Vienna (PK) -The Science committee Use his first regular session after his constitution for a pronunciation with Federal Minister Eva-Maria Holzleitner. The Federal Minister will also take over the agendas for science, research and digitization from April 1, 2025. Holzleitner presented the cornerstones of the government program on these areas. She also answered questions and invited the MPs to seek contact and exchange with their department, even away from the committee meetings.
At the beginning of the session, ÖVP science spokesman Rudolf Tascher unanimously elected the first deputy chairman.
Holzleitner: The next few years will be marked by the university strategy
In her introductory statements, Federal Minister Holzleitner dealt with those points of the government program that concern the work of the committee. In the area of science, one will be devoted to the development of a new university strategy in the coming years that this will take place in the discourse with all stakeholders. The goal is a long -term strategy where the Austrian university area should develop by 2040.
Against this background, it was also agreed that no new federal university will be founded in the upcoming legislative period.
As a minister, she also plans to support the universities as employers. An important goal is to be able to offer more permanent employment contracts instead of chain contracts. This should also include career opportunities away from a professorship.
The federal government also wanted to keep an eye on the situation of the students. The system of ECTS points will also be checked with regard to studying. This wants to ensure that no talents are lost due to the social background. An evaluation of the access restrictions is planned by the end of 2026.
The interests of the business location want to take into account the accelerated nostrification of foreign degrees.
The further development and strengthening of the universities of applied sciences is also planned in the government program. Applied research should be strengthened and planning security should be guaranteed so that specialists of the future can be provided at the FHS.
In the area of medicine, the need for high quality medical care should be ensured. Aspects such as gender medicine are also paid more attention.
One also wants to focus on digitization and artificial intelligence. In cooperation with the Austrian Academy of Sciences, one wanted to ward off the achievements of scientists: emphasize the inside of society and “anti -science attacks”. Strengthening the proportion of women in MINT subjects and, above all, the opportunity to connect a professional career are particularly important to the minister.
In the research area, steps to de-bureaucratization should make it easier to recruit EU funds. Researchers: Interior should be able to devote themselves to research and the administrative effort should be reduced. The goal of making Austria a innovation leader will continue to be pursued. To do this, the research rate should be increased to 3.5 %. The Fund Future Austria should be expanded.
For applied research, which is only a small area in her responsibility, it is important to her to support the cooperation between universities and companies.
Questions from MPs to the new minister
The minister’s statements led to a discussion with the parliamentarians of the political groups and to inquire on individual points.
On the remark of FPÖ MP Martin Graf that the government program contained above all “headings”, but had little concrete, Federal Minister Holzleitner referred to the university strategy 2040. The work on it will start this year. How long the development will take will not be said yet. However, she will of course report on the progress in the committee and is always ready for an exchange with the parliament.
As for the order of the new university councils, the current period is running by 2028. By then, the federal government wanted to present a new order mode, Graf learned. Vacant places would be filled.
As far as the chain contracts affect, no change in the legal basis is planned itself, Holzleitner informed the MPs. Rather, it is about enabling universities to offer more permanent contracts.
On the subject of increasing the proportion of women in the MINT subjects, the minister stated that the questions of Graf sterified that more than 44,000 and around 14,000 women currently show at universities. However, it is important that these women can also gain a foothold in a relevant profession after graduation. There are still many hurdles for women in professional life.
As planned for students, it is not planned that the federal government was building a student home, Holzleitner informed the committee. Rather, the non -profit housing associations are to be supported by a fund to create affordable living space for students.
The FPÖ deputies Martin Graf and Hermann Brückl as well as the Neos science spokeswoman Martina von Künsberg Sarre and the science spokeswoman for the Greens, Sigrid Maurer, wanted to learn more about the plans to bring together the universities of teacher and the teaching areas of the universities. Holzleitner stated that it was planned to further develop it based on the international model of the Schools of Education. This will be done closely with the Ministry of Education. However, the universities of pedagogical universities themselves should remain in the area of the Ministry of Education. This was agreed in the government program.
When asked by ÖVP science spokesman Rudolf Taschner, whether it was intended to change the Bologna system of the study evaluation using ECTS points, said Holzleitner that the ECTS system itself should not be questioned. Rather, this is about the question of the right weighting in the sense of studying studies.
SPÖ MP Heinrich Himmer asked what was planned for improving the social situation of the students. Holzleitner said that the department would be strongly based on the knowledge of the student social survey. (Continued Science Committee) Sox