About the University of Vienna
The University of Vienna was founded by Duke Rudolph IV in 1365. It is the oldest university in the German-speaking world and one of the largest in Central Europe.
Currently, about 91,000 students are enrolled at the University of Vienna. 188 courses can be taken, of which 56 are Bachelor Programmes, 117 Master Programmes, 4 Diploma Programmes and 11 PhD Programmes.
With staff of 9,400 employees, 6,700 of whom are academic, the University of Vienna is the largest teaching and research institution in Austria. It aims to sustain a wide range of studies, but at the same time to promote new and innovative fields of research, and to establish new networks between subjects.
Research and teaching
The main task and goal of this university lies in creating and sustaining top-quality research and teaching, which are regarded as one inseparable entity ("research-guided teaching"). A strong focus on research, combining fundamental with application-oriented research, renders this University highly attractive for the sharpest minds.
Research and teaching at the University of Vienna comprise a wide range of faculties: from Catholic and Protestant Theology, Law, Business and Economics, Computer Science, Historical and Cultural Studies, Philological and Cultural Studies, Philosophy and Educational Sciences, Psychology, Social Sciences, Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry to Earth Sciences, Geography, Astronomy, Life Sciences, Translation Studies, Sports Sciences, Molecular Biology and Teacher Education.
Locations of the University of Vienna
The academic institutions of the University of Vienna are spread over more than 60 locations, its centre being the historic Main building on Wiener Ringstraße. It houses the university management, library, administrative institutions, various departments and some of the deans’ offices, as well as many lecture rooms and the Audimax, the largest lecture hall of the entire university.
Another important centre is the University Campus nearby, housing most of the institutes of the cultural studies as well as the new Hörsaalzentrum (lecture rooms’ centre).
Further principal university sites are the Sports Centre Auf der Schmelz, the University Centre in Althanstraße, the Juridicum (Law School) in Schottenbastei, the building in Schenkenstraße behind the Burgtheater, the Business Administration Centre in Brünner Straße, and the Campus Vienna Bio Center in Dr.-Bohr-Gasse.
International networking
The University of Vienna has always been strongly orientated towards international research and teaching and therefore is continuing its efforts to maintain its relationships with other countries. It is part of the ERASMUS/SOCRATES Programme and member of several international networks such as ASEA-UNINET, the Network of Universities from the Capitals of Europe (UNICA), and the European University Association (EUA).
From 363 European partner universities, the University of Vienna has entered into an ERASMUS-Partnership with 350 universities. Students from approximately 130 countries attend more than 10,000 lectures at the University of Vienna every year.