The Rectorate of the TU Wien is about to negotiate an additional budget with the BMBWF. The fact that the sum of € 500 million available to all universities does not even cover half of the expected additional costs hits the TU Wien particularly hard. "No one could have foreseen in 2020, when the budget for the current performance agreement period was being negotiated, that we would slip from one global crisis into the next and that these would overlap," explains Rector Sabine Seidler and continues: "50 per cent of our additional needs result from the rising prices for electricity alone, and a TU cannot work without electricity."

Rector Sabine Seidler, her rectorate team and the designated rector Jens Schneider (note: taking office 01.10.2023) are backed by the deans, the senate, several hundred students, researchers, young academics and the administrative staff. They all support the "TUW Action Day" at the Karlsplatz/Resselpark campus on 7 November 2022 from 8 am. As a warning signal and to highlight the effects of the acute financial situation, 30 courses and lectures and 1,400 study and learning spaces will be moved outdoors in front of the main TU building. From 12 noon onwards, a "competence march" will form from Karlsplatz via the Ring with an intermediate rally in front of the parliament to the BMBWF at Minoritenplatz to show which scientific competences will no longer be taught if no common solution to the existing financial problem is found. Programme: www.tuwien.at/aktionstag, opens an external URL in a new window

New agenda

"We cannot simply go back to business as usual in this acute crisis situation," warns TU Rector Sabine Seidler, "because especially as a STEM university, the TU Wien bears great responsibility towards its members and society."

The agenda for the upcoming talks must therefore include the discussion about covering the budget deficit:

1. ENERGY
   Scientific and engineering research and teaching depend on the operation of energy-intensive infrastructures and equipment that cannot be easily switched off. 60 % of the TU Wien's electricity consumption is generated in the laboratories and their infrastructure. Developments on the energy market result in additional costs of about € 90 million.
2. RENT
   Inflation-related index jumps increase rental costs by about € 10 million.
3. STAFF
   The STEM sector is in dire straits on both the university and business sides. An adequate conclusion of the collective agreement negotiations will lead to further additional costs of about € 35 million.
4. INFLATION
   Scientific and engineering research and teaching are also dependent on consumables and small equipment. Even with highly efficient use, additional costs of approx. 29 million € will arise over and above calculated price increases.
5. CONTRIBUTION TU Wien
   The TU Wien has been running an energy-saving programme for months now, which all university employees support. This will keep electricity consumption constant in the current performance agreement period. This alone is expected to save a total of € 20 million.
6. CRISIS SUMMIT
   The situation of the TU Wien shows that the additional financial requirements of the universities for the years 2022 - 24 must be reviewed again. The universities are therefore once again calling for a crisis summit to look for a joint solution in view of the dramatic situation. This is the order of the day.

Consequences of the funding gap

Without sufficient additional federal budget funds for the TU Wien for the years 2022 - 2024, the operation of the university is at risk and the TUW research teams and university teachers cannot fulfil their tasks in research (innovation, knowledge and technology transfer) and teaching (STEM student education).

Members of the TU Wien will not be able to continue researching and teaching at the highest quality and thus STEM students will automatically be undersupplied, the number of graduates will decrease, research cooperations will no longer be possible. Austria as a country of innovation cannot afford such a shortage.

Enquiry notice:

Simon Los
HTU Chair
+43 664 60588 4957
vorsitz@htu.at

Bettina Neunteufl
TU Wien
Office of the Rector | Press Officer
+43 664 484 50 28
bettina.neunteufl@tuwien.ac.at