The booklet „Wissenschaft in Österreich/Science in Austria 2020“ provides a descriptive overview of higher education and research institutions in Austria, with their exceptional achievements in science and research as well as the education and training of pupils and students, appreciating their heterogeneity. These achievements are a foundation for Austria’s innovative strength, and therefore not only a precondition for economic wealth and international competitiveness, but also an impulse for societal development and social equilibrium. Internationality, cooperation, and competition are the essential success factors in science and research.
The wide range of study programmes offered spans public universities, universities of applied sciences, university colleges of teacher education, and private universities. The current higher education system holds 380.000 students, 50.000 of which are beginners of bachelor or diploma programmes (“Erstabschlussstudien”). With public expenditure on tertiary education as a percentage of GDP, Austria (1.6%) ranks second among EU member states, public expenditure on education makes up 4.8%. Austria’s R&D intensity is at 3.19% and rising continuously. Data on the participation of Austrian higher education and research institutions in different national funding programmes and successful participation in the EU-research programmes – with a total of 641 projects currently being coordinated by Austria within Horizon 2020 – complete the picture.
For further comprehensive and detailed statistical information, please visit www. bmbwf.gv.at/unidata (in German only) and https://www.bmbwf.gv.at/en/Topics/Research/Research-in-Austria.html.