries are set by an external authority/civil servant status for some staff
40% Dismissal of senior academic staff
Dismissals are strictly regulated due to civil servant status for some staff
This applies to 6 other countries: Brandenburg, Hesse, Ireland, North Rhine-Westphalia, Portugal, Serbia
Dismissals are subject to other regulations specific to the sector
This applies to 8 other countries: Croatia, Flanders, Ireland, The Netherlands, Poland, Serbia, Slovakia, Switzerland
40% Dismissal of senior administrative staff
Dismissals are strictly regulated due to civil servant status for some staff
This applies to 6 other countries: Brandenburg, Hesse, Ireland, North Rhine-Westphalia, Portugal, Spain
Dismissals are subject to other regulations specific to the sector
This applies to 5 other countries: Flanders, Ireland, The Netherlands, Slovakia, Switzerland
100% Promotion procedures for senior academic staff
Universities can freely decide on promotion procedures
This applies to 11 other countries: Estonia, Finland, Flanders, Iceland, The Netherlands, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom
100% Promotion procedures for senior administrative staff
Universities can freely decide on promotion procedures
This applies to 13 other countries: Estonia, Finland, Flanders, Iceland, Latvia, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Slovakia, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom
Academic weighted 72% unweighted 72%
0% Overall student numbers
Free admission
This applies to 5 other countries: Flanders, France, Wallonia, The Netherlands, Switzerland
0% Admissions procedures at Bachelor level
Admissions are entirely regulated by an external authority
60% Admissions procedures at Master's level
Admission criteria are co-regulated by an external authority and universities
80% Introduction of programmes at Bachelor level
Universities can open degree programmes without prior accreditation
This applies to 7 other countries: Ireland, Luxembourg, Norway, Poland, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom
Other restrictions
80% Introduction of programmes at Master's level
Universities can open degree programmes without prior accreditation
This applies to 7 other countries: Ireland, Luxembourg, Norway, Poland, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom
Other restrictions
80% Introduction of programmes at doctoral level
Universities can open degree programmes without prior accreditation
This applies to 12 other countries: Brandenburg, Denmark, Flanders, Hesse, Ireland, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, North Rhine-Westphalia, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom
Other restrictions
60% Termination of degree programmes
The termination of degree programmes requires negotiation between universities and an external authority
This applies to 2 other countries: Brandenburg, Finland
100% Language of instruction at Bachelor level
Universities can choose the language of instruction for all programmes
This applies to 19 other countries: Brandenburg, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Hesse, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, North Rhine-Westphalia, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom
100% Language of instruction at Master's level
Universities can choose the language of instruction for all programmes
This applies to 20 other countries: Brandenburg, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Hesse, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, North Rhine-Westphalia, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom
100% Selection of quality assurance mechanisms
Universities cannot select quality assurance mechanisms
100% Selection of quality assurance providers
Universities can choose the quality assurance agency freely according to their needs (including agencies from other countries)
This applies to 7 other countries: Brandenburg, Estonia, Finland, Hesse, Hungary, North Rhine-Westphalia, Switzerland
100% Capacity to design content of degree programmes
Universities can freely design the content of degree programmes and courses (other than for the regulated professions)
This applies to 25 other countries: Brandenburg, Croatia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Flanders, France, Wallonia, Hesse, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, North Rhine-Westphalia, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom