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Our Glossary

On this page we collect terms that can contribute to a better understanding of the content of our website. We are very grateful for any suggestions and ideas for improvement.

This page is always under construction.

ABCDEFGHIJKLM
NOPQRSTUVWXYZ

A

AHS

stands for

  • Academic Secondary School providing general education

  • Allgemeinbildende Höhere Schule

  • in general, aka as Gymnasium

  • also Bundesgymnasium loosely translated as Federal Academic Secondary School

  • AHS lower cycle and AHS Upper Cycle on the OeAD website

Austrian Education System

An excellent overview of the Austrian education system can be found on the website of the Austrian Agency for Education and Internationalization (OeAD).


 
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B

BE

stands for

  • Business Education

  • hence BE-Students and BE Master

  • Wirtschaftspädagogik (Wipäd)

Business Networks

WU directory translation for Betriebswirtschaftliche Vernetzung; better fitting translations (loosely translated as)

  • Interconnectedness in Business Administration

  • Interconnected Thinking in Business Administration

BHAK

stands for

  • Federal Commercial Academy

  • Higher-level Commercial High School

  • Bundeshandelsakademie

  • 5 years, usually 9th to 13th grade

  • School leaving exam: Matura

BHS

stands for

  • Higher-level Vocational School

  • Berufsbildende Höhere Schule

  • In addition to a solid general education, BHS provide five years of higher (vocational), practice-oriented training in a specialized field (e. g., economy/business, fashion, tourism, agriculture and forestry, elementary education, information technology, mechanical engineering, food technology) and conclude with a school-leaving examination (Matura).

  • The prerequisite is the successful completion of the 8th grade of a Mittelschule or AHS.

  • 5 years, normally 9th to 13th grade or age group 14 to 19 years

  • Examples: HAK/BHAK, HTL, HLW, HBLW, etc.

  • BHS on the OeAD website

bm:bwk*

former designation for

  • Federal Ministry for Education, Science and Research in Austria

  • Bundesministerium für Bildung, Wissenschaft und Forschung

* bm:bwk: Bundesministerium für Bildung, Wissenschaft und Kunst (2000-2007)

BMHS

stands for

  • Intermediate and Higher-level Vocational School

  • Berufsbildende Mittlere und Höhere Schule (BMS and BHS)

BMS

stands for

  • Intermediate Vocational School

  • Berufsbildende Mittlere Schule

Business Teaching Methods

WU directory translation for Methoden der Wirtschaftsdidaktik; other possible translations

  • Methods of Economic Didactics

  • Methods of Business Didactics

  • Methods in Business Didactics

  • Methods of Business Education


 
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C

Cash Basis Accounting

  • Einnahmen-Ausgaben-Rechnung

CBK

stands for

  • Common Body of Knowledge

  • refers to courses in the introductory phase of the WU bachelor programs, c. f. STEOP & CBK

Convincing and Clear Presentations
Communication and Conflict Management
Concomitant Research

  • Begleitforschung

  • also accompanying research


 
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D

Directory of Classes

  • elektronisches Vorlesungsverzeichnis (eVVZ)

  • WU Online Course Catalog

  • WU Course Directory

Doctorate in Social and Economic Sciences

  • Doktorat der Sozial- und Wirtschaftswissenschaften


 
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F

Facilitating Meetings
FH

stands for

  • University of Applied Sciences

  • Fachhochschule

  • Universities of applied sciences were first introduced in Austria in 1994. According to the Federal Ministry of Education, Science and Research, there are currently 21 universities of applied sciences. Their educational focuses range from agricultural technology to multimedia art, from physiotherapy to industrial engineering. The Ferdinand Porsche Fernfachhochschule is the only one to focus exclusively on distance learning.

  • Fachhochschule on the OeAD website

Financial Literacy Coaches

  • Financial Literacy Coaches are about to complete their studies in Business Education at WU Vienna and have attended a number of additional courses to be able to promote financial education even better.

  • Finanzbildungscoaches


 
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G

GDPR

stands for

General Business Administration incl. Information Systems

  • First course of the Master's Program in Business Education at WU Wien

  • Allgemeine Betriebswirtschaftslehre einschließlich Wirtschaftsinformatik

General Educational Development (GED)

  • Studienberechtigungsprüfung

  • alternative to Matura/Reifeprüfung as a general qualification needed for university entrance in Austria

  • Certificate of High School Equivalency


 
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H

Habilitation

  • loosely translated as Postdoctoral (Lecture) Qualification

  • is the result of a Habilitation Treatise

HAK

stands for

  • Commercial Academy

  • Higher-level Commercial High School

  • Handelsakademie

  • 5 years, usually 9th to 13th grade

  • School leaving exam: Matura

Handelswissenschaft

From 1966 to 1994, Handelswissenschaft [Commercial Science] was a study program at WU Wien consisting of two study sections, each lasting four semesters. The focus was on business administration with an international orientation, evident in two compulsory courses in foreign languages (English, French, Spanish, Italian, Russian, Japanese, Czech).

HAS

  • Commercial High School

  • Handelsschule/Bundeshandelsschule (BHAS)

  • 3 years, usually 9th to 11th grade

Hauptschule

Until 2012, the Hauptschule was a four-year school for 10- to 14-year-olds, providing basic general education and preparing students for further education in a vocational training program, a BMHS or an AHS.

It was replaced by the Neue Mittelschule (NMS). Since the 2018/19 school year, all Austrian Hauptschulen and NMS have been run as Mittelschulen.

HBLW

Stands for

  • Higher-level School for Economic Professions

  • Höhere Bundeslehranstalt für wirtschaftliche Berufe

  • also known as HLW

  • 5 years, usually 9th to 13th grade or age group 14 to 19 years

  • School leaving exam: Matura

  • Specialization in areas such as business, tourism, gastronomy, health management, fashion, environmental economics, clothing technology and many more.

HLW

Stands for

  • Higher-level School for Economic Professions

  • Höhere Lehranstalt für wirtschaftliche Berufe

  • also known as HBLW

  • 5 years, usually 9th to 13th grade or age group 14 to 19 years

  • School leaving exam: Matura

  • Specialization in areas such as business, tourism, gastronomy, health management, fashion, environmental economics, clothing technology and many more.

Hotelfachschule

  • Former/other name for Higher-level School for Education in Tourism, Institute of Higher Education in Tourism, Tourism School [place name]

  • Higher-level School for Education in Tourism/Institute of Higher Education in Tourism

  • 5 years, usually 9th to 13th grade or age group 14 to 19 years

  • School leaving exam: Matura

  • Focus on professions in the tourism and leisure industry

Höhere Lehranstalt für Fremdenverkehrsberufe

  • Former/other name for Higher-level School for Education in Tourism, Hotel Management School, Tourism School [place name]

  • Higher-level School for Education in Tourism/Institute of Higher Education in Tourism

  • 5 years, usually 9th to 13th grade or age group 14 to 19 years

  • School leaving exam: Matura

  • Focus on professions in the tourism and leisure industry

HTL

stands for

  • Higher-level Technical High School

  • Höhere Technische Lehranstalt

  • 5 years, usually 9th to 13th grade or age group 14 to 19 years

  • School leaving exam: Matura

  • Specialization in technical disciplines, e. g., mechanical engineering, building construction, plastics technology, information technology, industrial design, media technology, food technology, electrical engineering, chemistry, graphics & media, mechatronics, and many more

  • Unique Selling Proposition (USP): After three years of professional experience in engineering, students can apply for the qualification title of engineer (Ing.).


 
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L

LEARN@WU

LEARN@WU was the learning and information portal for WU students before switching to CANVAS WU in 2022.


 
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M

Matura

  • corresponds with a school leaving exam resulting in a final secondary-school graduation diploma that is equal to a general qualification needed for university entrance in Austria

  • aka Reifeprüfung and Reife- und Diplomprüfung, respectively

Mittelschule

Since 2012, Mittelschule has been a four-year school open to all young people aged 10 to 14. In Mittelschule, students receive a basic general education and are prepared for further education in a vocational training program, a BMHS or an AHS.

The Neue Mittelschule (NMS) served as a link between the Hauptschule and Mittelschule. Since the 2018/19 school year, all Austrian Hauptschulen and NMSs have been run as Mittelschulen.

Mittelschule on the OeAD website


 
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N

Negotiation Skills

 
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P

Pädagogische Hochschule

In Austria, the University College of Teacher Education is an institution for the training and further education of teachers. It offers bachelor's and master's degree programs for primary level (elementary school) and secondary level (Mittelschule, AHS, BHS) teachers. Upon successful completion of their teacher training, graduates receive a teaching qualification for their chosen teaching subject.

Pädagogische Hochschule on the OeAD website

Polyvalenz

  • loosely translated as multifaceted and versatile fields of activity ... polyvalence

  • breit gefächerte Einsatzmöglichkeit

Practice Enterprise

 
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S

Sektion für Berufs- und Wirtschaftspädagogik

According to its website, the Division for Vocational Education is one of 14 sections of the German Educational Research Association (GERA). The subject matter of vocational and business education research and teaching overlaps in some areas with that of the Institute for Business Education at WU Wien. We consider the Division for Vocational Education to be part of our network.


 
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T

Teacher Behavior Training incl. School Orientation Phase

  • Lehrverhaltenstraining einschließlich schulischer Orientierungsphase

Types of courses & exams at WU Wien

  • AG: Workshop-type course || Arbeitsgemeinschaft

  • FP: Subject Examination || Fachprüfung

  • FS: Research Seminar || Forschungsseminar

  • LVP: Course Examinations/Exam Week || Lehrveranstaltungsprüfungen/Prüfungswoche

  • MP: Module Examination || Modulprüfung

  • PI: Courses with continuous Assessment || Prüfungsimmanente Lehrveranstaltung

  • RE: Revision Course || Repetitorium

  • VUE: Lecture with interactive elements || Vorlesungsuebung

Click here for more information about types of courses and exams at WU Wien.


 
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V

Voice, Movement, Body Language

 
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W

Werbeakademie Wien

According to its website, Werbe Akademie is Austria's leading training and continuing education institution for consulting, copywriting, and graphic design. It offers two-year diploma programs with a solid, practice-oriented education for a career in the communications industry.

In the continuing education sector, Werbe Akademie offers part-time diploma programs and courses on current topics in marketing, communications, media design, and design.

WIFI

stands for

  • Institute for Economic Promotion of the Austrian Economic Chambers

  • Wirtschaftsförderungsinstitut

  • According to the homepage of the Austrian Economic Chambers, WIFI is the largest and most renowned further education partner for Austrian businesses.

Wirtschaftspädagog:in.

  • in Austria is a person who is trained to teach economic/commercial subjects such as business administration, accounting, business informatics and related (economy-related) subjects.

  • ist in Österreich eine Person, die dazu ausgebildet ist, wirtschaftliche/kommerzielle Fächer wie Betriebswirtschaft, Rechnungswesen, Wirtschaftsinformatik und verwandte (wirtschaftliche) Fächer zu unterrichten.

  • in Austria (Graz, Innsbruck, Linz or Vienna) is a person who has completed a degree in business education.

  • ist in Österreich (Graz, Innsbruck, Linz oder Wien) eine Person, die ein Wirtschaftspädagogikstudium abgeschlossen hat.

Working in Teams
WU Wien

stands for

  • Vienna University of Economics and Business

  • Wirtschaftsuniversität Wien

  • aka as just WU

  • formerly known as Hochschule für Welthandel (University of Trade) and k. k. Exportakademie (Imperial Export Academy)


 
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