New glimmer: First private university for physiotherapy in Austria
New glimmer: First private university for physiotherapy in Austria
The agency for quality assurance and accreditation Austria (AQ Austria) approved the operation of physiotherapy courses at two locations in Austria. This decision concerns the Slovenian private university Alma Mater Europaea, which can now offer the first private university courses in this area. The approval is temporarily valid by September 2030 and opens up new possibilities for prospective physiotherapists.
dr. Maximilian Bonk, the academic director of the program, is pleased with this development. "With this permit we will set up a new chapter in physiotherapy training in Austria," he said. This is particularly important because there is a lack of training positions for physiotherapy in Austria, although demand is continuously increasing.
Current Situation of physiotherapy training
So far, interested applicants in Austria have only been able to study physiotherapy at nine public universities. Every year, over 5,000 people apply for only 600 available places. Due to this limitation, many disappointed applicants are forced to continue their training abroad, often in Germany or Switzerland, where the costs for study and life attitude can be slightly over 10,000 euros per semester.A study by Physio Austria shows that only 71 percent of the physiotherapists active in Austria completed their training in Germany. The rest often studied abroad, especially in Germany. Dr. Bonk emphasizes that there is a deficiency of around 5,000 trained physiotherapists in Austria - a situation that could further tighten in view of the aging population.
Details on the new training
The Alma Mater Europaea will offer physiotherapy studies on all three academic levels: Bachelor, Master and doctorate. This holistic training motivates and prepares the students comprehensively for their professional career. The application modalities differ significantly from those of the universities of applied sciences. The deadline for the application to Alma Mater begins earlier and ends on December 20, 2024. While universities of applied sciences request entrance exams, the Alma Mater responsible rely on personal job interviews.
Another interesting detail is that future AHS graduates who exist their Matura also have the opportunity to apply. Dr. Bonk encourages the applicants to apply both at the Alma Mater Europaea and at universities of applied sciences. "If they are accepted by both positions, they have time to make a decision by June 2025," he explains.
The complete information scope for the courses, including paid details and schedules, can be called up on the Alma Mater website at www.almamater.at
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