!!!Universitätsorganisation

University Organisation: Mediaeval universities were free corporative 
associations of teachers and students (universitas magistrorum et 
scholarium) with numerous privileges. In the 16%%sup th/% 
 century university organisation had to tolerate massive state 
intervention in the course of the  Counter-Reformation, mainly due to 
the "Reformatio nova" of 1554, which remained in force up to 
the mid-18%%sup th/%  century. Teachers were made to conform to 
religious (denominational) standards and student discipline was 
vigorously enforced. As governmental authorities expanded, more 
leading figures were needed, but since only limited means were 
available, the princes turned to religious orders, mainly the  
Jesuits, as new universities such as the  University of Graz, and 
those of Salzburg and Innsbruck were founded. The  Jesuit School and 
Educational Organisation became most influential, from 1623 also at 
the University of Vienna. The Jesuits only concentrated on the 
philosophical and theological faculties and the preparatory 
"Gymnasialkurs" as "facultas linguarum" ( Akademisches 
Gymnasium) were also important. Access to studies and postgraduate 
studies depended on examinations (end-of-term and annual 
examinations).

\\
During the period of enlightened despotism ( Absolutism), universities 
were gradually transformed into pure state schools: directors 
appointed by the state in each faculty (Gerard van  Swieten 1749) made 
sure that university regulations were observed; educational objectives 
and curricula were conceived according to the ideas of the state, 
which wanted to shorten the duration of studies and make them more 
practice-oriented ( Studienhofkommission). Academic judicial autonomy 
(1783) and official attire (1784, gown and academic cap) and master's 
(1786) and bachelor's (1788) degrees were abolished. Simultaneously, 
emancipation from denominational restrictions took place (Jesuits were 
suspended in 1773, Protestants and Jews were allowed to acquire 
academic degrees from 1778 and 1782 respectively, administration of 
the oath on the Immaculate Conception was abolished, etc.). Since 1783 
instruction has been given in German instead of Latin, which used to 
be the language of the clergy and of scholars.

\\
It was not until the reforms after 1848 (F. S.  Exner, L.  
Thun-Hohenstein) that a modern university organisation was established 
after the German model; the university remained a state institution 
(enactment of university and examination regulations, appointment of 
teachers on the basis of proposals, and acknowledgement of elected 
officials through the Ministry for Education), with certain freedoms, 
such as the freedom of teaching and learning, elimination of heads of 
courses (Studiendirektoren), and restricted academic self-management. 
Close links were established between research, instruction and 
professional training, chair holders (full professors) became of 
decisive importance for the level of achievement of the various 
disciplines (habilitation and Privatdozent were introduced). The 
philosophical faculties achieved equal status with the other 
faculties, they were reorganised and their former preparatory 
functions were taken over by the Gymnasium secondary schools; access 
to universities was conditional on successful completion of secondary 
school studies with a Maturitaetspruefung (final examination) taken 
there ( Reifepruefung). The provisional regulations of 1848/50 
received their final form in the University Organisation Law of 1873, 
when the last elements of a mediaeval structure were eliminated: the 
influence of "doctors' councils" was curbed and the Catholic 
church deprived of its right of intervention. It was not until the 
late 19%%sup th/%  and early 20%%sup th/%  centuries that women 
were admitted to universities (in Vienna to the faculty of philosophy 
in 1897, medicine in 1900, legal and political sciences in 1919, 
Protestant Theology in 1922, and Catholic Theology in 1945) and to 
habilitation (in Vienna for the first time in 1907). The 
technical/professional schools and specialised institutes 
(Polytechnical Institute, etc.) which were granted the status of 
institutions of higher learning from the mid-19%%sup th/% 
 century on oriented themselves on university structures (without 
faculty division) and received the right to award doctorates but were 
not legally emancipated until the University Organisation Act of 1955 
was passed.

\\
Today the Allgemeines Hochschul-Studiengesetz of 1966 (General Law on 
University Studies), the Universitaets-Organisationsgesetz (Law on 
University Organisation - UOG 1993), the Kunsthochschul-Studiengesetz 
(Law on Art University Studies - 1983) and the 
Kunsthochschul-Organisationsgesetz (Law on Art University Organisation 
- 1970) are the legal bases for universities and have brought about 
far-reaching changes. The law of 1966 not only re-emphasised the 
freedom of research and teaching and the indispensable connection 
between the two, but also the need for openness to the multitude of 
academic doctrines and methods. The courses of studies were divided 
into two parts: diploma studies are intended to offer preparatory 
professional training in 8-10 semesters and are completed with a 
master's degree ("Magister") or the title of "Diplom-Ingenieur" 
("Graduate Engineer"); subsequent doctoral studies are supposed to 
enable gifted students to obtain a doctorate; only the medical 
faculties have kept the former system, i.e. medical studies are 
completed with a doctor's degree. The new university regulations are 
based on "special study laws" (coarse-grained structure) and study 
rules (fine-grained structure). The University Organisation Law of 
1975 raised all institutions of higher learning devoted to academic 
instruction to the rank of universities, abolished the classic system 
of a university divided in 4 faculties and replaced the professorial 
chairs by departments as the smallest autonomous organisational units. 
Most successful, though controversial, was the approach to make 
decision processes at universities more democratic in order to create 
more transparency and thus induce university staff to show more 
commitment and initiative. All university groups (professors, 
lecturers, students) were encouraged to participate according to their 
qualifications and functions in all collegiate organs of the 
university (senate, faculty council, departmental conference); since 
then it has become impossible to enforce any matter without the 
support of the other groups. The revision of the University 
Organisation Law (1993) strengthened the autonomous status of 
universities and established a new position, i.e. the university dean 
responsible for the administration of studies and examinations. The 
Law on Art University Organisation of 1970 gave former "academies" 
with an artistic orientation university status and research 
assignments. Lecturers and students were granted the right of 
co-determination in decision-making bodies; only the  Akademie der 
bildenden Kuenste (Academy of Fine Arts), which already had an 
organisational structure headed by a rector, succeeded in ensuring 
that its professors could not be outvoted in the Academic Council. The 
Law on Art University Studies of 1983 copied the General Law on 
University Studies in many points and introduced the Master of Arts 
(Magister artium) degree for regular students.

!Literature
H. Engelbrecht, Geschichte des oesterreichischen 
Bildungswesens, vols. 1-5, 1982-1988.


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