ÖH on the UG amendment: Discriminatory and racist structures in our education system are coming to a head.

2024-01-17 09:45:16

The UG amendment brings with it worsening conditions for students with restrictions for foreign students, tightening of access restrictions and the election of the rector.

Vienna (OTS) – After a long wait, the ÖVP-led Ministry of Education presented its proposal for teacher training reform last week. This change in the law entails an amendment to the University Act, which does not only bring good things. The current legislative proposal contains significant deteriorations for students, university members and everyone who wants to become one.

A particularly worrying proposal in the amendment to the University Act provides for a restriction on foreign students by the individual rectorates under Section 60. If there are doubts about the “value” of the documents required for enrollment, the rectories can – without giving precise reasons – block the already lengthy admission process for an indefinite period of time by subjecting them to an examination by experts. In addition, there is a deposit of 200 euros, which must be paid by the student himself. In this way, the rectorates are arbitrarily delaying the start of studies for third-country students and exposing them to further bureaucratic hurdles. If the admission process is extended, it can happen in many cases that the applicant’s visa expires and they have to leave the country before proper admission can take place.

By introducing this paragraph, the ÖH warns against targeted unequal treatment of student recruits from individual third countries. Due to prejudices and pigeonholing, students from individual countries are placed under general suspicion and racist structures are manifested in law. “The lengthy bureaucratic processes set out in the UG amendment and the option to reject applicants without specific reasons enable rectors to structurally keep foreign students, especially concentrated in individual countries, away from the university. “Simply slowing down an admissions process out of mistrust strengthens a general suspicion that students from Muslim countries in particular are already constantly confronted with and hardens racist structures in our education system,” criticizes Nina Mathies from the chair team of the Austrian Students’ Union (ÖH).

Access restrictions are tightened in Section 63a of the UG amendment. Master’s and doctoral studies can now no longer only be restricted by the Rectorate if they are offered in a foreign language, but also if they depend “on proof of sufficient knowledge or special ability”. Since at least a previous bachelor’s degree represents a “special qualification”, all master’s and doctoral studies can be restricted in the future. This change to the University Act would therefore be a massive setback in the fight for fair access to higher education for all. “Access restrictions strongly select our universities and, especially in large social science masters, this can lead to a reduction in study places and thus increased competition among students. The planned access restrictions are an enormous intervention in an already selective education system,” complains Sarah Rossmann from the ÖH chairmanship team.

The ÖH also expresses clear criticism of the new regulation for the appointment of rectors in §23 of the amendment. According to the UG amendment, the Senate must submit a three-person proposal for the election as rector if the university council requests this. “The new rules for the election of rectors interfere with the Senate’s competence, as they legally place the University Council above the Senate and thus solidify a hierarchy between the governing bodies. For us as the ÖH, this subordination of the Senate is a clear cut in the competence of this body and is therefore not acceptable,” explains Simon Neuhold from the ÖH chairmanship team. Senate curtailments are also common practice in the ÖVP ministry in past amendments to the UG. Minister Polaschek is pursuing the long-term goal of turning the only student governing body into a toothless advisory body without its own competencies.

The UG amendment is currently available to the public for review. The chairmanship team sees an opportunity here to prevent these serious deteriorations in university access before they come into force and instead to strengthen the Senate and achieve fairer access to education for everyone.