Scientific staff

Well-trained scientif staff

The Austrian educational system features high standards and flexibility, encouraging and supporting career changers, career crossovers, late starters and people thirsting for professional training and continuing education. Austrians are teh European champions in life-long learning.

In a dual educational system apprenticeship is accompanied by vocational training. Working in close cooperation with companies, schools ensure that the educational system meets the requirements of the business community.

In addition to vocational schools, higher technical schools provide courses in all fields. Upon graduation, a student can either commence his professional career, or continue his education by attending one of the 21 universities of applied sciences, 22 public universities or 12 private universities in Austria.

Financial assistance An extraordinarily high level of support is provided to companies offering apprenticeship training to their employees. 80 percent of all firms in Austria offer continuing education and professional development programs to their employees. The largest further education institutions attracted 4.95 million participants in 2007.

International scientific community Without doubt, Austria is one of the most pleasant places in the world to live. However, this is not the only reason underlying the ability of research institutions and R&D headquarters to attract international scientific staff.

Programs such as brainpower promote the recruitment of international personnel, by paying for their travel, moving and relocation expenses, bringing scientists and companies together and assisting the business community with tax issues or compulsory registration with the responsible authorities. The association “Research Austria” makes scholarships available to foreign scientists, and the Austrian Science Fund supports qualified foreign professionals working at the interface between basic and applied research.