FH Upper Austria positions itself for the future with its ‘Strategy 2040’

Employees of FH Upper Austria, as well as external stakeholders, contributed to the process in various working groups and dialogue formats. During a well‑attended press conference in Linz on July 2, the curtain was finally lifted.

Together with State Minister for Economic Affairs and Research Markus Achleitner, University President FH‑Prof. DI Dr. Michael Rabl, MBA, and FH Upper Austria’s Chief Financial Officer, MMag. Isolde Perndl, presented the key pillars of the new strategic direction.

True to FH Upper Austria’s well‑known strength of turning theory into practice, implementation will begin right after summer — following carefully coordinated steps and the motto ‘This is how we do it.’

You can find the most important information from the press conference, along with statements from all three speakers, summarized here:

State Minister for Economic Affairs and Research Markus Achleitner:
With “Strategy 2040” as its new compass, FH Upper Austria is charting a new course
 

“FH Upper Austria is the strongest university of applied sciences in Austria in terms of research performance and ranks among the leading universities of applied sciences in the German‑speaking region. Its practice‑oriented and innovative research results are just as important to Upper Austria’s economic success as its highly qualified graduates. After 30 years of successful development and expansion, FH Upper Austria is now preparing to chart new paths — guided by its new ‘FH Upper Austria Strategy 2040’ as a compass,” emphasizes State Minister Markus Achleitner.

“Since last fall, FH Upper Austria has been led by FH‑Prof. DI Dr. Michael Rabl as President and MMag.a Isolde Perndl as Chief Financial Officer. I tasked the new leadership duo with developing a new ‘Strategy 2040’ for FH Upper Austria. This strategy is intended to reflect the current developments in the fields of education and research. After an intensive strategic process over the past months, the new ‘FH Upper Austria Strategy 2040’ is now complete,” Achleitner continues.

“This strategy represents a proactive step to position FH Upper Austria in the best possible way for rapidly changing conditions — both in education and in research. The higher‑education landscape is undergoing dynamic change: technological innovation is opening new possibilities for teaching and research, while demographic shifts demand even more targeted action. Despite stagnating student numbers, the range of study programs across the German‑speaking region continues to grow — a challenge we see as an opportunity. At the same time, considering increasingly limited public resources, we aim to make FH Upper Austria even more effective and efficient. With the ‘FH Upper Austria Strategy 2040,’ we have laid the foundation for strengthening and securing Upper Austria’s innovation capacity, attractiveness, and competitiveness over the long term,” Achleitner explains.

“This strategy is a targeted contribution to securing skilled labor, strengthening our region, and driving innovation in Upper Austria. It aims for a structural realignment in teaching, research, and organizational development — with the clear goal of further establishing the university as a driver of innovation, a developer of talent, and an internationally visible institution, strongly rooted in Upper Austria. We must align the organization and the further development of FH Upper Austria even more closely with current trends and changing external conditions. For this reason, the new strategy includes an element of permanent openness — it is designed to remain a ‘work in progress,’” emphasizes State Minister Achleitner.

Entrepreneurship & Innovation: From the Start of Studies to Founding a Company
As a practice‑oriented university, FH Upper Austria is also an important breeding ground for start‑ups. A strategic expansion of entrepreneurship support is underway through a university‑wide Startup Hub located in the Tabakfabrik Linz. The annual Innovation Week transforms the Tabakfabrik into a space for experimentation and inspiration. In addition, the interdisciplinary Summer School Entrepreneurial Thinking teaches the full start‑up cycle — from idea to market launch.

“Entrepreneurship is a key topic for the future of FH Upper Austria, and one we intend to push even further. Partnerships with the Upper Austrian start‑up incubator tech2b, AcadX — a business angel network in cooperation with Johannes Kepler University Linz — and the Upper Austrian Economic Chamber create a comprehensive and sustainable innovation ecosystem,” emphasizes State Minister Achleitner.

“In our new international bachelor’s programs, FH Upper Austria already offers start‑up modules from day one. The goal is to inspire students as early as possible to consider launching their own ventures,” says Achleitner.

“A crucial success factor for any business location is the speed at which research results can be transferred into real companies. That’s why close networking between science and industry is so important to us in Upper Austria — especially by strengthening entrepreneurial thinking at our universities and at FH Upper Austria. We want even more researchers to become founders. A strong region thrives on strong ideas. And these ideas should flow directly from FH Upper Austria into the economy — in the form of innovative products, services, and business models,” highlights Achleitner.

FH‑Prof. DI Dr. Michael Rabl, President of FH Upper Austria:
Building on existing strengths and aligning them with future developments

The cornerstones of the “FH Upper Austria Strategy 2040”:

• Sharpening the individual profiles of each campus location
• Ready4UpperAustria: advancing internationalization with the goal of integrating international students sustainably into the regional labor market — actively addressing the demand for skilled workers
• Innovative didactic concepts and hybrid, flexible learning formats enabled by digitalization
• A strong focus on students throughout the entire student lifecycle — remaining a top priority
• Strengthening innovation and entrepreneurship
• Further expanding the university’s leadership role in applied research and more strongly intertwining teaching and research

FH‑Prof. DI Dr. Michael Rabl, President of FH Upper Austria, on the new university strategy:

“Building on 30 years of success, we are boldly looking ahead — with a clear profile, strong impact, and a deep sense of responsibility toward our region. We are further developing the strengths we have gained over the years and aligning them with future developments. This includes comprehensive student support and close collaboration with industry through projects and internships. We are already an attractive place to study for international students. In addition, our university is a highly capable partner for industry and is distinguished by its strong research performance, particularly within our Centers of Excellence (CoE).”

A New Study Model: Breadth in the Bachelor, Depth in the Master
The guiding principle of the new study architecture is: broad at the start, focused at the finish.

Many bachelor’s programs therefore offer a broad, practice‑oriented foundational education with an orientation phase in the first year, followed by specialization in specific professional fields during the later semesters. The master’s programs then offer deeper expertise within the discipline as well as in key thematic areas.

In addition, students in both bachelor’s and master’s programs can take courses from the FH Upper Austria Electives, a cross‑faculty portfolio of free‑choice and elective subjects designed to strengthen interdisciplinary competence. This model allows for individual flexibility and improves graduates’ employability. Its goal is to make academic pathways even more compatible and, in particular, to prepare international graduates as effectively as possible for the Upper Austrian labor market.

Through this structure, students gain a solid foundation and a comprehensive understanding of their field — the ideal basis for the increasingly interdisciplinary challenges of professional life. At the same time, they have the opportunity to tailor their studies to their own interests and career goals.

Flexible Studying, Strong Career Prospects: FH Upper Austria Makes It Easier to Combine Studies and Work
FH Upper Austria is expanding its study programs with a stronger focus on flexibility to help students better balance studies, work, and family responsibilities. More and more students are employed or carry family duties — and FH Upper Austria is responding with innovative time models. These include block and weekly modules that enable better planning, as well as asynchronous online phases that support location‑ and time‑independent learning. Hybrid formats that combine in‑person and online teaching offer additional flexibility. With these measures, FH Upper Austria not only strengthens permeability within the education system but also positions itself as a reliable partner for lifelong learning in a rapidly changing labor market.

Internationalization with the Ready4UpperAustria Model
FH Upper Austria is intensifying its internationalization activities — among them high‑quality education partnerships. New target markets in Europe and beyond are being tapped with a strong focus on the quality of prospective students. The university draws on successful internal cooperation models with COL3 — the Center of Lifelong Learning. German‑language modules are integrated into the curricula of English‑taught bachelor’s programs, alongside seminars on integration in Upper Austria, intercultural competence, and even local dialect courses. This is intended to support sustainable integration and help international graduates enter regional SMEs, where English is often not the working language.

At the campuses in Hagenberg, Steyr, and Wels, an aligned portfolio of English‑language bachelor programs based on the Ready4UpperAustria model is being established. The model aims to systematically prepare international students for a successful academic experience and long‑term integration into the Upper Austrian labor market. It combines a structured curriculum with linguistic, cultural, and practice-oriented support.

A planned Student Support Center will serve as a central hub, offering international students comprehensive assistance in areas such as study organization, student wellbeing & mental health, and career planning.

The focus is not on increasing the number of international students at any cost. Rather, the goal is to attract students with strong potential and the cultural mindset needed for long‑term integration into Upper Austria.

“Strengthening Our Strengths”: Focus on High‑Impact Applied Research & Development
The existing Centers of Excellence (CoE) are being strengthened as central one‑stop hubs. A new SME initiative aims to better support small and medium‑sized companies in research and development activities, enabling them to bring new products and processes to market more efficiently.

FH Upper Austria’s strong position in applied research and development — exceptional even in the Central European context — will continue to grow. More than 500 R&D projects are carried out each year, showcasing significant thematic breadth.

A clear indicator of research excellence and regional relevance is the university’s success with Josef Ressel Centers, awarded by the Christian Doppler Research Association. FH Upper Austria hosts 12 of Austria’s 37 centers to date. The first began in 2012.

FH Upper Austria also occupies leading positions in Horizon Europe and COMET projects.

Across all four faculties, these centers deliver outstanding research while significantly contributing to innovation and economic development in the regions surrounding Hagenberg, Linz, Steyr, and Wels. Close collaboration with companies and organizations strengthens knowledge and technology transfer.

One of FH Upper Austria’s core strengths — the close integration of practice-oriented teaching with applied R&D — will be expanded further.

Strategy in Action: Implementation & Governance
Implementation of the new strategy begins in autumn, following a structured project roadmap designed to realize key initiatives. A new steering system will support strategic alignment across all organizational units.

In the coming years, selective growth is planned to ensure a mix of study programs and R&D projects that meet economic and societal needs.

FH President FH‑Prof. DI Dr. Michael Rabl on implementing the strategy:
“In the first step, all projects will be incorporated into a comprehensive strategy roadmap and project teams will be defined for implementation. We are establishing a controlling system to ensure targeted progress monitoring. The university management will continue to act as the steering group. In addition, we are creating a 'Sounding Board' composed of existing internal bodies and key external stakeholders, ensuring that perspectives and feedback from industry, academia, and society actively inform the strategy process.”

MMag.a Isolde Perndl, CFO of FH Upper Austria:
Clear Profile Development as a Central Strategic Element
“A key element of the new strategy is sharpening the profiles of all four FH Upper Austria campuses — each with clearly defined focus areas and specific measures,” says CFO Isolde Perndl.

Wels campus will become a pilot campus for individualized MINT (STEM) studies. New approaches will combine structure with flexibility while consolidating study programs. It will also introduce a new international bachelor’s program based on the Ready4UpperAustria concept: a broad first year for career orientation followed by specialization from the second year onward. Unique to the model is the combination of language support, services, structured networking, and hands‑on guidance throughout the studies — ensuring seamless onboarding into the Upper Austrian labor market, especially in SMEs.

Steyr campus will focus on expanding its international study offerings. With International Business & Economics, a new English‑language program will provide a broad foundation in business for international students. Mandatory German modules and supportive conditions will again facilitate integration into the regional labor market. The planned AACSB accreditation underscores excellence in teaching, applied research, and industry collaboration — and significantly boosts the faculty’s international visibility.

Hagenberg campus will continue to grow as a leading center for Artificial Intelligence. The successful English‑language program Artificial Intelligence Solutions will be expanded. A new English‑language bachelor’s program based on Ready4UpperAustria is also being developed.

Media Technology will be offered in English, and AI topics will be embedded across all programs. A joint master's program with JKU and the Wels campus will address the challenges of the twin transition — focusing on the shift toward a digital and sustainable economy, in which digital technologies are used to promote ecological sustainability.

Linz campus will focus on society & people, strengthening programs such as Social Work, Psychotherapy, and Psychology. Modularization in Medical Engineering will advance further. Cooperation with the Wels and Hagenberg faculties will create synergies in research, infrastructure, and teaching. Enhanced modularization will improve flexibility, permeability, and economic efficiency.

Teaching & Learning Center – Digitalization & a New Learning Culture
A central future project within Strategy 2040 is the new Teaching & Learning Center. It serves as a driver for a modern learning culture tailored to the needs of Generation Z and future generations, the dynamics of digitalization, and lifelong learning demands.

The center focuses on innovative didactic concepts, hybrid and flexible learning formats, and HyFlex models that enable participation online or on‑campus — synchronously or asynchronously. It supports systematic skills development for both students and faculty, facilitates digital learning environments, promotes micro‑credentials and modular curricula, and provides tools for individualized, self-directed learning.

It also acts as a platform for sharing “Good Teaching Practices” within FH Upper Austria and with national and international partner institutions. The goal is not only to modernize teaching technologically but to make it structurally and content‑wise future‑proof.

CFO Isolde Perndl summarizes:
“Our strategy puts people at the center — with flexible educational pathways, international openness, and strong practical relevance. Demographic change and increasing competition demand education that fosters entrepreneurial thinking, is values‑driven, and actively responds to the changing world of work. Entrepreneurship, lifelong learning, and social responsibility are key to enabling innovation and developing sustainable solutions for societal challenges. These trends are firmly embedded in our strategy, strengthening the spirit of innovation and entrepreneurship in Upper Austria.”

Key Milestones of FH Upper Austria — From 1993/94 to 2025

• Winter semester 1994/95: Launch of the first two degree programs — Software Engineering in Hagenberg and Automated Plant and Process Engineering in Wels — with a total of 166 students.
• 1998/99: First cohort of 149 graduates.
• Today, FH Upper Austria operates four campuses:
• FH Upper Austria Campus Hagenberg
• FH Upper Austria Campus Linz
• FH Upper Austria Campus Steyr

• FH Upper Austria Campus Wels

   

• Winter semester 2024/25:
  • 75 degree programs
  • 5,470 students (including the university preparation program)

  • 1,627 graduates

     

• total of graduates 1997-2025: 30, 036

   

• current number of employees at the FH Upper Austria: 755 (full-time), including:

  • 244 teaching staff
  • 244 R&D staff (234 of them academic researchers)

   

• 2003: Founding of the FH Upper Austria Research & Development Ltd.:
  • R&D revenue:
  • 2003: €1.14 million
  • 2023: €30.3 million
  • 2024: €34.2 million
  • R&D staff (full‑time equivalents):
  • 2003: 23
  • 2023: 234
  • 2024: 230

  • 2025: 244 (including 234 academic researchers)

     

  • FH Upper Austria R&D Overview 2025
  • 4 Research Centers
  • 10 Centers of Excellence & key research areas
  • Over 600 cooperation partners, 60% of them SMEs
  • Total R&D revenue (including subsidiaries) 2024: €34.2 million
  • 547 ongoing R&D projects
  • 553 scientific publications
  • Order volume: €54.2 million

Top‑Tier Research in Josef Ressel Centers

Of the 37 Josef Ressel Centers (JRCs) awarded so far by the Christian Doppler Research Association (CDG), FH Upper Austria has received 12. The first Josef Ressel Center at FH Upper Austria was launched in 2012.

Currently, 17 JRCs are active across Austria — 5 of them at FH Upper Austria.

Josef Ressel Centers at FH Upper Austria

• JRC for Materials Engineering in Soft Tissue Regeneration
Lead: FH‑Prof. Priv.-Doz. DI Dr. Jaroslaw Jacak, Linz
Industry partners: Particle Metrix GmbH, Innovacell GmbH

• JRC for Innovative Bioavailability Research
Lead: Dr. Bernhard Blank‑Landeshammer, Wels
Industry partners: Agromed Austria GmbH, PM International AG

• JRC for Artificial Intelligence for Resource‑Constrained Devices
Lead: FH‑Prof. DI Dr. Florian Eibensteiner, Hagenberg
Industry partners: Fronius International GmbH, Danube Dynamics Embedded Solutions GmbH

• JRC for Predictive Analytics and Data‑Driven Intelligence in Value‑Creation Networks
Lead: FH‑Prof. Dr. Patrick Brandtner, Steyr
Industry partners: TANNPAPIER GmbH, SKF Austria, Internorm International

• JRC for Data‑Driven Business Model Innovation
Lead: FH‑Prof. DI Dr. Herbert Jodlbauer, Steyr
Industry partners: Miba AG, Pöttinger Landtechnik GmbH, TIGER Coatings

(AI-generated translation)