Set sail - cast off

Digitalisation mission for Austria's higher education institutions

Austria's higher education institutions are setting off on a profound journey of transformation as they answer the "Digital and Social Transformation in Higher Education" call for proposals. Fresh wind in the form of 50 million euros are driving the creation of and support for far-reaching digitalisation projects at all 22 public universities. 34 projects are propelling the Austrian higher education system into a powerful future and paving the way for a wide range of digital and/or social innovations. All projects are being carried out in cooperation, and effective results will be shared with all universities. In this regard, inter-university collaboration serves as a compass that guides trend-setting progress.

Austria's higher education institutions set off into the future

Elmar Pichl (BMBWF Director General), Claudia von der Linden (TU Graz), Ronald Maier (Uni Vienna), and Petra Schaper Rinkel (Uni Graz) describe their vision for digital transformation at Austria's higher education institutions. The video is available in German only.

 

50 million euros for digital and social transformation - selected digitalisation projects 2020 -2024

From a strategic perspective, digitalisation strategies are currently anchored in the development agreements signed with the individual higher education institutions in Austria. This call for proposals directs a new focus towards a development that drives structural evolution and collaboration in the public higher education system and higher education institutions as a whole. In doing so, it deliberately sends out a signal that will guide the opportunities and challenges associated with digitalisation at higher education institutions back to a safe harbor.

 

Digitalisation at universities ...

  • Improves teaching and learning
  • Makes research results and data accessible (FAIR principles)
  • Makes university administration more efficient

 

The objectives of digitalisation are ...

  • To actively shape the digital transformation and strengthen Austria's position in the future with help from HEI-qualified specialists
  • To increase the quality of higher education by promoting the effective and efficient use of digital technologies
  • To increase, broaden, and deepen access to science and research
  • To make processes at universities more effective and sustainable and to create opportunities for individual adaptations

 

Priority areas that will be addressed in this initiative as a whole are ...

  • Digital teaching and learning
  • Digital skills
  • Social dimensions
  • Learning analytics
  • Digital administration at higher education institutions
  • Open Science

 

Link to the brochure (in German)

Link to the ministry initiative (in German)

 

Collaborative promotion of development for higher education institutions as a whole

The collaboration among multiple higher education institutions proved to be the key to success in the initiative as a whole. Through the inter-university collaboration, networks formed between the projects. In addition, a cluster was created to link the project content, taking advantage of yet another opportunity to leverage synergies among the ministry-funded projects.


A list of these clusters and the respective initiatives can be found HERE. This provides you with a helpful map of the project landscape. This also allows you to access additional projects that fall within the subject areas of the clusters, as well as comprehensive information on networking and further dialogue.

 

What does the digital university hub contribute?

The digital university hub serves as a NODE that enables the collection and creation of:

  • Digitalisation initiatives
  • Networks
  • Events
  • Digital skills training
  • and much more...

This DUH will be deemed successful if, by the time all projects are finalised in 2024, this platform is being actively used by all digitalisation officers. As a source of information and a tool to promote networking and exchange, the main focus is directed towards maximizing stakeholder benefits.

Change connects!

Promote your project on the DUH now! You can find all opportunities to actively participate HERE.

 

How can digitalisation succeed at higher education institutions?

How can digitalisation succeed at higher education institutions?

Each higher education institution is examining digitalisation from its own unique perspective and, at the same time, keeping their eyes open for potential collaboration partners in order to achieve far-reaching change. A vital structural element has been the creation of a vice rectorate for digitalisation.

Clear commitments are reflected in the respective digitalisation strategies and policies presented in the 2021 national Development plan for public universities. A list of the current strategies being carried out at individual universities can be found HERE.

A sustainable digitalisation governance plan is being developed to address the different interests from the teaching, research, administration, and 3rd mission areas. Optimally, this goal will be achieved through good infrastructure management and the accompanying change management at higher education institutions.

What experience is available for this undertaking? And how does one set up this 'transformation process' so that it supports an interdisciplinary digitalisation strategy? Answers to these and other questions will be presented and illustrated here. In this way, the digital university hub would like to give you a platform that encourages dialogue, offers exciting incentives, enables you to dive deeper into significant topics, and provides you with a wealth of information.

The aim is to give you quick and ready access to the latest developments and to equip you with the best tools that will enable you to navigate the digital oceans in the world of higher education.

 

Important milestones in digitalisation at higher education institutions

The process of digitalisation has already undergone numerous developmental phases at higher education institutions.

The most important developmental milestones over the last 25 years are described below.

Infografik von Change Management

We will continually provide interesting links and stimulating articles here so you can stay up to date on the topic of digitalisation at higher education institutions and take the opportunity to dig even deeper into the subject matter: