Statistics Austria's "Education in Figures" underpins the growing importance of universities of applied sciences in the Austrian higher education system.

The new figures presented on 16 May 2023 by Statistics Austria "Education in Figures 2021/22" not only underline the growing importance of universities of applied sciences in the Austrian higher education sector, but also underline the position of universities of applied sciences as an important player within the tertiary education sector.

In the last 10 years, universities of applied sciences have recorded a 52 per cent increase in the total number of students, while the number of students at universities has fallen by 12 per cent over the same period. As a result, the proportion of UAS students compared to university students rose from 12.6 per cent to 18.3 per cent. Particularly noteworthy, however, is the proportion of UAS degrees compared to university degrees, which already stood at 30.8% in 2020/21 and was also partly due to the lowest dropout or interruption rate by far.

Looking at the education expenditure presented by the federal government (as at 2019), Austria spent EUR 10,262 per pupil and EUR 12,304 per student, although this amount has already been significantly reduced by the lower expenditure for a place at a university of applied sciences, which averaged EUR 7,605 at that time.

"The figures presented clearly show that it would be more than worthwhile in economic terms to invest more in universities of applied sciences in the future," says FHK President Ulrike Prommer