Regulating the Private Sector: The Austrian Experience Helmut Konrad, Sarajevo November 2009

2 The national context Structure of quality assurance in Austria Public universities : no accreditation system Austrian Quality Assurance Agency (AQA) provides support for public universities to set up a quality management system Fachhochschule degree programmes: have to apply for accreditation at the Fachhochschule Council (FHR) Private universities : have to apply for accreditation at the Accreditation Council (AAC)

3 Acreditation in Austria Legal Basis University Accreditation Act (BGBl I 1999/168 idgF) General Law on Procedural Guidelines (BGBl Nr. 51/1991 idgF)

4 Austrian Accreditation Council Aims to open the university sector to private suppliers to ensure quality in the private sector and to maintain general standards to ensure transparency and security for the suppliers, students and the employment market to promote, improve and develop the quality of private universities to encourage innovative forms of university-level training and further education

5 Austrian Accreditiation Council Tasks Accreditation of private universities Accreditation of academic programmes of already accredited private universities Supervision of accredited private universities Re-accreditation

6 Austrian Accreditation Council Organisation State authority according to the national law (UniAkkG 1999) not an advisory but a decision-making body independent body, not bound by any directives –4 of 8 members are from abroad –recognised experts in the field of international higher education –appointed by the Austrian federal government Foreign experts in the panels

7 ÖAR as gatekeeper Institutional applications and projects ( ) (total: 107)

8 Key features of the Private Sector in Austria POSITIVE Innovative forms of training Attractive academic programmes Selective admission requirements Completion of degrees on time Intensive support/small classes Student contract makes services enforceable High probablity of success Niches NEGATIVE  Small range and variety of programmes  Lack of ‚critical mass‘/flying faculty  Lack of research capacity  Business instead of quality

9 ÖAR – a combined procedure (1) Institutional ex-ante accredititation Aspects in terms of institutional and programm accrediation Mission statement Organisation, management and planning Quality management Financing, space and equipment Staff Academic programmes and student management Research, co-operation

10 ÖAR – a combined procedure (2) Accreditation of additional academic programmes Aspects concerning programme accreditation in combination with institutional aspects with an emphasis on: Research Quality assurance Capacity of ressources

11 ÖAR – a combined procedure (3) Institutional reaccreditation Selection on academic programmes in combination with instiotnal aspects with an emphasis on: Implementation of the development plan Outcomes and follow-up measures of the external evaluation of the private university Existence of a developed quality assurance system

12 Facts and Figures (1) Private Universität für Gesundheitswissenschaften, Medizinische Informatik und Technik Paracelsus Medizinische Privatuniversität Salzburg Anton Bruckner Privatuniversität Katholisch Theologische Privatuniversität Linz Privatuniversität der Kreativwirtschaft Webster Vienna Privatuniversität Konservatorium Wien Privatuniversität PEF Privatuniversität für Management Sigmund Freud Privatuniversität Privatuniversität Schloss Seeburg MODUL University Vienna Privatuniversität Danube Private University

13 Facts and Figures (2) Graph: Student enrollment (winter term 2008/09) Private universityTotalMaleFemale ABU Anton Bruckner Privatuniversität KTU Katholisch-Theologische Privatuniversität Linz KW Konservatorium Wien Privatuniversität MODUL University Vienna PMU Paracelsus Medizinische Privatuniversität Salzburg PEF Privatuniversität für Management UMIT Private Universität für Gesundheitswissenschaften, Medizinische Informatik und Technik NDU Privatuniversität der Kreativwirtschaft Privatuniversität Schloss Seeburg SFU Sigmund Freud Privatuniversität WEBSTER University Vienna Total

14 Development trends Broad range of academic fields Niches and new academic fieldsnew academic fields Innovative models of knowledge transfer Development of additional programmes Development of new branch campuses

15 Broad range of academic fields Graph: Distribution of academic programmes/university courses in study fields (November 2009)

16 New academic fields Engineering Mechatronics Wound Care Management Public Health Nursing Sciences Palliative Care Psychotherapy Interior Design

17 Development of additional programmes

18 New sites of private universities abcabcabcabc –abcabcabcabc

19 Structural challenges Boarders of the traditional definition of a university Critical mass/range of academic fields Teaching and research universities Flying Faculty Financing modells Cost-performance ratio

20 Tuition fees (1) Private universityAcademic programmeTuition fee Anton Bruckner Privatuniversität Alle Programme für EU-Bürger/innen100 € / Semester Alle Programme für Nicht-EU-Bürger/innen € / Semester Katholisch Theologische Privatuniversität Linz Alle Programme363,63 € / Semester Konservatorium Wien Privatuniversität BA/MA für ordentliche Studierende220 € / Semester BA/MA für Studierende bestimmter Länder550 € / Semester Akkreditierte Lehrgänge550 € / Semester in Einzelfächern550 € / Semester Modul University Vienna Privatuniversität Bachelorprogramm € / Programm Masterprogramme € / Programm Paracelsus Medizinische Privatuniversität Salzburg BA/MA Pflegewissenschaft2.000 € / Semester Diplomstudium4.765 € / Semester PhD StudiumKostenfrei Universitätslehrgänge3.800 € € / Programm PEF Privatuniversität für Management Alle Programme – € / Programm

21 Tuition fees (2) Private universityAcademic programmeTuition fee Private Universität für Gesundheitswissenschaften, Medizinische Informatik und Technik Bakkalaureatsstudium726 – € / Semester Magisterstudium € / Semester Doktoratsprogramme3.300 € / Semester Universitätslehrgänge2.200 – € / Semester Privatuniversität der Kreativwirtschaft Bachelorstudium2.450 € / Semester Masterprogramm3.450 € / Semester Privatuniversität Schloss Seeburg Bachelorprogramme390 € / Monat Masterprogramme450 € / Monat Universitätslehrgang € / Programm Sigmund Freud Privatuniversität Bakkalaureatsstudium € / Semester Magisterstudium5.250 € / Semester Universitätslehrgänge2.500 – € / Semester Webster University Vienna Privatuniversität Bachelorprogramme6.975 € / Semester Masterprogramme4.350 € / Semester

22 National position High public perception ÖAR as GatekeeperGatekeeper Interface to the further education sector

23 Outcomes of accreditation procedures Graph 1: Completed accreditation procedures – initial accreditation Comment Rejection: According to the AVG an application has to be rejected by the ÖAR before the assessment of the content if in spite of an order for completing the application necessary information for the assessment are missing. Negative decision: The decision of the ÖAR on an application is negative if the assessment of the content comes to the point, that the accreditation requirements are not fullfilled. Graph 2: Completed accreditation procedures – academic programmes, university courses

24 Applications 1999 – 2009