Education Report Burgenland

All experts agree that education is an essential prerequisite for individual, professional and social advancement. The region also needs many well-educated people in order to survive in national and international competition.

A study by the social science institute SORA now shows that Burgenland has developed into a model region in terms of educational reform and educational quality.

Whereas in 1971 only five per cent of the population had a school-leaving certificate, this figure has now risen to 24 per cent, which is above the Austrian average. In the meantime, 47 per cent of Burgenland's population choose the path from school to tertiary education. With its diverse range of degree programmes, the Burgenland University of Applied Sciences plays a decisive role in making it possible to study in Burgenland. Commuting to study is a thing of the past.

Last year alone, the range of courses on offer at the Burgenland University of Applied Sciences grew by 25 per cent, with a record number of 1,822 students enrolled in the 2014/15 winter semester. In addition to school leavers, the university also appeals to people who are already in employment. Every second student is enrolled on a Master's degree programme, which demonstrates the important role of FH Burgenland in highly qualified education and training in rural areas.

It is also significant for Burgenland that 31 per cent of young people between the ages of 15 and 34 have now achieved a higher level of education than their parents, which demonstrates the great dynamism in the province's education system.