The Austrian Student Union looks back on the past year and offers an outlook for the second year of its term of office.
Vienna (OTS) – Almost exactly a year ago, on June 23, 2023, the chairmanship team of the Austrian Students’ Union (ÖH) was elected. Over the past 12 months, the ÖH chairmanship team has dedicated itself to the major challenges in higher education and general policy. At the halfway point of the term of office, the chairmanship looks back on the successes and projects of the past year. “In the area of higher education policy, we were confronted with a UG amendment which, following our pressure on teaching, took steps in the right direction, but also brought many problems such as access restrictions for master’s and doctoral studies and further hurdles for third-country students.”
emphasizes Sarah Rossmann from the ÖH chairmanship team.
Rossmann looks back positively on the ÖH’s climate policy commitment: “With the lecture series ‘Campus of Change’, together with UniNEtZ, we offered students the opportunity to deal intensively with the climate crisis as part of their studies and to make an important academic contribution to combating the climate crisis.”
The dramatic increase in prices is still a major burden for many students. Particularly noteworthy here is the acute housing crisis, which is being inadequately addressed by politicians. The ÖH has therefore placed a special focus on the topic of housing. Nina Mathies from the ÖH chairmanship team summarizes this: “As part of our campaign ‘And where do you live?’ A tour of Austria’s university towns and a study together with the Chamber of Workers have clearly shown us that our housing policy demands are current and urgent. Measures such as a real rent cap and the end of fixed-term rental contracts are still urgently needed!”
The multiple crises have also greatly increased the need for psychotherapeutic support. The ÖH has also become active here: “As of November 2023, we have massively expanded the ÖH Helpline offering and have registered a 300% increase in advice since then,”
explains Mathies.
In order to relieve the financial burden on students, the ÖH has now managed to double the cafeteria bonus for students in negotiations with the ministry. In the future, students who receive study grants will receive a 2 euro discount on each subsidized meal. “All students must be able to afford food in the cafeteria!”
demands Simon Neuhold from the ÖH chairmanship team.
Students are also concerned about the massive shift to the right in Austria and throughout Europe. With educational offerings such as the Antifa seminar in May or the brochure and documentary film examining Austria’s fascist history, the ÖH supports universities in critically examining the past and its continuities. “Antifascist educational work forms the basic building block for an active stand up against the right”
, emphasizes Simon Neuhold from the ÖH chairmanship team. Those who do anti-fascist work are increasingly affected by state and police repression. The ÖH has therefore entered into a cooperation with Rote Hilfe to support students who are affected by repression. “Student, anti-fascist activism in particular must be supported and must not fall victim to repression!”
Neuhold continues.
In summary, it can be said that the ÖH has done more constructive and consistent work for the students in the past 12 months than it has for a long time. The chairmanship team is starting the second year of its term of office confidently and combatively.
Questions & Contact:
ÖH – Austrian Student Union
Fiona Sinz
Press spokesperson
+43 676 88 85 22 32
fiona.sinz@oeh.ac.at
https://www.oeh.ac.at