WU Targets

WU‘s strategic alignment addresses six main questions:

• WU’s future: How does WU see itself in the future?

• Fields: Which fields does WU want to actively participate in?

• Partners: Who or what can be useful to WU in these fields?

• Distinguishing characteristics: What distinguishes WU from the competition?

• Further development: Which steps should be taken for WU’s further development, and when?

• Financing: How can and should activities in various fields be financed?

Based on these general ideas, WU has formulated a number of specific objectives for its future development:

• Becoming the leading institution of higher education in the economic and social sciences in Austria; among the top 5 in the German-speaking world, top 15 in Europe

• Generating new scientific findings

• Encouraging individual education and autonomy through scholarship

• Excellent position through at least one international accreditation

• A wide variety of disciplines in the economic, social, and formal sciences, as well as in law and humanities

• Distinguishing itself from universities of applied sciences (Fachhochschulen) through research-based teaching

• Providing graduates with an education that gives them excellent opportunities on the labor market, and

• preparing them for management positions

• Attracting more high potential students

• Offering academically sound training with a wide selection of choices and continuing education opportunities

• Attaining a high level of internationality in teaching and research

• Offering joint educational programs with international universities

• Research development oriented towards the international scientific community

• Supporting young researchers and scholars according to the standards of the international scientific community

• Recognizing the requirements of gender mainstreaming and implementing these in all areas of its work

• Commitment to the concept of equal rights: a plan for the advancement of women has been formulated

• Being a partner to the business community for research-based problem solving

• Efficiency in university management and administration, managing resources responsibly.

• Being a place for respectful discussion and cooperation between scholars in different disciplines, orientations and positions

• Developing a distinctive profile in education, research and practice