Raising entry requirements and aligning teacher training

In 2019, the new teacher training has been fully implemented and rolled out throughout Austria in the above-mentioned associations. Since September 2019, all teachers are required to have a master degree.

In 2020, further developments currently primarily concern the introduction of further master programmes for student specialisation and to deepen certain subject areas.

An evaluation of the teacher training, originally planned for 2020, has been delayed due to changes in the requirements for an international tendering procedure.

In 2021, an evaluation of the new teacher training, surveys of student teachers and young teachers was conducted.

In 2022, the evaluation results were not yet published. Higher education statistics show a total of 20 053 students in teacher education for the academic year 2021/22. In order to counteract the acute teacher shortage, the teaching profession is to be made more attractive for career changers. To this end, university courses for career changers were established in autumn 2022 at four university colleges of teacher education that are responsible for teacher training, which are intended to facilitate access to the teaching profession for this target group.

Since the 2022/23 academic year, the university course for lateral entry for the 2023/2024 school year has been running at four University Colleges of Teacher Education in different parts of Austria. From October 2023, the university course will be available in all federal provinces.

The requirements for entering the teaching profession laterally in a general education subject are the same for everyone - that is, regardless of whether you want to teach at a secondary school, a secondary academic school, a vocational school or a higher vocational college.

The requirements are a:

1. completed, professionally suitable study programme at a university or university of applied sciences comprising at least 180 ECTS credits (bachelor's level);
2. minimum of three years of relevant professional experience after graduation (one and a half years if there is a significant lack of teachers);
3. positive outcome of the aptitude assessment procedure for lateral entry.

For vocational training, e.g. technical theory at 'Higher Technical Colleges' (HTL), there is still the option of being employed directly by the education department. For vocational subjects (e.g. mechatronics theory), it is not possible to apply to the certification commission for general education via the general education lateral entry programme. A special course of study (subject-relevant studies, supplementary studies) is attended at the University College of Teacher Education on a part-time basis for vocational training.

From the 2024/25 academic year, lateral entry into special needs education/inclusive education at secondary level general education or special school is also possible. The prerequisite for application is a suitably specialised degree and three years of full-time professional experience in a relevant field.

There are still no plans to allow lateral entry to the teaching profession at the primary school level: a teacher training course is a requirement for regular employment at the primary school level; this is also possible on a part-time basis.