Austrian universities flop in global study

Categories
General News

No Austrian university has made the new Times Higher Education Ranking. Vienna University, Austria’s biggest higher education institution, was the only Austrian university listed last year. It was part of the group of universities placed between 91st and 100th in the Times Higher Education Ranking of 2011. The study includes detailed information on the world’s […]

Austrians call for right to name EC president

Categories
Politics

The vast majority of Austrians would appreciate the planned European Parliament (EP) voting law reform, according to a new study. The Austrian Society for European Policies (Österreichische Gesellschaft für Europapolitik, ÖGfE) announced today (Fri) that 60 per cent of Austrians wanted to elect the next president of the European Commission (EC) in a direct ballot. […]

Vienna SPÖ presents smart flats concept

Categories
Politics

The Viennese government plans to offer affordable apartments to young families and singles who are on a low income. Viennese Social Democratic (SPÖ) Housing Councillor Michael Ludwig said at the SPÖ Vienna’s summit in Rust, Burgenland, yesterday (Thurs) that his department would create 2,000 “smart flats” within the coming two years. Ludwig said the apartments […]

Wehsely wants equal sharing of AKH costs

Categories
Politics

Viennese Social Democratic (SPÖ) Health Councillor Sonja Wehsely has a fifty-fifty divide of the General Hospital’s (AKH) expenditures. Around two thirds of the costs of Europe’s largest clinic are currently covered by the city hall. The Republic of Austria comes up for the remaining part of the hospital’s budget. Wehsely said the state must compensate […]

City coalition wants people to create charter

Categories
Politics

The Viennese government plans to create a charter for better coexistence in the city. Social Democratic (SPÖ) Mayor Michael Häupl said yesterday (Tues) that the Viennese Charter should be formulated by November. He appealed to residents of Vienna to participate in discussing which aspects should be considered by the document. Greens Vice Mayor Maria Vassilakou […]

Loss-making Erste Bank optimistic about EBA rules

Categories
Finance

The head of Austria’s leading finance institute has shown understanding for the latest bank tax hike and confidence concerning more severe equity ratio regulations. Andreas Treichl, the CEO of Erste Bank Group AG (Erste Bank), said yesterday (Weds) he was not surprised by the government’s decision to jack up the bank solidarity charge by 25 […]

Austria reprimanded over job market disparities

Categories
Business

The European Commission (EC) has appealed to Austria to abolish the various hindrances immigrants are facing on the country’s labour market. EC officials decided yesterday (Mon) to issue a warning to the Austrian government coalition of Social Democrats (SPÖ) and People’s Party (ÖVP) as well as to Austrian private economy decision-makers. EC experts said highly […]

Pelinka upset by parliament reform plans

Categories
Politics

Political scientist Anton Pelinka has reacted critically to the government’s plan to reduce the parliament. Werner Faymann’s Social Democrats (SPÖ) and the conservative People’s Party (ÖVP) of Vice Chancellor and Foreign Affairs Minister Michael Spindelegger announced earlier this month that the number of federal parliament delegates would shrink by 18 to 165 after next year’s […]

Another Bike City for Vienna

Categories
Politics

The Viennese government has presented plans for a new Bike City housing project. The housing construction initiative for Liesing district resembles buildings in Leopoldstadt district and Vienna-Floridsdorf. Residents of the Bike City in Vienna-Leopoldstadt are allowed to own cars while people living on such an estate in Floridsdorf had to sign a declaration declaring they […]

Vienna plans pension age initiative

Categories
Politics

The Viennese city coalition plans to crack down on early retirement. Social Democratic (SPÖ) Mayor Michael Häupl announced yesterday (Tues) that he wanted to increase the average pension age of the capital’s public servants from the current 56 to 60 years. Häupl did not disclose when the four-year increase should be achieved. His announcement came […]