Country report

1. STEM education

Engineering dominates STEM enrolments in Austria. In 2023, Austria’s STEM enrolment rate among tertiary students was at 29.3%, surpassing the EU average of 26.9% but remaining below the proposed EU target of 32%. The largest share of STEM students is enrolled in engineering (52.1%), followed by natural sciences and mathematics (26.7%), and ICT (21.2%). At doctoral level, engineering also dominated with 46.7% of STEM PhD enrolments. When measured as a share of total doctoral enrolments across all study fields, ICT accounted for 5.9%, above the proposed EU target of 5%. Recent course evaluations at the University of Vienna indicate a high level of student satisfaction with STEM instruction, particularly in computer science and mathematics (University of Vienna, 2024).

Austria aims to increase female participation in STEM fields at tertiary level. The 2022 Higher Education Plan 2030 (BMBWF, 2022) aims to raise women’s participation in STEM from 33% to 38% by 2030. However, in 2023, only 32.5% of STEM students in higher education were women (around the EU average but below the proposed EU target of 40%). Moreover, across STEM fields, women were particularly underrepresented in ICT, accounting for only 21.4% of doctoral students in this field (vs EU proposed target of 33%). Notably, in 2023, women made up 50.9% of enrolments in natural sciences and mathematics (EU 51.5%), showing gender parity in these fields. Initiatives to increase women’s participation in STEM occupations include a planned extension of the women’s fund ‘Let’s Empower Austria’ (LEA), which organises workshops, seminars, projects and events to inform women about diverse career offers (BMFWF, 2025).

Austria performs strongly in digital skills development. As highlighted in the 2024 Digital Decade report, 64.7% of Austrians possess basic digital skills, surpassing the EU average of 55.6% (European Commission, 2024a). To advance digital competencies, the Digital Austria 2050 Strategic Action Plan promotes integrating digital skills across all educational curricula, especially within STEM subjects, where digital literacy enhances students’ problem-solving abilities and prepares them for technology-driven jobs (Voogt et al., 2015; OECD, 2020). This focus is crucial, as Austria’s economy increasingly relies on digital technologies and innovation, requiring a workforce skilled in adaptability and critical thinking for the digital age (Digital Watch Observatory, n.d.).

Austria has undertaken several reforms to increase the number of STEM learners and to narrow the gender gap in VET. In 2023, 40.0% of students enrolled in medium-level VET were in STEM fields, compared to an EU-wide average of 36.3%. Among these learners, fewer than one out of six was female (14.8%), compared to the EU average of 15.4% and the proposed EU-level target of 25%. To increase this share, the Public Employment Service (AMS) supports women who want to pursue VET in fields with skilled labour shortages. These fields include professions in construction and engineering, retail, transportation and logistics as well as medical care (Migrationsplattform der österreichischen Regierung, 2025).

The government has launched several initiatives to promote STEM education. The ‘Join in STEM’ action plan addresses skilled labour shortages through improving science literacy and strengthening the interest of young people in STEM fields. Key objectives are increasing the number of tertiary graduates in STEM subjects by 20% and raise the proportion of women graduates in technical subjects by 5% both until 2030. (Cedefop, & ReferNet. 2025a). Under the 2025-2027 Performance Agreements, € 4.4 billion, representing 30.2% of the overall € 14.5 billion allocated through the performance agreements, is dedicated to the STEM sector. The current University of Applied Sciences Development and Financing Plan 2023/24 to 2025/26, foresees to create 1 050 new federally funded study places by 2026 in future-oriented STEM fields focusing on digitalisation and sustainability. A STEM quality seal (“MINT-Gütesiegel”) has also been introduced for kindergartens and all schools. The ‘DigiPro II’ project promotes digital methods in teaching and has been expanded to include the fields of electrical engineering and information technology. A pilot programme called ‘STEM middle school’ introduced STEM as new cross-cutting, project-oriented subject in 57 selected middle schools (Rölz & Höller, 2024).

2. Early childhood education and care

Participation in early childhood education and care (ECEC) increased but is still lower than the EU average. In 2023, the participation rate for children between the age of three and the start of compulsory education at primary level was 91.2%, having increased by 3.1 percentage points since 2015. Austria plans a second mandatory kindergarten year in early 2026. In 2024, 30.2% of children under the age of three participated in formal childcare (EU 39.3%), close to the national Barcelona target of 31.9%. However, participation of disadvantaged children (21.1% vs EU: 23.6%) lags behind their advantaged peers’ (32.3% vs EU: 43.9%).

The strong increase in demand for ECEC places was met with a significant expansion of places. Between 2013 and 2023 the number of children aged 0-6 years increased by 9.9% compared to an 8.2% decline in the EU average (European Commission/Eurydice, 2025). There is a shortage of places, especially for under three-year-olds, with distinct variation by region. To address these shortages, Austria is spending EUR 4.5 billion to, among other measures, create 50 000 additional places by 2030 (Hulpia et al., 2024). The Recovery and Resilience Facility also provides support to expand the provision of ECEC. However, the increasing number of children, combined with the major expansion in places has created significant staffing shortfalls (Hulpia et al., 2024). To address staff shortages, Austria introduced a new Bachelor for ECEC called “Elementar+”, starting in the academic year 2025/26. While training for qualified staff is federally regulated, clear conditions are lacking for assistants at regional level (Hulpia et al., 2024). The Council of the European Union invited Austria in the 2025 country-specific recommendation (part of the European Semester) to improve the quality and availability of childcare services (Council of the EU, 2025).

3. School education and basic skills

A quarter of young Austrians lacks a minimum proficiency level in basic skills, yet Austrian students outperform the EU average. Underachievement in reading, maths and science has increased since 2012, as evidenced by the PISA 2022 survey. Underperformance in mathematics increased from 21.1% in 2018 to 24.9% in 2022 (EU: 22.9% to 29.5%). The share of top-performers in maths was above the EU average (10.3% vs EU 7.9%), but decreased by 2.2 pps since 2015. Nevertheless, the deterioration of results has been less pronounced than the EU average and Austrian students still overall outperform their European peers. In 2025, Austria launched the online platform “Digitale Drehtür” (digital revolving door) supporting all but especially talented students in the fields of STEM, German, art and transdisciplinary competences. To further support well-performing students, Austria launched several initiatives since 2024, which offer individualised learning experiences: the Vifzack-Academy research week, the Young Talents Club for small research projects and the Science Clubs. Additionally, a special form of secondary schools in the academic track is planned to be established for talented students.

Educational inequalities are growing with a strong impact of socio-economic background on performance. Only 15.0% (EU: 16.3%) of disadvantaged students demonstrate a good level of basic skills (at least Level 4 in at least one domain in PISA), declining from 20.6% (EU: 21.1%) in 2015. At the same time 62.8% of advantaged students perform well in basic skills (vs: EU: 59.0%). In 2020, Austria introduced a summer school program which was significantly expanded in response to high demand. It provides personalised support to help students catch up on basic skills and ensure they are well-prepared for the next school year. If teachers at compulsory schools identify a need for support, pupils must attend remedial classes. To improve educational equality, schools facing particular challenges will receive additional funding that can be used for psycho-social support, coaching or school developmental measures (Federal Chancellery of Austria, 2025). This “Chancenbonus” is based on a social index, which considers parental education and language spoken at home. The EU Council invited Austria to raise the levels of basic skills (Council of the EU, 2025).

Austria has developed a comprehensive strategy to systematically promote students’ reading skills. As part of the strategy to improve reading skills of all students at every step of education, the Nationwide Reading Quality Seal for Primary Schools (“Lesegütesiegel”) was introduced to showcase their efforts in developing students’ literacy. This seal encourages schools to focus on reading skills of children by providing a structured framework. A criteria catalogue that is based on the curriculum guides the implementation of sustainable reading instructions and provides tools to identify students’ needs. To find high-quality material for reading, guidelines on qualitative requirements were published in autumn 2024 (BMBWF, 2024a) and the website Literacy.at continuously expands as information and networking platform for reading promotion.

Austrian 8^th graders generally show above‑average digital skills, but significant performance gaps persist. Austrian students score 13 points higher in information and computer literacy than the EU average, yet 39% are low performers in computer and information literacy (EU 43%). Performance differences are noticeable, by gender, socio-economic and migration background. The advantage of students with high socio-economic status amounts to 36 points (EU: 42 points). Similarly, young people with and without a migrant background show a performance difference of 28 points, corresponding to the EU average. After accounting for socio-economic background, the differences drop to a still substantial 17 points, making the differences less pronounced than in other basic skills, (Rölz & Höller, 2024). To improve digital skills, “Digital Literacy” was introduced as a compulsory subject at lower secondary level during school year 2022/2023 (Rölz & Höller, 2024). Starting in May 2025, Austria introduced a general ban on smartphones in schools up to the 8^th grade inclusive. Teachers can individually decide to use such devices in their lessons (BMBWF, 2025).

Austria reinforces its monitoring practices with the new QMS 2.0. In 2021, Austria introduced the quality management system QMS, which brought together the previously separated quality management systems of academic secondary schools and VET schools (European Commission, 2024b; BMBWF, 2024b). At the end of the 2024/2025 academic year, the first phase of development ended and QMS 2.0 began, which focuses on new topics and challenges, such as pedagogical frameworks and school development goals. QMS builds on data from educational monitoring, internal and external evaluations but also feedback from teachers and students. One data source is the individual competence assessment (IKM+) at grades 3, 4, 7, and 8, for which the first cycle was concluded in 2023/2024. The IKM+ provides annual information at individual level and will provide aggregated monitoring data every 3 years. These data should help teachers and schools to improve teaching and learning (BMBWF, 2024b).

A variety of measures aim to improve the attractiveness of the teaching profession. In 2024/2025 for the first time, a job profile for teachers has been developed, describing the requirements and factors that shape the personality and competence profiles of the teachers of the future (BMB, 2025). The profile also serves as quality framework mapping all core competences educators should acquire in the field of reading. The 2025-2029 government programme includes stronger linkage of teacher education to practical challenges and the option of a dual pathway in which students teach at selected schools for one semester during their studies. To increase teachers’ wellbeing in schools and help them face difficult situations, special measures are being introduced, such as violence prevention as a part of teacher education (Federal Chancellery of Austria, 2025). To improve and digitise the recruitment process for teachers, all vacancies are now published on the government platform on the same date, allowing centralised processing of applications. Additionally, administrative matters, such as submitting forms, communicating within the education system and internal moves by teachers, will be facilitated through an app.

4. Vocational education and training

Austrian VET students have many opportunities to experience work-based learning and record high employment rates. In 2024, 84.7% of recent VET graduates participated in work-based learning, compared to an EU average of 65.2%. Employment outcomes are strong, with 88.3% of recent VET graduates in employment in 2024 vs. an EU average of 82.4%. The Federal Act on Higher Vocational Education and Training (Höhere Berufliche Bildung - HBB) entered into force on 1 May 2024, enabling the establishment of new higher vocational education modules and qualifications, according to labour market needs (BMWET, 2025). The first pilot qualification introduced is “Technical advice on energy efficiency”. According to the Austrian Economic Chamber, up to 2.4 million skilled workers could benefit from higher vocational qualifications (Chamber of Commerce, 2024). In addition, three new apprenticeships were introduced in different fields – “Fiber composite technology”, “District heating technology”, and “Climate gardener” – and the Green Skills Competence Centre Award is presented to VET secondary schools that emphasise teaching green skills to students. This Award and the apprenticeship package demonstrate a commitment to supporting the green transition within the VET system (Cedefop, & ReferNet, 2025b). In March 2024, Austria presented a roadmap for national initial and continuing education and training for a climate-neutral building sector, developed as part of the EU “ReBUSk” project, to integrate climate-relevant skills into all initial and continuing VET programmes (ReferNet Austria; Cedefop, 2024). 

For addressing skills shortages, labour market integration for underrepresented groups needs to be improved. PISA 2022 highlighted significant performance gaps between students with a migrant background and students without, in mathematics and reading (OECD, 2023). People with a migrant background are overrepresented in the group with the lowest educational attainment. Minors without a permanent residence permit, such as asylum seekers waiting for a decision on their claim, are not subject to the Compulsory Training Act, increasing their risk of leaving school early. At the same time, the labour market faces skills shortages in various fields. One initiative addressing these shortages by targeting people granted refugee status or subsidiary protection is the Vienna Youth College, launched by the City of Vienna and the Public Employment Service (AMS). It prepares young refugees for VET training through language and basic education courses in a school-like system. Backed by government funding, the programme was expanded in 2024 to accommodate 5 000 participants annually (Cedefop, & ReferNet, 2025b).

5. Tertiary education

Tertiary educational attainment keeps rising, despite only offering a small employment advantage. In 2024, 44.1% of young people aged 25 to 34 held a tertiary education degree, approaching the 45% EU-level target for 2030. Since 2015 the rate increased by 5.5 pps. Women are much more likely to hold a tertiary degree (50.2%) than men (38.3%), leading to a gender gap (11.9 pps) around the EU average (11.2 pps), which doubled since 2015 (+5.7pps). The share of young people with a tertiary education degree is particularly high among people born in other EU countries (50.3% vs EU 42.6%) and among those living in cities (52.4%). It differs across Austria’s nine regions, ranging from 53.1% in Vienna to 34.0% in Vorarlberg. Higher education offers only a small employment advantage in Austria. Recent graduates aged 20 to 34 with a tertiary degree (ISCED5-8) are only 0.9 pps more likely to be employed (89.2%) than their peers with a vocational education and training degree (ISCED3-4).

Austria facilitates access for all young people to higher education. Students from Austria or an EU or EEA state have free or open access to higher education, particularly public universities with generally no tuition fees for normal study duration plus two semesters. Needs-based as well as merit-based grants are available to full-time home students and international students in the first and second cycle. In the academic year 2023/2024, needs‑based grants amounted between EUR 60 and EUR 11 724 and merit-based grants between EUR 750 and EUR 1 500. However, parental education still plays a major role in acquiring skills: 61.3% of 25– to 44-year-olds from households where at least one parent held a university degree or an equivalent tertiary vocational qualification, also attained a similar level of qualifications. By contrast, only 9.4% of people from households where parents’ highest education was compulsory school, achieved tertiary education (Statistik Austria, 2024).

Austria records many incoming students, but few stay to enter the labour market. Austria registers above average inward graduate mobility with many graduates coming from other EU countries and a positive mobility balance overall. Total outward mobility of students (credit and degree) for ISCED 5-8 is slightly above the EU average (12.8% vs 11.0%). Austrian graduates leave almost as often on credit as on degree mobility, while in the EU credit mobility is generally more frequent. Austria shows an inward degree mobility rate of 19.5% (ISCED 5-8). 73.6% of these incoming students originate from other EU countries. The National Mobility and Internationalisation Strategy for Higher Education 2020-2030 supports mobility for all groups in higher education. It puts a higher focus on the internationalisation of higher education institutions apart from promoting high-quality academic mobility. Austria has made significant progress in implementing the Bologna process tools and the national policy frameworks are conducive for the European Universities initiative. Seventeen Austrian higher education institutions actively participate in the European Universities alliances. Several alliances have established a legal status, one university alliance, coordinated by an Austrian higher education institution, is already registered under Austrian law (European Commission, 2025). However, despite a positive mobility balance among students, Austria has challenges in retaining global talent, due to weak employment outcomes, a high tax wedge and long visa processes with high refusal rates (OECD, 2023b).

6. Adult skills and learning

Although above EU average, adult learning participation in Austria remains below pre-pandemic levels and socio-economic background influences heavily skills development. In 2022, 52.2% of adults engaged in education and training (EU: 39.5%). However, while EU-wide rates increased, Austria saw a decline of 3.1 pps since 2016, placing it almost 10 pps below its 2030 national target of 62%. From 2022 to 2024, the Labour Force Survey reports an increase in participation among 25–64-year-olds saw an increase of 3.7 pps.. Despite this encouraging trend, participation in adult learning remains below pre-pandemic levels. While 4.3 million adults participated in events organized by the ten largest adult learning education providers in Austria in 2019, this number decreased to 2.5 million in 2024 (KEBÖ, 2025). There is a clear link between education level and participation in lifelong learning. About 1 in 4 people (26.7%) with only compulsory education attended informal training in the past year, while about half (49.7%) of those with a completed vocational education did. Only a small number of people with a completed vocational education or a middle-level vocational school (BMS) took part in formal education in the past year—about 2%, compared to 11.7% with a secondary school diploma (Matura) and 16.4% with a tertiary degree.

Several initiatives aim to address the persisting labour shortages in Austria. The shortage of skilled labour (especially in the health and care sector, IT, green economy and digital economy) undermines investment, innovation and competitiveness. In response, the Digital Skills Offensive was launched in 2023 to enhance basic digital skills and increase the proportion of female ICT specialists. As part of this initiative, a national reference framework was developed and over 31 000 participants have been trained in basic digital skills. In addition, the ESF+ supports several adult learning projects in the current funding period, including “EmpowerIT Women”, a project supporting the (re-)entry of women into digital fields (DKO, 2023).

Reaching people with low qualifications and a migrant background remains a key challenge for Austria. The latest PIAAC study shows that low literacy levels in Austria have increased from 16% to 27% in the past decade (OECD, 2024). The “Level-Up Adult Education” programme, co-financed by the European Social Fund Plus, was designed for adults with low basic skills. It comprises courses for improving basic skills and courses leading to a compulsory school leaving certificate, both are quality assured and free of charge. The government has pledged to expand “Level-Up” to facilitate the labour market integration of women as well as people with a migrant background, including expanding synergies related to childcare and language training. People with a migrant background are more likely to have lower literacy proficiency (OECD, 2023a) and leave education and training earlier (16.8%, compared to 8.1% overall), due to barriers relating to language and weaker socio-economic background (OECD, 2023a). From January 2026, the previous educational leave allowance (Bildungskarenz) will be replaced by a new training leave (Weiterbildungszeit) with a stronger focus on adults with low qualifications.