Johannes Kepler University Linz to Establish First Professorship for Business Education in Austria by 2025

The Johannes Kepler University Linz will receive a new professorship for business education at the Institute for Business and Vocational Education in 2025. The first professorship of this type in Austria is made possible on the initiative of the Foundation for Economic Education and with the support from funding partners from business and civil society. The general goal: to improve the economic skills of young people throughout Austria.

In an increasingly complex world that is facing challenges such as inflation, a shortage of skilled workers and the global climate and environmental crisis, understanding economic relationships is increasingly important, and not just for young people. General economic education is the basis for successful participation in the economy and society.

Need action in Austria

Although the importance of economic education in general is unquestionable, action is still needed in Austria. The Austrian School Organization Act emphasizes the need to provide young people with the necessary knowledge and skills for life and work. However, general economic education is anchored only to a very limited extent in several subject areas in the Austrian school system.

In Austria there is currently a lack of systematic research in the field of general business education. Apart from local and thematic research initiatives, there are no special chairs and research structures in the field of economic education in general. However, this is exactly what is necessary for teacher training and therefore for providing students with economic skills.

JKU receives the first professorship for economic education in Austria

In order to close this gap and improve the quality of economic education, a new professorship for economic education didactics will be established at the Institute for Economic and Vocational Education at the JKU from 2025 on the initiative of the Foundation for Economic Education and with entrepreneurship. support from business and civil society. Other founding partners are the Austrian Chamber of Commerce, the Innovation Foundation for Education, the ERSTE Foundation, the Sparkasse OÖ, Fabasoft AG, the State of Upper Austria and the Business Association of Upper Austria. The Oesterreichische National Bank also supports the project without contributing to the financing.

“With the new professorship for business education, the JKU will become the Austrian center for teaching and research in this important field. business The JKU has the best prerequisites for this professorship,” said JKU Rector Stefan Koch.

The new professorship will be located at the Faculty of Social and Economic Sciences at the Institute for Business and Vocational Education. The business education course has been in charge there for several years, and there is also close cooperation with the JKU Linz School of Education.

An important alliance: business, science and education integrated

With the new chair, the JKU would like to promote teaching and research in the central areas of economic education, such as consumer education, financial literacy, guidance in the professional and working world, entrepreneurship education, economic citizenship and economic education.

Univ.-Prof. Dr. Georg Hans Neuweg, head of the JKU Institute for Business and Vocational Education, explains: “With the new professorship, we would like to promote the development of teaching and learning materials for economic education in general and prospective teacher training for education business development. . We would also like to focus on… In this way, we are investing in the education of the next generation in close cooperation between business and science.”

Matthias Reisinger, executive director of the Foundation for Economic Education, emphasizes the importance of the professor for teacher training: “Young people want to learn how to handle money and understand how the economy works and how they can help shape it. The JKU has already proven its strength in this area in the past with the professorship’s business education lighthouse project being expanded so that as many teachers and eventually students will benefit from it.”

The endowed professorship for economic education didactics is currently being advertised and is expected to be filled in early 2025.

Statements from the funding partners for the professorship in general economic education at the JKU

Markus Achleitner, State Councilor for Economics and Research of Upper Austria: “Business education is essential both for personal development and for Upper Austria. Financial education is particularly important to prepare young people for economic challenges and enable them to participate actively in society. The Endowment professions therefore provide an opportunity to continue the success of Upper Austria as a leading economic federal state.”

Jakob Calice, board member of the Innovation Foundation for Education: “Young people need to understand economic processes in order to be ready for everyday challenges in the future. At the same time, it promotes scientific research on economic education in general, which is essential for educational innovation.”

Helmut Fallmann, board member of Fabasoft AG: “Young people need to be strengthened in self-confidence through economic education in general. This is also a breeding ground for the confidence to be entrepreneurs. Therefore Fabasoft is to support civil society education initiatives for many years.”

Joachim Haindl-Grutsch, Managing Director of the Business Association of Upper Austria: “Providing students with contemporary, fact-based and practical economic knowledge is essential for a successful career and for understanding economic and financial policy developments in the our global economy. The endowed professorship makes a significant contribution to the training of teachers in the business sector of Upper Austria.”

Eva Höltl, board member of the ERSTE Foundation: “A surprising number of people – especially young people – have difficulty understanding economics and personal finance, even though this is an important requirement for a self-assured life. Finding vision and ways to do that. to gain basic knowledge in the field Ensuring financial education for all is a very important task for all of society, especially now.”

Stefanie Christina Huber, General Director of Sparkasse Oberösterreich & Gerald Gutmayer, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Allgemeine Sparkasse: “Economic and financial education is an issue close to our hearts. Imparting economic and financial skills at an early age is essential. to learn how to manage money correctly “Understanding economic relationships and making informed decisions is the key to success, and that is why we are very happy to support the JKU initiative.”

Mariana Kühnel, vice president. Secretary General of the Austrian Chamber of Commerce: “For 84% of companies, more business education in schools is essential to provide young people with basic economic, financial and future skills. forward-looking school projects, thus enabling young people to enter a life of self-determination.”

Petia Niederländer, Director of Payment Operations, Risk Monitoring and Financial Education, Oesterreichische Nationalbank (OeNB): “The ability to successfully manage economically affected life situations is more important than ever. . From a perspective The OeNB wants a comprehensive, common, patient and evidence-based approach.

Marion Draxler, MA PR Manager, Head of PR & Content Marketing Department, University Communications JOHANNES KEPLER UNIVERSITY OF LINZ Altenberger Straße 69 Science Park 5, 327 4040 Linz, Austria T +43 732 2468 3019 M +43 664 60 24
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