The President of the Austrian Conference of Universities of Applied Sciences (FHK) is astonished by the latest statements from Federal Minister Polaschek on the subject of increasing the number of study places in the field of social work. "It is indeed astonishing that Federal Minister Polaschek is now declaring that he is not responsible for the number of study places in the UAS sector in addition to research. Federal Minister Polaschek's statement that the FH providers are responsible for the number of study places does not correspond to practice, as the Ministry alone approves the number of funded study places. The FHK has therefore long demanded that it should be able to decide on the supply and distribution of study places itself," said a surprised FHK President Ulrike Prommer.

The debate was prompted by an ORF report from 10 December 2023 on the topic of "SPÖ demands measures against staff shortages in the social sector", in which Federal Minister Polaschek makes it clear that he is not responsible for study places in the UAS sector, but rather the UAS providers themselves.

The universities of applied sciences, which will be celebrating their 30th anniversary in 2024, have been calling for some time for the opportunity to decide for themselves which degree programmes they offer.

It would be important that any unfilled study places in the future can be shifted unbureaucratically to other areas with a high need for expansion. "The current situation, namely a lack of study places in the field of social work, is due to the fact that this area is not included in the ministry's planning. In recent years, the ministry has almost exclusively funded STEM study places," says FHK President Prommer.

Since the 2015/16 academic year, the relative share of study places in the field of social work in relation to total study places in the FH sector has fallen from 5.2% to 4.8%, although four times more people apply for these FH degree programmes than there are study places available.

The FHK is in favour of increasing the number of study places in the field of social work!