Highlight your future. Study in Austria.

Illustration of a map of Europe in grey, Austria is highlighted in yellow. Lettering saying highlight your future. Study in Austria. © OeAD/Bisail

Presenting Austria as an attractive place for higher education and research internationally has been one of the OeAD's key responsibilities since 2002 and has been firmly established in the OeAD Act since 2009. As an agency of the Austrian Federal Government the OeAD supports the higher education institutions’ internationalisation strategies.

Support group for Austria as a location for higher education

In May 2021 the support group for presenting Austria as an attractive place for higher education was established. This group serves as a platform for discussing priorities and project proposals for the international orientation of the Austrian higher education landscape. It provides a setting for the presentation of initiatives, to gather well-founded feedback, evaluate possible opportunities and risks and assess the potential for success from a thematic and strategic perspective.

In view of global developments and trends in international cooperation, which also affect Austria, as well as the need to consider the national strategic framework (such as the RTI Pact or the Higher Education Mobility and Internationalisation Strategy HMIS 2030) in academic mobility adjustments in the priorities are necessary. The OeAD has therefore set up this advisory body to closely coordinate the measures for the international positioning of Austria as an attractive place for higher education with the sector and to act as an advisory body.

The support group consists of representatives of the stakeholders involved, umbrella organisations of the higher education institutions and those responsible for internationalisation at the higher education institutions. The committee meets twice a year.

Members of the support group for Austria as a location for higher education

How does the OeAD represent the higher education institutions internationally

With the umbrella brand "Highlight your future. Study in Austria" the OeAD represents the Austrian higher education institutions (universities, universities of applied sciences, university colleges of teacher education) at international education fairs worldwide and provides information about study options and study locations in Austria by means of brochures, websites, databases and social media channels.

Goals

As Austria's Agency for Education and Internationalisation the OeAD is a strong partner of the Austrian higher education institutions. It supports the higher education institutions’ internationalisation strategies and the global orientation of corresponding activities.

The core objective is to strengthen Austria's position as an attractive location for higher education, science and research on the global level. This includes the management of national, European and international scholarship and other funding programmes, the presentation of Austria as an attractive place for science and research and the broad spectrum of study options, teaching and research activities as well as cooperation opportunities in an international environment.

The detailed objectives include:

  • Increasing Austria's attractiveness as a place for higher education and research
  • Representing the Austrian higher education institutions at multiplier fairs in Europe, Asia/Australia and North America
  • Positioning of Austria worldwide as a location for higher education and research in all its aspects
  • Worldwide positioning of all Austrian higher education institutions and higher education sectors
  • Presence of Austria on the international education market and strengthening its image as an innovative provider of high-quality, internationally orientated studies
  • Supporting the higher education institutions in expanding their international networks and cooperations
  • Providing impartial information about the entire range of study programmes offered by all higher education sectors
  • Attracting excellent international young budding researchers to come to Austria

Who do we represent?

By means of online and print media, events and initiatives the OeAD represents all higher education institutions, promotes all study programmes and handles all enquiries about Austria as a place for higher education.

  • 22 public universities
  • (including 6 universities of the arts, 3 universities of technology and 3 medical universities)
  • 19 private universities
  • 21 universities of applied sciences
  • 14 university colleges of teacher education and other accredited higher education institutions

Students at higher education institutions in the academic year 2022/2023

Source: Statistik Austria

International students in the academic year 2022/2023

Source: Statistik Austria

International higher education fairs

To present Austria as an attractive location for higher education on an international level you can find Study in Austria in person or online at international education and higher education fairs and conferences in Asia, America and Europe (e.g. APAIE, NAFSA, EAIE, European Higher Education Fairs, etc.). We offer helpful information about study and research options as well as about places for studying in Austria, we represent the Austrian higher education institutions at these fairs and support them in establishing and intensifying international cooperation.

Here you can find a list of all international education fairs that we attend.