Universities of Applied Sciences in the DISSENS on the FH development and financing plan of the BMBWF

Utl.: Totally inadequate funding; a science minister who declares himself incompetent for research; fatal consequences for teaching and thus a plan on the backs of students

The FHK and ÖH held a press conference today to concretise their criticism of the submitted FH development and financing plan: "Contrary to all demands, the BMBWF has once again deliberately refrained from negotiations with the universities of applied sciences. There was practically no involvement of the universities of applied sciences in terms of content; instead, the plan was presented to us only a few hours before it was published at night. We will no longer accept this non-communication! The result is sobering: an increase in the funding rates for financing study places of 4.5% from 1.10.2024 with an average inflation rate of 11% is Much too low and comes much too late! What is needed is an increase of 10% from 1.1.2024 and a further increase of at least 10% from 1.1.2025. In any case, a further expansion of the sector is economically impossible with the financial framework set by the plan," says FHK President Ulrike Prommer.

The FHK board member Hannes Raffaseder particularly denounced a passage in the new E&F plan in which the Research Ministry declares itself not responsible for FH research and its funding. The FH sector could not accept this and had to be firmly rejected. He emphasised that a research ministry was obliged to provide its universities with forward-looking structures and that it was not permissible to shirk responsibility for funding.

FHK Vice-President Andreas Breinbauer emphasised above all the fatal consequences of the submitted plan for teaching at Fachhochschulen. There can never be teaching at Fachhochschulen that is not research-led, he emphasised, otherwise the Fachhochschulen would lose their university character. All passages of the submitted plan were more reminiscent of a school plan and not a university plan. The insufficient or even non-existent funding of research would, in the long run, severely damage teaching in particular and thus directly affect the students!

Keya Baier, Federal Chair of the ÖH, fully supported the demands of the universities of applied sciences and emphasised that the plan contains a number of points that mean significant deterioration for students. Above all, the announced budget funds were too little and too late. The first to feel the effects of this underfunding would be the students, she said. She criticised the expansion announced by the Minister as inadequate, since the Master's degree places in health sciences, which urgently need to be expanded, and other socially relevant fields of study are again not included.

All participants agreed that the current plan must be rejected once again and that real negotiations with all stakeholders should finally take place.