Danube University Krems

Danube University Krems

Donau-Universität Krems - Universität für Weiterbildung Krems
Type	Public
Established	1994 (full university status: 1 April 2004)
Rector	Friedrich Faulhammer
Academic staff	240 (as of 2013)
Administrative staff	241 (as of 2013)
Students	8,043 (as of 2013)
Location	Krems an der Donau , Lower Austria , Austria
Campus	Urban
Website	www.donau-uni.ac.at

Danube University Krems (subtitled University for Continuing Education Krems; German: Donau-Universität Krems and Universität für Weiterbildung Krems, respectively) calls itself "the only state-funded university throughout Europe that has specialized in post-graduate academic studies". It is located in Krems an der Donau, Lower Austria.

History

The first 93 students enrolled in 1995, when the institution began operation with programs in European Studies and journalism. In 2004, the Austrian parliament passed the Danube University Act (DUK-Gesetz) granting the institution the rights of a full university (such as appointing its own professors). 16,000 students have already graduated from Danube University Krems.

Courses

File:Duk altbau.jpg

Danube University, old building

Danube University Krems has specialized in postgraduate education. It currently offers more than 200 academic courses and degree programs (leading to Master's degrees) in the fields:

• Medicine, Health and Social Services
• Economics and Business Management
• Law, Administration and International Affairs
• Education, Media and Communication
• Arts, Culture and Building

The university co-operates with various foreign institutions, including the University of British Columbia and The City University of New York.

Danube University Krems is the only Austrian university that coordinates two Erasmus+ Joint Master Degrees (Master in Research and Innovation in Higher Education and Media Arts Cultures).

Students

Today, more than 8,000 students (average age: 40 years) from more than 90 countries study at Danube University Krems. The majority of the students already have a university degree and attend a postgraduate course at Danube University. 30 percent of the students come from foreign countries.

Campus

Campus Krems

File:Campuskrems loop.jpg

Railway station at Campus Krems

Danube University Krems is located in the Wachau region along the Danube, which has been named a world cultural heritage site by the UNESCO. A renovated tobacco factory dating back to the onset of the 20th century and new buildings on Campus Krems provide students and educators room for research and studying. The design for the new buildings is the creation of Architekt Dietmar Feichtinger, who places a new facade of steel, glass and aluminium opposite the industrial building from the previous century.

Organisation

Faculties and Departments

Faculty of Health and Medicine

Departments:

• Health Sciences and Biomedicine
• Evidence-based Medicine and Clinical Epidemiology
• Interdisciplinary Dentistry
• Clinical Neurosciences and Preventive Medicine
• Psychotherapy and Biopsychosocial Health

Faculty of Business and Globalization

Departments:

• Management and Economics
• Business Law and European Integration
• E-Governance and Administration
• Migration and Globalization
• Knowledge and Communication Management

Faculty of Education, Arts and Architecture

Departments:

• Continuing Education Research and Educational Management
• Interactive Media and Educational Technologies
• Arts and Image Science
• Building and Environment

Rector

On 2 February 2007, rector Helmut Kramer resigned due to "conceptional differences on strategic leadership". In May 2007 Prof Heinrich Kern was assigned as the new rector. The interim rector, Prof Ada Pellert, who also had applied, was not considered on the shortlist of three by the nomination committee. This was followed by protests in the university senate claiming the decision to be gender-discriminating.

On 8 August 2007, Danube University issued a statement that the discussions on the rector's nomination are based on structural problems in the university. So Danube University has decided to split the organisation into two universities. Professors Kern and Pellert were asked to apply for the positions of the two universities' rectors.

On July, 2008 the vice rectors Ada Pellert and Hanna Risku resigned. On August, 2008, rector Heinrich Kern resigned according to an agreement with the university council. The former vice rector Jürgen Willer was elected as new rector of Danube University Krems. Willer took office in January, 2009. He resigned from his office in September, 2012. In its session held on 20 February 2013, the University Council of Danube University Krems elected Mag. Friedrich Faulhammer, the former General Secretary of the Federal Ministry for Science and Research, to become its new rector. Rector Faulhammer is in office since August 1, 2013.

External links

• (German) (English) Official website