A vision for the future must be focussed on future generations and requires participation, the will to control and planning security.

"Our focus must be on future generations. We are responsible today for what we leave to these generations. That is why the future lies in education and science, and that is why we must also set the political priorities here. It must be in all our interests to attract as many people as possible to high-quality education and to make it as attractive as possible. I agree with Chancellor Nehammer: Our most important resource for the future in Austria is people," says FHK President Ulrike Prommer in response to Chancellor Nehammer's speech today on the future of Austria.

Universities of applied sciences play a key role in Austria as an application-orientated science sector. Their core competences lie in practice-based teaching and application-oriented research. This concept appeals to many prospective students, whereby both people with a traditional school-leaving certificate and those with a relevant technical or vocational qualification have access to a degree programme at a university of applied sciences. Today, more graduates in economics already come from universities of applied sciences than from universities, and the same number in engineering and IT. In the non-medical healthcare professions (these include certified healthcare and nursing as well as MTD, midwifery and music therapy), the universities of applied sciences are responsible for the academisation and establishment of the new scientific field as the training providers. In research, the universities of applied sciences provide decisive innovative impetus for the economy and society and feed research findings back into teaching in order to ensure its quality.

With regard to the future measures to be taken in the area of universities of applied sciences, FHK Secretary General Kurt Koleznik states: "The positive developments of the past were driven by the will of politicians to provide the best possible support for the universities of applied sciences sector to continue to develop. This momentum must be taken up again and this momentum should also be reflected in the future development and financing plan. We are ready to set the course for the future together! The common positions such as an increase in funding rates per study place of at least 20% from 1 January 2024 as well as an ongoing inflation adjustment, an expansion of 1,200 new study places per year, sustainable research funding of 25 million euros per year, the possibility of accreditation of doctoral programmes and the establishment of special funds for additional special tasks are on the table."

FHK President Prommer is very positive about Chancellor Nehammer's plans to draw up a "Future Plan for Austria 2030" together with experts: "I absolutely agree with Chancellor Nehammer that the future offers us room for creativity and design. The FHK is picking up the ball and is happy to contribute the expertise of the universities of applied sciences to these discussions."