Suche
Desire universities of applied sciences: BUND has to finally strengthen the innovation engine!
The OTS reports on the demands of the FHK to strengthen FH/HAW in Austria in order to promote research and innovation sustainably.
Desire universities of applied sciences: BUND has to finally strengthen the innovation engine!
The universities of applied sciences (FH) and universities for applied sciences (HAW) are facing a crucial turn: The FHK demands a clear commitment from the new federal government to strengthen these educational institutions, to secure their role as an innovation engine in the Austrian research and innovation landscape. President Ulrike Prommer emphasizes that the enormous potential of the FH/HAW remains unused without adequate financial resources. At the center of the discussion are the need for sustainable research funding and accredited doctoral programs in order to effectively support future -oriented fields of research such as AI, digitization and renewable energies.
A look at Germany shows that HAW has played an indispensable role in the knowledge and research landscape since the 1960s. In the winter semester 2021/2022, over a third of all students were enrolled at a general HAW, which documents the growing popularity of these institutions among young people. These universities rely on practical training and research in close cooperation with companies and various institutions to develop solutions for current challenges. The focus is on innovative products and services that are derived directly from the needs of industry and society.
Call to structural change
The FHK emphasizes the urgency that the new federal government implements clear strategies and structural measures in order to strengthen the FH/HAW in its innovative strength. Secretary General Kurt Koleznik warns that without the adequate support from politics, particularly application -oriented research areas could be pushed into the background. The government's previous approaches, such as the inflation equalization, prove to be insufficient. Prommer therefore calls for an active handling of the challenges to give the FH/HAW the necessary tools to act as an innovation engine for society.