The negative attitude of the SPÖ federal councilors and the non-presence of the FPÖ mandates from Upper Austria is incomprehensible for ÖVP federal councilors from Upper Austria
Vienna (OTS/ÖVP-PK) – Another important milestone was set today for the new digital university in Linz. It will be the 23rd public university in Austria, Upper Austrian Federal Councilor Franz Ebner sees a huge opportunity for Upper Austria on the occasion of the Federal Council’s resolution of the Federal Law on the Institute of Digital Sciences Austria (Interdisciplinary Transformation University – IT:U). “Today, Linz is no longer just a steel city, but a central scientific, cultural, economic and industrial location. “There is therefore a high demand for specialized and highly qualified workers,” says Ebner. Ebner and his ÖVP Federal Council colleagues from Upper Austria, Johanna Miesenberger, Barbara Prügl, Bernhard Ruf and Ferdinand Tiefnig, showed incomprehension about the rejection of the law by the Upper Austrian SPÖ Federal Councilors during the roll-call vote. The FPÖ representatives from Upper Austria were not even present at this vote. “Anyone who, as a representative of Upper Austria, has not spoken out in favor of the new IT:U in Linz is speaking out against the further development of our home federal state,” said the ÖVP federal councilors from Upper Austria.
A well-known quote says “New paths are created by taking them”. “And digital transformation requires new paths,” said Ebner, regretting that these new paths cannot be taken together here in the House. Many of the criticisms expressed in the review process were taken into account in the current law. “IT:U will be a public university with the necessary experimental spaces that digital transformation requires.”
Upper Austria also has an optimal environment for collaborations that could bring enormous added value, Ebner cites the existing universities, the FH Hagenberg, the Ars Electronica Center, but also many innovative companies as examples. “Therefore, IT:U is particularly important for Upper Austria as a business location.”
But the new university is also an opportunity for all of Austria: “In order to be competitive in the future, we have to develop the know-how in Austria and keep it in the country.” IT:U must therefore be seen as an opportunity. In the final expansion, 6,300 students will be trained at the new university, with the first studies scheduled to start this year.
An ifo study also confirmed positive location effects. “The study underlines the huge opportunity and added value offered by this university for Upper Austria and makes it clear what a powerful impulse it can provide for the location and thus also for work and prosperity,” concluded Ebner.
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