FH Council

The FH Council is an authority that is responsible for the external quality assurance (accreditation and evaluation) in the Austrian FH sector. The FH Council consists of 16 members; half of them are required to have the relevant post-doctoral lecturing qualification (Habilitation) and the other half are required to prove that they have worked in the fields relevant for FH degree programmes for several years.

The members of the FH Council are appointed by the Federal Minister for Science and Research; four members are appointed on the basis of suggestions of the advisory board for economic and social issues. The term of office is three years, and members can be re-appointed once for a consecutive term. The members of the FH Council are not bound by any instructions when performing their responsibilities (cf. section 7 of the Fachhochschule Studies Act (Fachhochschul-Studiengesetz, FHStG) as amended).

Further Information:
» Accreditation Guidelines
» Evaluation Regulation

New Quality Assurance Framework Act (QSRG)

The QSRG will enter into force on 1 March 2012. The Act contains amongst others a new Act on Quality Assurance in HE (HS-QSG) as well as a comprehensive amendment of the Fachhochschule Studies Act (FHStG).

With the legal validity of the HS-QSG a new and single agency (Agentur für Qualitätssicherung und Akkreditierung Austria) will be established which is responsible for external quality assurance in the HE sector (Universities of Applied Sciences, Public Universities, Private Universities). The FH Council will exist until 31 August 2012.

The FH Council is only responsible for those applications that are filed to the FH Council prior to 1 March 2012. If the FH Council was not able to complete the procedures prior to 31 August 2012 the responsibility would pass over to the new agency.

With the new law coming into effect, the employees of the FH Council are assigned to the new agency. Until 31 August 2012, the employees also provide support to the FH Council in handling the applications which have been filed prior to 1 March 2012.

With the QSRG, an independent information- and servicecenter (students ombudsman) will be established within the Federal Ministry of Science and Research (BMWF). The ombudsman provides information and consultation to all students in the HE sector with regard to studies, teaching, examination, service and administration.