FHK President pleased that new study places outside the STEM fields will also be financed

Federal Minister Polaschek today announced the funding of a further 350 places for first-year students at universities of applied sciences from the 2025/26 academic year.

FHK President Ulrike Prommer is positive about these additional places: "It is pleasing that Federal Minister Polaschek has recognised that there is a shortage of graduates not only in the STEM subjects, but also in other fields of study. With these additional study places, other fields of study that are in high demand can now be expanded."

The BMBWF finances the majority of study places at universities of applied sciences. As a planning instrument for the FH sector, the so-called FH development and financing plan specifies the number of study places to be financed by the BMBWF as well as the fields of study in which the universities of applied sciences may establish new degree programmes. The degree programmes require external accreditation by AQ Austria before they can be launched.

FHK President Prommer continued: "These additional study places can provide important impetus in the regions in which the universities of applied sciences operate. It is now to be hoped that the accreditation procedures for new degree programmes will proceed quickly and as unbureaucratically as possible so that they can start on time in the 2025/26 academic year."