COUNTRY SUMMARY AUSTRIA. Through ASIIN, Germany

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1 A SUMMARY OF THE QUESTIONNAIRE FOR HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS, QUALITY INSURANCE AND ACCREDITATION AGENCIES, AND PROFESSIONAL BODIES FOR THE EURO-AGES PROGRAMME COUNTRY SUMMARY AUSTRIA Through ASIIN, Germany 1

2 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY OF THIS SURVEY The system of higher education in Austria is currently transforming to a Bologna compliant Bachelor/Master system. Within the scope of these changes Geology programmes (in most cases) have been merged with neighboring fields of study and reintroduced as Geosciences programmes. The transformation process is set to be completed in Nevertheless, the number of graduates (currently a total of approximately 200 students graduate in Geology annually) from these new programmes remains low and is only going to rise in the upcoming years as more and more old Diplom programmes will be discontinued and students move into Bachelor s programmes. General learning outcomes for Geology programmes have not been developed in Austria, although few universities did develop outcomes for their own (Geosciences) programmes and the outcomes of the Tuning-project have been incorporated into the development of the curricula. Accreditation (in the form of institutional audits) is only mandatory for private universities and universities of applied science (Fachhochschulen). 1. INTRODUCTION The universities in Austria have been adapting their education towards the requirements of the Bologna process since The Bologna Process aims to create a European Higher Education Area by 2010, in which students can choose from a wide and transparent range of high quality courses and benefit from smooth recognition procedures. The Bologna Declaration of June 1999 has put in motion a series of reforms needed to make European Higher Education more compatible and comparable, more competitive and more attractive for Europeans and for students and scholars from other continents. 2. IMPLEMENTATION OF THE BOLOGNA PROCESS As of fall 2007, 82% of all university study programmes have followed the Bachelor/Master structure. Many universities have completed their course-conversion entirely already. The ECTS system has been established with a fixed ratio of 1:25 (1 credit point equals 25 hours total workload). Most Bachelor s programmes have been developed as 6 semesters (3 calendar years) or 180 ECTS programmes. Accordingly, Master s programmes last 4 semesters (2 years) or 120 ECTS. 2

3 There are graduates (both in Bachelor s and Master s programmes) but the numbers are relatively low and reliable statistical data cannot be given yet. 3. THE EDUCATION IN GEOLOGY 3.1. The structure of the education in Geology As far as Geology is concerned, the same situation as outlined above applies to study programmes in this field. Within the scope of the conversion from a Diplom to a Bachelor/Master system many universities decided to offer integrated programmes in Geoscience instead. The result of this development is a declining number of pure Geology programmes. Nevertheless, Geology can be elected as a specialization in most programmes. In general a Bachelor s programme is supposed to provide professional qualifications on a sound scientific basis whereas a Master s programme focuses on improving scientific qualifications Universities offering geological programmes The following five universities offer Geology programmes or Geosciences programmes with a specialization in Geology: Universität Graz / Universität Innsbruck / Universität Leoben / Universität Salzburg / Universität Wien The Bachelor s and Master s programmes being offered are most commonly named: Geology / Geosciences / Applied Geosciences / Applied Geophysics / Geotechnology 3.3. Number of freshman students and graduates in the country Around 500 freshmen students in the field of Geology/Geosciences enroll at Austrian universities each year. As for graduates, it is estimated that a total of 200 students are being awarded a degree in Geology (or a closely related field) each year. 3

4 4. LEARNING OUTCOMES Learning outcomes are statements of what a learner is expected to know, understand and/or be able to demonstrate at a completion of a process of learning Definition of learning outcomes Outcome-oriented requirements are available for Bachelor s and Master s studyprogrammes. Most geological study-programmes in Austria orient on the working group results for geosciences within the Tuning Project Academic and professional learning outcomes/competence profiles for study programmes in Geology Learning outcomes specifically for programmes in Geology are not available Example of programme structure for educations in Geology Universität Wien: Bachelor Earth Sciences: Studieneingangsphase (24 ECTS-Punkte): System Erde (The Earth System), 6 ECTS Mineralogie und Kristallographie (Mineralogy and Crystallography), 5 ECTS Mathematik I (Mathematics I), 8 ECTS Paläobiodiversität (Palaeobiodiversity), 5 ECTS Pflichtteil (138 ECTS-Punkte): Chemie I (Chemistry I), 8 ECTS Grundlagen der Biologie I - Organismische Biologie (Fundamentals of Biology I), 5 ECTS Physik I (Physics I), 5 ECTS Mineralkunde I - Gesteinsbildende Mineralte (Mineralogy I - Rock forming minerals), 5 ECTS Mathematik II (Mathematics II), 5 ECTS Petrographie (Petrography), 5 ECTS Geologische Methodik und Kartenkunde (Geological Methodology an Cartography), 5 ECTS Chemie II (Chemistry II), 8 ECTS Mineralkunde II - Lagerstättenbildende Mineralien (Mineralogy II - Ore and industrial minerals), 5 ECTS Physik II und Geophysik (Physics II and Geophysics), 6 ECTS Petrologie und Geochemie der kristallinen Gesteine (Petrology and geochemistry of crystalline rocks), 5 ECTS 4

5 Stratigraphie, Erdgeschichte und Phylogenese (Stratigraphy, Earth History and Phylogeny of Organisms), 9 ECTS Sedimentologie und Fazieskunde (Sedimentology and Facies Analysis), 5 ECTS Strukturgeologie und Tektonik (Structural Geology and Tectonics), 6 ECTS Kartierung im Gelände (Geological Mapping), 5 ECTS Regionale Geologie (Regional Geology), 5 ECTS Angewandte- und Umweltgeolgie I (Applied and Environmental Geology I), 5 ECTS Geochemie, Isotopengeologie und Stoffkreisläufe (Geochemistry, Isotope Geology and Element Cycles), 5 ECTS Biologie II (Biology II), 5 ECTS Mathemaik III (Mathematics III), 5 ECTS Angewandte und Umweltgeologie II (Applied and Environmental Geology II), 5 ECTS Materialwissenschaftliche Mineralogie (Applied mineralogy in material science), 5 ECTS Petrologie (Petrology), 5 ECTS Quartärgeologie und Geomorphologie (Quarternary Geology and Geomorphology), 5 ECTS Fossilisation und Paläoökologie (Taphonomy and Palaeoecology), 6 ECTS Elevctives: 10 ECTS-Punkte Bachelor Projectwork: 8 ECTS-Punkte Universität Wien: Master Earth Sciences: 5. PROFESSIONAL PRE-REQUISITES There are no professional bodies to define additional pre-requisites. 6. ACCREDITATION SYSTEMS Programme-accreditation is mandatory for Private Universities and Fachhochschulen, but not for Universities. The higher educational institution or department must be reviewed and accredited by an accreditation agency. The single program is not being reviewed. The 2002 Universities Act requires universities to develop a quality management system in order to assure quality and 5

6 performance. The full range of activities in a university is subject to evaluation. Specified broad areas to be evaluated over a period of time are determined through a performance agreement between institutions and the relevant Ministry. The performance of staff must be evaluated at intervals no longer than five years. In accordance with the Act these evaluations must be conducted on the basis of specific international standards and in line with the statutes and aims of the university. 6