The winter semester 2023/2024 will kick-off the part-time Bachelor programs in Continuing Education the University for Continuing Education Krems runs for the first time. The amendment of the Austrian University Act has moved academic continuing education to this next level. Furthermore, the university is expanding its study models through flexible, short programs and innovative digitally supported teaching and learning formats, all of which designed to meet the needs working students have.
For a long time, Bachelor studies in continuing education were a missing element in higher academic qualification. After the reform package for continuing education at universities, the framework conditions for continuing education studies in Austria were standardized and integrated into the Bologna structure (Bachelor - Master - PhD). The Bachelor's degree in continuing education serves as a gateway to the Master's degree and opens up new opportunities for professionally experienced adults with and without a university entrance qualification (Matura). The completion of a continuing education Bachelor's degree entitles the holder to a Master's degree in continuing education as well as to a (regular) Master's degree at other universities.
By adding the suffix "CE" for "Continuing Education" after the Bachelor's and Master's degrees, the University Act will increase the visibility of continuing education. In the future, working professionals without a general university entrance qualification (Matura) will be able to take a continuing education study program leading to the degree "BPr" (Bachelor Professional). It is the the cooperation with extracurricular educational institutions that these study programs can be carried out.
As things stand at present, the first Bachelor's programs in continuing education will be offered in the realm of digitalization pedagogy, lean operations management, psychotherapy, and applied counseling sciences, among others, starting in the winter semester of 2023/2024. Further study programs are planned to start in the summer semester of 2024.
Expanding flexible educational pathways
Along with the broadened range of courses, the University for Continuing Education Krems is expanding its study model even further by providing more choices in study programs in the future, more short programs, and combinable degrees - so-called "stackable degrees" - that can be integrated into any working or adult life as continuous parts. Cutting-edge digital teaching and learning formats continue to support part-time study: By combining interactive online phases with time-flexible online phases and on-campus phases the University for Continuing Education Krems also particularly accommodates the requirements of working professionals here.
The University demonstrates its dedication in supporting flexible educational pathways within and between offerings in the areas of professional and academic continuing education. As learning outcomes from different learning contexts can be recognized, the University creates lifelong educational spaces that are adapted to individual needs.
"We are very excited that with the Bachelor's programs we can now offer university continuing education to even more interested people," says Vice Rector Peter Parycek, MAS MSc. "Our goal is to offer our students the best possible educational pathways and prepare them to succeed in an increasingly digital and globalized world."
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Information on Bachelor studies beginning with winter semester 2023/2024:
Bachelor of Science (CE) "Digitalization Pedagogy":
The continuing education program "Digitalization Pedagogy BSc (CE)" prepares graduates to recognize and analyze digital challenges organizations face and to help employees handle these challenges by means of targeted training and continuing education. The interdisciplinary approach covers economic, technical and pedagogical topics. The program is aimed at people who want to position themselves at the interface between IT and human resources development, or who want to further their education in the area of employee qualification for digital transformation.
Contact: Univ.-Prof. Dipl.-Ing. Dr. Stefan Oppl, MBA: stefan.oppl@donau-uni.ac.at
Bachelor Professional „Lean Operations Management“:
"Lean Operations Management BPr" is a study program in which students study theories, concepts, methods and solutions from within the field that have been tried and tested sucessfull. Industrial engineering, logistics, factory planning, lean administration, automation and digitalization, store floor and office floor management, Six Sigma, excursions to leading manufacturing companies and anchoring of operational excellence are essential contents of the study program. The students can apply the acquired knowledge in a company-specific way in order to develop suitable solutions for their company. Graduates possess the necessary skills for the sustainable anchoring of a management culture that takes into account the principles of lean leadership and also considers intercultural implementation. Two Certified Programs (Lean Production, Lean Administration) are an integral part of the program, each with its own university certificate.
Contact: Mag. Dr. Nikolai Neumayer: nikolai.neumayer@donau-uni.ac.at
Bachelor of Science (CE) „Psychotherapy”:
(Update: Planned start in summer semester 2024)
The Bachelor's program "Psychotherapy BSc (CE)" imparts basic competencies (in the sense of attitudes, knowledge and skills) regarding psychotherapy and psychology. Furthermore, the contents of the general part of the training to become a psychotherapist according to § 3 para. 1 (Psychotherapeutic Propaedeutic Course) of the Psychotherapy Act, Federal Law Gazette No. 361/1990 are in the program.
Ansprechperson: Carina Dinhof, MSc: carina.dinhof@donau-uni.ac.at
Bachelor Professional "Applied Counseling Sciences":
Persons who have been trained in the field of counseling and/or have several years of counseling experience are target of the study program "Applied Counseling Sciences BPr" to gain in-depth knowledge in counseling sciences as well as practical tools for counseling. The curriculum adheres to the ordinance of the Federal Ministry of Digitalization and Economic Location on the access requirements for the regulated trade of life and social counseling (BGBl. II No. 116/2022). The current theoretical models of the counseling sciences are used as the basis for the training, which is taught in an application-oriented manner and is intended to enable students to engage in practical activities.
Contact: Gerhild Schabasser: bewi@donau-uni.ac.at
