Department of Health & Department of Social Affairs

Health promotion is a complex social and political process that is becoming increasingly important due to rising healthcare costs and an ageing population. In the field of health promotion, the central aim is to enable specific population groups or the entire population to lead healthier lives through various measures that involve both lifestyle changes and the improvement of health-related environmental factors. The department deals with social, health, organisational and movement science as well as psychological issues in connection with the health sciences. Various settings are always taken into account and research questions are investigated, which are scientifically derived and methodically processed using forms of scientific work.

In the field of social work, the research focus is on social work science and social education topics that address socially relevant issues such as discrimination and the exclusion of marginalised groups. In addition, future topics are addressed that concern social issues relating to social and technological change. The department places the sustainability of social pre- and post-care structures and social justice clearly at the centre of its research strategy, be it with regard to inequality research in relation to poverty, care, education, the labour market, gender relations, inclusion or climate justice, but also digitalisation and spatial planning. To date, funding bodies and clients have mainly been institutions from national and international research funds and foundations (FFG, EU-Daphne, LEADER, ESF, REACT, ERDF, Climate and Energy Fund, etc.) as well as administrative bodies (federal states e.g. Burgenland, Styria and municipalities e.g. Graz, Mannersdorf). The close cooperation with national and international partners from science, public administration and social institutions enables the development of practice-oriented and realisable solutions for social problems.

The Department of Health & Social Affairs pursues an inter- and transdisciplinary approach in order to obtain well-founded answers to current issues and to jointly develop realisable solutions. A particular focus of the department is on the health and social effects of climate change, digitalisation in the health and social sector and interprofessionalisation in teaching and research. With this focus, we as a department want to act as a driving force for the healthcare and social economy as well as education. The integration of research results into teaching and the exchange between research, practice and students are essential components of the concept, which links both theory and practice in order to develop innovative and sustainable solutions for the challenges of the future. Through regular events and open lectures with renowned experts from various fields, the department also becomes an important initiator for knowledge transfer and public discussion.

The research team is dedicated to evidence-based research, including the connections between social aspects, health and society, the effectiveness of health promotion measures, questions of health and environmental factors and the topic of health as a resource.