Experts predict that there will not be enough appropriately trained university graduates in the future, which Austria urgently needs. This particularly affects technical fields of study and interdisciplinary studies. Kurt Koleznik, Secretary General of the FHK, comments: "The universities of applied sciences are in a position to train more additional students than the federal government has planned. The federal government must seize the opportunity and take preventative action to counteract the academic skills shortage by increasing the number of university of applied sciences places."

Over 50,000 people are currently studying at Austrian universities of applied sciences. The study places are largely financed by the federal government. On average, there are around three applicants for every study place, with the number of applicants continuing to rise. This means that almost 50,000 applicants have to be rejected every year. Koleznik continues: "The attractiveness of universities of applied sciences, both for students and for the economy as future employers, lies in the quality of education, the combination of science and practice and the manageable duration of studies. Studying at a university of applied sciences still means studying with a job guarantee: Studying with a job guarantee."