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Aims and tasks

Experiences for life! We will support you.

As an agency of the Republic of Austria the OeAD contributes to inclusive, equal and high-quality education on behalf of the Austrian Federal Ministry of Education, Science and Research (BMBWF). Our tasks correspond to the Austrian Federal Government’s content-related and strategic goals.

We support people in continuously expanding the skills they need to lead a self-determined life in our digitised and globalised world and to work together – across borders – in science and education. Our offers enhance the innovation competence of institutions in education and science and thus support their capacity development. As a service-orientated organisation we offer transparent validation procedures, plausible funding management and quality development.

Das Bild zeigt eine Frau, die symbolisch weiße Stufen nach oben läuft
© Shutterstock_Ollyy

The OeAD Act

  • Legal mandate:
    Implementation of measures for European and international cooperation in science and research and in the fostering of the arts, higher education, education, and education and training.

  • Milestones since the OeAD’s foundation in 1961

Our goals

We support...
the development of personal skills for life in a digitised and globalised world.
We are committed to...
strengthening Austria and its visibility as an attractive and internationally oriented country for science and research in the global knowledge society.
We strengthen...
the (innovation) competence of education systems and institutions.
Zwei Frauen tuscheln miteinander
© Shutterstock_Ollyy

Our activities support:

  • European Higher Education Area (EHEA)
  • European Research Area (ERA)
  • National Higher Education Mobility and Internationalisation Strategy 2020–2030
  • Austrian Higher Education Plan 2030
  • National Strategy for Research, Technology and Innovation 2030 (RTI Strategy 2030)
  • Austrian Action Plan for the European Research Area (ERA-NAP) 2022–2025
  • Research, Technology and Innovation Pact 2024–2026
  • European Education Area 2025
  • Digital Education Action Plan 2021–2027
  • ‘Digital Skills Austria’ Strategy
  • National Strategy against Antisemitism
  • DNAustria: Strengthening Trust in Science and Democracy in Austria
  • Development Cooperation Regional Strategy for the Western Balkans and relevant country strategies
  • European youth strategy ‘Engage–Connect–Empower’ 2019–2027
  • UNESCO Framework for Culture and Arts Education, 2024
  • EU Work Plan for Sports

Our tasks

1
IMPLEMENTING national and international funding programmes.
2
STRENGTHENING the connection between education, science, research and society.
3
CONTRIBUTING expertise to the development of the education sector.

Our activities are implemented in three strategic fields of action:

 

  • 1. Promoting the internationalisation of science and research, formal, non-formal and informal education
  • 2. Strengthening the interfaces between education, science and society
  • 3. Increasing quality and transparency in education

Our professional and regional expertise and the OeAD’s multifaceted expertise are sought-after both nationally and internationally – by the Austrian Federal Government, regional agencies, governments of other countries, and expert meetings of the EU. We cooperate with educational and research institutions such as universities, civil society actors, scientific institutions, cultural institutions, companies and the national education sector. This cooperation is essential for successful and trusting collaboration with political decision-makers.

Internationalisation is the central instrument for us to contribute to social benefit, which in turn is in line with the objectives of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the Austrian Federal Government and the European Commission.

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