New Intellectual Capital Report by FH Technikum Wien

Intellectual Capital Report 2017/2018

2 Foreword 6 Organization, Strategy, Targets 12 Human Capital Junior Researchers 15 18 Structural Capital Bundled Student Advisory Services 23 26 Relational Capital 36 Teaching Reflection 43 TLC â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Teaching & Learning Center 44 48 Research and Development Spotlight on Research 59 62 Further Training Other Figures for the 2017/18 Academic Year 66 68 Graphic Design & Imprint

Foreword

Dear readers, “So much is changing” – this was the introduction to the foreword of our 2007/08 Intellectual Capital Report. Even then, we were talking about “transformation” and structural changes in society. A great deal has indeed happened in the years that have passed since then. Knowledge in all its forms comes to the fore, both as a social issue and as an economic asset. There is a greater focus on an institution tasked with imparting knowledge in the field of technology today than was the case ten years ago. Our environment is constantly changing. On the one hand, our educational and training programs and our research work have met with a positive response; on the other hand, it has become clear in recent years that we as an organization need to adapt to new requirements. With the results of an extensive strategy process from the previous year in our pocket, we set out in the past academic year to implement transformation and structural changes within the organization as well. The main theme for 2017/18 was organizational development, which we shaped together with the stakeholders and which we are now bringing to life in the current academic year. Knowledge played an important role in this process: How can information flow between organizational units in an optimum way? How can existing competencies be used together in an optimum way?

While organizational changes are only gradually becoming apparent to the outside world, the academic year was not lacking in visible events and successes: We started the autumn with a new managing director, and since spring we have a re-elected president. For the first time, a start-up business is now based at UAS Technikum Wien. The computer science dualy study program as a trend-setting new organizational form entered its first year, and some degree programs experienced a sharp increase in applicants. Our first Josef Ressel Center was successfully concluded (to be continued). Key data on all this and much more can be found on the following pages. The fact that we have decided to give the Intellectual Capital Report itself a completely new look after years of a fairly consistent appearance is a good match for the catchwords of upheaval and change. We hope that both the form and content of the Intellectual Capital Report will be the subject of much discussion. Vienna, January 2019

Gabriele Kรถltringer, EMBA Managing Director

FH-Prof. DI Dr. Fritz Schmรถllebeck Rector

Students per faculty

Industrial Engineering 1351

Life Science Engineering 734

Electronic Engineering 942

Computer Science 1153

Organization, Strategy, Targets UAS Technikum Wien offers fulltime, extra-occupational, and / or distance study programs. Education is based on sound science and practical experience, with a focus on imparting technical specialist knowledge and expertise.

UAS Technikum Wien was founded in 1994 and is Austria’s only university of applied sciences focused solely on technical subjects. Its two locations, the main site in the 20th district of Vienna and the ENERGYbase in the 21st district of Vienna, offer high-quality teaching, research, and training. As of December 2018, around 4,400 students are studying in 12 bachelor and 18 master’s degree programs, and the number of graduates is just over 11,000. In addition, there are several hundred participants in ongoing further training formats. UAS Technikum Wien offers full-time, extra-occupational, and / or distance study programs. Education is based on sound science and practical experience, with a focus on imparting technical specialist knowledge and expertise. It also covers business principles and personal development. There are a number of specialist laboratories (e.g. photonics lab, simulation of smart grids, game lab, etc.) to assist practical teaching and for research purposes. The Digital Factory tests the networking of independent systems and techniques in a real industry situation using autonomous robots. Collaboration and regular contact with businesses give students and graduates of UAS Technikum Wien the very best career opportunities. A wide range of partnerships with foreign partner universities has resulted in networks with and study visits to other renowned universities. The Technikum Wien Academy also offers four short-cycle courses and three master’s courses focusing on professional training and development.

A wide range of partnerships with foreign partner universities has resulted in networks with and study visits to other renowned universities.

New Organizational Structure The 2017/18 academic year marked an important phase in the further development of our university. At the end of the previous academic year, the “Technikum 2025” strategy process had delivered a set of important starting points to further develop UAS Technikum Wien and lead it on a successful path into the future. These starting points were taken up in 2017/18 and translated into specific steps. On September 1, 2018, i.e. at the beginning of the 2018/19 academic year, a comprehensively revamped organizational structure came into force. An important chapter in the Strategizing core team’s final report dealt with the further development of the organizational structure: In order to further develop it (matrix organization, institutes, study programs, study centers) in such a way that they meet future requirements, an organizational development project was proposed with the intention of serving the following objectives: •

•

s pecialist and course-related redundancies of the institutes should be eliminated. Standardized and high-quality services, which are demanded by degree programs, should only be offered by one specialized institute. Each institute should be given a clearly defined professional profile and a critical mass in terms of staff, curriculum and research potential. The function, interplay and responsibilities of institutes, degree programs and study centers and other relevant bodies should be clearly defined and partnerships between institutes and degree programs improved.

This basically defined the catalog of requirements for a new organizational structure. In the course of the 2017/18 academic year, a structure was jointly developed to meet these requirements. 13 institutes were turned into four faculties and six departments. The four specialist departments were each assigned to a faculty, and two interdisciplinary departments were also created: • Faculty of Computer Science The Faculty of Computer Science comprises the Department of Computer Science, and eight bachelor’s and master’s degree programs. • Faculty of Electronic Engineering The Department of Electronic Engineering and nine bachelor’s and master’s programs are assigned to the Faculty of Electronic Engineering. • Faculty of Industrial Engineering The Department of Industrial Engineering and seven bachelor’s and master’s programs are assigned to the Faculty of Industrial Engineering. • Faculty of Life Science Engineering The Faculty of Life Science Engineering comprises the Department of Life Science Engineering as well as seven bachelor’s and master’s programs.

Overview of the six departments along with their fields of competence and research Department of Computer Science: Fields of competence: • Artificial Intelligence & Data Analytics • Digital Enterprise • Software Engineering & Devops • Information Security Field of research: • Secure Services, eHealth & Mobility

Department Electronic Engineering Fields of competence: • Electronic Based Systems • Electronics and Communication Technology Field of research: • Embedded Syst. an& d Cyber-Phys.Syst Department of Industrial Engineering Fields of competence: • Automation & Sensor Technology • Renewable Energy Systems • Digital Manufacturing & Robotics • Material Science & Production Engineering • Modeling & Simulation of Mechanical Systems • Virtual Engineering, Technology and Innovation Engineering Fields of research: • Automation and Robotics • Renewable Energy Systems Department of Life Science Engineering Fields of competence: • Chemical Engineering & Biomaterials • Tissue Engineering & Ecotoxicology • Integrated Healthcare • Medical Devices & Health Engineering • Sports Engineering, Biomechanics & Ergonomics Field of research: • Tissue Engineering Department of Entrepreneurship and Communications: • Social Skills • Languages • Economics/Law Department of Applied Mathematics & Physics • Mathematics • Physics • Scientific Work The new structures of the faculties and departments create clarity with respect to responsibilities and short decision-making channels. For this to happen, it is essential that the communication channels in the new organizational structure are adhered to. The new organizational chart with degree programs and departments as well as the detailed presentation of the fields of competence provides an overview of decision-making and communication channels.

At the end of the previous academic year, the â&#x20AC;&#x153;Technikum 2025â&#x20AC;? strategy process had delivered a set of important starting points to further develop UAS Technikum Wien and lead it on a successful path into the future. 11

Employees

Administration 251

Teaching and Research 904

Human Capital Quantitative Development In the 2017/18 academic year, there was another increase in the number of staff employed at UAS Technikum Wien. A total of 1,155 people were employed at UAS Technikum Wien (both through employment contracts and as external lecturers). 451 of these employees were full-time employees, corresponding to 39 percent of all employees. Calculated as full-time equivalents, there was also an increase in the productivity of full-time employees to 347 full-time equivalents (FTE) in the academic year. This translates into average employment of just under 30 hours per full-time employee per week, with teaching and research staff having slightly fewer hours per week, and administrative and management staff having slightly more hours per week on average.

In 2017/18, 1,155 people were employed at UAS Technikum Wien.

2015/16

2016/17

2017/18

1 058

1 094

1 155

â&#x20AC;˘ of which in teaching and research

845

886

904

â&#x20AC;˘ of which in administration and management

213

208

251

316

320

347

Total number of employees

Full-time employees in FTEs

In terms of full-time equivalents, there has been a slight shift from teaching and research staff (currently 41 percent) to administrative and management staff (currently 59 percent) in recent years. Measured in terms of the number of employees, the proportion of teaching and research staff has remained relatively constant at 80 percent over the past few academic years. The difference in the respective shares between FTE and number of employees is due to the large number of external lecturers. In the 2017/18 academic year, 700 external lecturers were employed at UAS Technikum Wien, compared to 175 full-time lecturers. However, due to external lecturers being employed for fewer hours on average, overall a bigger share or teaching hours are being offered by internal lecturers..

2015/16

2016/17

2017/18

86 503

91 136

94 882

• by external instructors

38 765

38 285

40 297

• by internal instructors

47 738

52 851

54 585

55%

58%

Course hours offered

Proportion of courses held by internal teachers

Increasing the proportion of women among teaching and research staff has been a goal of UAS Technikum Wien for years. Measured in terms of the number of employees, the proportion of women working here is currently 23 percent. For external lecturers, the percentage of male employees is particularly large; here the proportion of female lecturers is only 20 percent (compared with 27 percent for internal lecturers). The proportion of women in administrative and managerial staff is much higher, with 56 percent of all employees currently female. The difference is particularly noticeable at the level of senior management and program directors. In the 2017/18 academic year, these accounted for 29 full-time equivalents, of which only some 16 percent were women.

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In the 2017/18 academic year, people from 52 different countries were employed at UAS Technikum Wien. 18 percent of all employees had a nationality other than Austrian. As in previous years, the largest group of foreign employees comes from Germany with 73 employees, followed by the USA and Italy with significantly lower shares.

•

Certifications and Initiatives Working as well as studying with care duties are strongly influenced by the general conditions at the university. At UAS Technikum Wien, we work continuously to develop possibilities for study/family/career balance. We have been entitled to hold the certificate “Family-friendly University” since 2014 and, in fall 2017, the certificate was again issued and awarded by the audit board of trustees (Audit-Kuratorium). Five measures have already been implemented with a further six still or partially outstanding. Three of the measures from the ongoing certification process that have already been successfully implemented will be illustrated here:

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Family time: In order to clearly present the framework for dealing with family time applications and to raise awareness of paternal participation and support, a guideline on pregnancy, maternity leave and parental leave with information on family time was drawn up and made available to all employees on the intranet. This guideline is also actively sent to the pregnant employee and the respective manager when a pregnancy is reported. Childcare: The existing range of childcare facilities available on school-free working days and during the first week of the summer holidays are very well received by both employees and students. Parental feedback and wishes are taken into account. Care: Employees needing to take time off to care for close relatives are not required to live in the same household as the relatives.

The aim of the ongoing certification process is to reconcile the interests of the university with the needs of the students and staff in the best possible way in order to improve compatibility. Structures are being further developed that make life easier without having a negative impact on the quality of work – indeed, just the opposite is being targeted: improving quality through better personal compatibility. At UAS Technikum Wien, there is a clear lack of women in management positions, and we are working hard to redress this balance. In the 2017/18 academic year, a total of 39 people were employed in management positions (including heads of degree programs), nine of whom were women. In order to strengthen the circle of female managers through good networking, a joint lunch is held once a month to serve as a basis to promote an exchange between them.

Development opportunities (further education etc.) The internal further training unit at UAS Technikum Wien provides offers throughout the academic year for employees to acquire knowledge and qualifications in a wide variety of areas. There is great interest among employees in further training measures; in the 2017/18 academic year, 567 participants registered for further training measures (including all external events). The commitment to continuous professional development is reflected in the equivalent of 309 full-time working days

spent on further training measures. The didactic short seminars in particular are enjoying a steady increase in popularity. In order to address the challenges facing society, two certification workshops on diversity and gender mainstreaming were also on offer, which were well received and fully booked. With separate workshops for teaching, research and general staff, the goal of incorporating gender and diversity aspects into their day-to-day work was well achieved.

2014/15

2015/16

2016/17

2017/18

Childcare days offered

Registrations

• of which students

• of which employees

Participants

hours

2015/16

2016/17

2017/18

2015/16

2016/17

2017/18

Didactic short seminars

164

144

192

520

430

654

Internal seminars, total

228

186

200

689

731

751

• of which didactics seminars

189

290

191

• of which foreign languages

102

196

• of which research • of which gender and diversity

352

271

196

• of which healthcare

102

672

236

• of which management External seminars: Didactics

Information for new employees

Coaching

Didactics retreat

480

512

488

Junior Researchers: The path into research

The examples of Mathias Ballner and Andrea Werner show how versatile and different the areas of responsibility are: Mathias Ballner, lecturer and course leader at the Technikum Wien, started work as a junior researcher in a research project for the development of a degree program while pursuing his master’s degree in “Intelligent Transport Systems”. “The aim was to evaluate whether there is a need for a degree program in the field of integrative urban development.” Mathias Ballner explains that, within the project, the master’s degree program “Integrative Urban Development - Smart City” was developed on the basis of occupational field research. “We had the first graduates in summer 2018 – here it is possible to see the results of one's work.” The UAS TW graduate started teaching in addition to his work in the research project. Today, holding lectures and leading a course at the Technikum Academy are his core activities. Andrea Werner holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences and a master’s degree from the Vienna University of Economics and Business Administration. At the Technikum, she works in the Department of Industrial Engineering

The function of junior researchers has long shown itself to be a proven springboard from studying to research work. in the Renewable Urban Energy Systems research area. Her position as junior researcher was advertised in 2017 for the research project “sLiM – smart Living in a Metropolis” within the Vienna programme for funding universities of applied science (Wiener Fachhochschulförderung). “The research team wanted to look not only at energy and environmental aspects, but also at user perspectives. The significance of the energy revolution and the conditions of photovoltaics was investigated.” Andrea Werner has a bachelor’s degree in Environmental and Resource Management and a master’s degree in Socio-Ecological Economics and Policy – a mixture of energy and social sciences that was ideal for the sociological questions within the scope of this research work. She now works on four research projects and helps students with their bachelor’s or master’s theses. “All student-related work is connected to projects of the department, which enables us to assign topics from the research projects, where we then receive support from the students.” The projects enable students to participate in research while preparing their bachelor’s or master’s thesis, potentially enabling them to become junior researchers of tomorrow.

Students

Female 757

Male 3423

Structural Capital In the 2017/18 academic year, the space used by UAS Technikum Wien was expanded with the conversion and expansion of the BRC building at Höchstädtplatz, increasing the total area from 27,500 m² to 28,400 m². With regard to larger modifications, the Teaching & Learning Center was set up on the ground floor, while the information center (see "Bundled Student Advisory Services, p.23) was set up in the pillar of "the bridge". The e-learning lab was also moved from the sixth floor of the BRC building to the pillar of the bridge and re-opened there. The cleaning rooms, cloakroom and lounge which were previously separated were combined on the first floor of the BRC building.

Laboratories A large number of special laboratories are available for research and teaching in the following areas, including: • Physics and chemistry, electron microscopy, tissue engineering, environmental engineering, cell culture, cytometry, microfluidics, environmental chemistry, microanalytics, ecotoxicology • Embedded systems, smart homes and building automation, assistive technologies and alternative human-machine interfaces, electronics and networking, industrial electronics, electronic design automation, audio-video, t elecommunications • Computer science, usability, game engineering, RoboCup, IT security, transport and environment/smart city

Laboratories

Computer rooms

Computer workstations

671

Total area (in m²)

28 400

Usable area (in m²)

16 400

Investments in building infrastructure (in EUR thousands)

429

IT investments (in EUR thousands)

312

Licenses (in EUR thousands)

In the 2017/18 academic year, the space used by UAS Technikum Wien was enlarged with the conversion and expansion of the BRC building.

•

Mechatronics and robotics, simulation laboratory for mechanical engineering, automation technology, pneumatics, control engineering, sensor technology and materials engineering Renewable energy, heat pumps, smart grid, generation plants (photovoltaics, wind), storage facilities, smart meters, interoperability Biomedical engineering, rehabilitation technology, ventilation technology, healthy interoperability, sports engineering and biomechanics

•

The following new laboratory equipment was obtained in the 2017/18 academic year: •

•

The Digital Factory makes it possible to research technology trends and innovation potentials in the field of Industry 4.0 by means of concepts and application examples for intelligent production environments. In the 2017/18 academic year, the infrastructure of the Digital Factory was extended to include a mobile industrial robot (MiR 100), which moves independently in the factory and is used, among other things, for transport tasks. It was equipped with a collaborative robotic arm (UR5) as part of a project in order to perform complex tasks. The Digital Factory was equipped with another collaborative robot (fanuc cr-7a/I) in cooperation with FANUC in order to better investigate human-robot collaborations as well. 22 high-end PCs with extensive special simulation software are located in the newly established simulation laboratory for mechanical engineering, which was made possible by sponsoring from Metaltechnology Austria (Fachverband Metalltechnische Industrie (FMTI). This enables simulations to be carried out, for example for product development, design and simulation. This takes account of the worldwide trend within the metal technology industry to relocate product development processes to the virtual simulation room. This possibility to perform digital simulations is a unique selling point of the degree programs in mechanical engineering Teaching and learning videos can be recorded and edited in the e-learning lab. Workshops on e-learning are also held here. In summer 2017, the lab was moved to the bridge pillar of the F-building, with the new premises offering better framework conditions (both in terms of size and lack of noise for recording teaching videos)

•

The control engineering laboratory was equipped with a laboratory notebook and a camera to control motion-compensated high-speed video recordings The test benches in the laboratory for biomechanics and sports equipment technology were given two additional force transducers and an additional motor control. The software for 3D motion analysis was updated to the latest version The RemoteApple Lab is designed to enable students to work on Apple devices via remote control. This is needed in particular when a purely Apple-based environment is required in a course or project, such as when programming apps for the iPhone. These devices were previously used both remotely and on site, which repeatedly led to overlaps and problems. In fall 2018, all laboratories and workspaces of the newly established Computer Science Faculty moved into the new rooms on the 5th floor of building section B. An open seminar room, which can also be used for events and lectures, is located in the entrance area. An open work area is located directly adjacent for students of the faculty, above all for RoboCup projects as well as those related to the smart city topic. The new Project Space is also home to new offices, a conference room and an open kitchen with a social room. The new Security Lab has over 20 workstations and offers direct access to the neighbouring server room. Network and security scenarios can be tested under realistic conditions in both hardware and software Students now have 17 high-performance computers with NVidia GTX 1080 Ti graphics cards at their disposal in the Game/AI Lab, and each workstation has two monitors to ensure better software development. These PCs make it possible to calculate complex models from the fields of artificial intelligence and machine learning. Two Sony PS3 and two PS4 Devkits are connected via network to the rear of the GameLab and can be used in class if required. An HTC Vive and an Oculus Rift are available for VR applications in projects and master theses

â&#x20AC;˘

The Usability Laboratory is now called ExperienceLab and has two mobile and two stationary eye-tracking systems in addition to the observation possibilities already in place with controllable network cameras and dynamic screen transmission of all devices. A Tobii X3-120 Remote Eyetracking System with additional holder for mobile devices as well as the skin guidance system Shimmer to measure the emotions of test persons are new here.

IT Developments Over the academic year, 228 computers were updated with dual-boot images (Windows10 and GNU/Linux) in line with established hardware update cycles. One of the IT rooms was equipped with iMac devices as an Apple room in order to provide support in the field of app development. This means that all major operating systems are available for teaching at UAS Technikum Wien. A generation change in our printing equipment resulted in the entire fleet of printers being replaced, along with the printer administration behind this. A modern system is being used, which provides or will provide new features such as the recharging of credit via online services, replacing the money loader, or mobile printing. Furthermore, it is now possible to include printing equipment from different manufacturers. The existing A0 plotters are of course still available. The focus during the further development of the campus management software FH-Complete was on helping the university pursue its strategy with regard to centralization, automation and digitalization. For example, a completely new tool was developed to optimally support the centralization of the admission process, and other services were put into operation to simplify collaboration in teaching and administration activities. These internal services are also intended to ensure that data is handled carefully and to ensure that sensitive data remains in our systems in accordance with the General Data Protection Regulation. The requirements of the GDPR were implemented in a new FH-Complete module that includes tools for compliance with deletion deadlines as well as data export for data storage requests. Appropriate communication channels (email addresses, OTRS queues) have been set up for processing and documenting requests.

Sancho is the name of the digital assistant which will be used by FH-Complete in the next steps of automation and will support teaching and administration in various ways. As in the past years, the "Linux Weeks" took place from May 3 to 5 This time, "PyDays", an internationally renowned Python conference, was a guest at the event in addition to lectures and workshops in seven parallel tracks.

Library The library’s e-book offering was again expanded in the 2017/18 academic year. A total of 5,586 Springer e-books and over 11,000 OECD iLibrary titles are now available. The newly licensed eBook Central platform is a further building block in the transition from print medium to e-book. In addition to its current activities (user advice, loans, cataloguing, PR activities, etc.), the library also focused on the following areas in the 2017/18 academic year: A series of training courses on library use and scientific research for students was held. Ten training courses took place for bachelor students, and there were also special dates for incoming students (in English), for master students or focusing on the electronic resources offered by the library.

A completely new tool was developed to optimally support the centralization of the admission process, and other services were put into operation to simplify collaboration in teaching and administration activities.

The aim of the Open Access Publication Fund of UAS Technikum Wien is to promote the dissemination of Open Access publications by means of a financial contribution. In the 2017/18 academic year, five publications by UAS staff members were promoted as a result. Four of them are conference papers published in the ACM Digital Library, and one an article in the eJournal “Frontiers in Physiology”. In the future, framework agreements with Open Access publishers are planned in order to reduce publication fees.

2015/16

2016/17

2017/18

Total stock of print media

19 166

20 148

21 085

Number of licensed e-books

4 424

around 16,000

around 16,600

104 984

100 575

*564 782

5 669

4 855

4 340

Downloads of e-books / e-journals Number of loans

* before 2017/18: downloads of entire e-books, from 2017/18: downloads of individual chapters from e-books (â&#x20AC;&#x153;COUNTERâ&#x20AC;? standardized statistics)

In the course of the last three years, about half of the print stock (a total of more than 20,000 titles) was categorized using the new RVK (Regensburger Verbund-Klassifikation) classification system. The entire print inventory is to be included in this system by 2020. In summer 2018, some of the print media was also relocated according to this classification in order to ensure a clearer layout and faster retrieval of the media. The libraryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s electronic media management has been further improved. The e-mail reminder system and the reservation system for borrowed media have been optimized, as has the possibility of remote access to the library system for students and staff. The new data protection regulation has resulted in workflows being improved, the deletion of user data being commissioned and the library regulations adapted. Preparatory work also began for the new ALMA library management system to be implemented in 2020.

A total of 5,586 Springer e-books and over 11,000 OECD iLibrary titles are now available.

Bundled Student Advisory Services The information center at Höchstädtplatz

What exactly is Biomedical Engineering? Can I even study Computer Science without an A in Mathematics? And last but not least: Is technology suitable for girls at all? A technical university is confronted with many questions. For a long time now, UAS Technikum Wien has therefore been setting store by comprehensive student advisory services, as offered by only a few in the German-speaking world. This offering was significantly expanded again in March 2018: A team is on hand in the newly established information center at the main site to provide advice and assistance. On the ground floor of the previously unused “foot” of the F building directly at the corner of Dresdner Strasse and Marchfelder Strasse, an inviting advice-giving environment was created, with the first floor serving as office space in which the information center staff also provide administrative support for the university.

In March 2018, a new central location was opened for all questions relating to technical degrees.

In addition to being able to obtain advice on site, the information center can be contacted by telephone, e-mail or WhatsApp: “Technical degree programs are not always self-explanatory. We must also work to overcome psychological barriers and prejudices – not only among our prospective customers, but also among their parents,” said Managing Director Gabriele Költringer at the opening ceremony. “This is why we have expanded our student advisory services and bundled them geographically. The new information center is clearly visible from afar and offers a pleasant atmosphere.” The core target group for bachelor degree programs is under 20 years old. Anyone working with this age group knows that reaching for the telephone is no longer as easy as it was in previous generations. That is why the UAS TW information center also uses WhatsApp and has been conducting daily consultations there for quite some time. The current opening hours and all contact channels for the information center can be found at www.technikum-wien.at/infocenter

Citizenship of students

Austria 3305

EU 400

Third country 475

Relational Capital Teaching, research, knowledge transfer – the traditional mission at universities is often supplemented by a “third mission” or third pillar. The image of universities standing in the middle of society being in regular exchange not only with their own students, employees and various scientific communities, but also constituting hubs in a diverse knowledge network is gaining acceptance.

Anchored in the FEEI network from the very beginning and founded in response to the economy’s need for top talent, the close relationship with industry and practical applications is part of the DNA of UAS Technikum Wien.

On the one hand, UAS Technikum Wien is in a privileged position here while, on the other hand, it faces special challenges. Its advantage is that its partnerships with companies and other institutions have existed from the very beginning: closely involved in the network of the Association of the Austrian Electrical and Electronics Industries (FEEI) from the start and founded in response to the economy’s need for top talent, the close relationship with industry and practical applications is part of its DNA. The well-known shortage of MINT skilled workers means that there are fruitful contacts with the business world to be had. At the same time, however, the challenge is to introduce young people to these topics. A change of mood in society is also being slowly reflected in the number of applicants at UAS Technikum Wien. The fact that computer science and engineering courses are oversubscribed several times over was not the norm just a few years ago. This means that while the growing interest in the degree programs on offer would also make further growth possible in terms of study places, a great deal of information work is still needed at the same time in order to attract female students, in particular, to technology. Despite all the positive energy that MINT role models may experience in society – girls being actively encouraged to pursue a technical degree after graduating from high school is still the exception in Austria.

Despite all the positive energy that MINT role models may experience in society – girls being actively encouraged to pursue a technical degree after graduating from high school is still the exception in Austria. Dialog with the Business World Business and UAS Technikum Wien are in permanent contact with each other at various levels: Hundreds of external lecturers from various sectors make a contribution to our in-house teaching. In the degree programs, cooperation is maintained, for example, through internships for students and regular guest lectures. Recruiting partnerships exist throughout the entire university, with companies posting vacancies in the job portal of the UAS Technikum Wien Alumni Club, among other things. In the 2017/18 academic year, a total of 2,500 such job advertisements were published. The company fair, where potential employers present themselves to students, was again attended by 60 companies. Due to the multiple overbooking of exhibitor slots, however, it has been possible to make this event bigger for the current academic year 2018/19. The second career event of UAS Technikum Wien, the Career Lounge & Master Night, offers companies another opportunity to present themselves exclusively at the University of Applied Sciences. Once again in 2018, 40 companies were on site to get to know students and graduates in a relaxed networking atmosphere, as well as advertising current job vacancies in the fields of technology, IT and business. At the same time, lectures and presentations of our master’s degree programs are taking place throughout the university. As such, the Career Lounge & Master Night offers the ideal combination for those who wish to progress both professionally and academically.

Partnerships are constantly maintained with 33 schools in the catchment area, where annual workshops and information events are held.

Promotion of Young Talent Partnerships are constantly maintained with 33 schools in the extended neighbourhood, where annual workshops and information events are held. In addition, the University of Applied Sciences presents its educational offerings at many other schools on site – measures that help anchor the option of pursing a technical course of study in the minds of potential students. Technical courses are, however, not just discussed through student advisory services. The UAS has been a member of the RoboCupJunior committee since 2007. This platform organizes annual national and international competitions for children and adolescents under the age of 19. Another initiative uses the subject of robots as an entry into the world of technology. As part of the “Robots for Kids” initiative, children between the ages of ten and sixteen are invited to spend a week working with robots together with the Vienna Children’s Friends organization (Wiener Kinderfreunde). UAS Technikum Wien also participates in the Vienna Daughter’s Day together with 163 other organizations and, in addition to general information events such as Open Days and Bachelor Info Day, Robotics Day also introduced students to the topic of robotics this year.

Startups Remain Catalysts After first coming to light in 2016/17, the topic of startups and entrepreneurship continued to gain momentum in 2017/18. The Entrepreneurship Initiative events were very popular. In addition to the tried-and-tested format of the Startup Lounges, which take place once a semester, the workshops from last year have been further developed in terms of their topics. Instead of focusing on the basics of setting up a company, the two semesters of 2017/18 saw current technology trends scrutinized from the perspective of startups. A technology-oriented introduction is followed by presentations from new companies that are already active in their respective fields.

Whether the topic is virtual reality or autonomous driving, these three-hour “Start me up Mondays” were very well attended. A Facebook live stream was also very popular. However, the blockchain topic was the crowd-puller par excellence: In front of more than 260 interested people in the overcrowded Festsaal, the founders and experts worked hard to raise awareness for this particular topic. The audience kept asking questions again and again – from blockchain basics to the finer details and philosophical debates. A follow-up appointment in the summer semester announced by Entrepreneurship Representative Thomas Faast was greeted with resounding applause – and despite a somewhat subdued Bitcoin hype, there were again a great many visitors. All video recordings of the start-up events can be viewed at: www.technikum-wien.at/entrepreneurship

Whether the topic is virtual reality or autonomous driving, these threehour “Start me up Mondays” were very well attended.

Regular events, which are open to everyone in addition to students and employees, are part of the Entrepreneurship Initiative, the aim being to ensure the transfer of knowledge. Startup mentoring has established itself as a further measure. ToolSense is one of the first startups to move into the incubator of UAS Technikum Wien in the 2017/18 academic year. Theft on construction sites causes several billion euros worth of damage worldwide every year. In order to eliminate this problem, three students of UAS Technikum Wien have joined forces to develop solutions in the field of anti-theft, live tracking and sensor data analytics for hand-operated power tools. UAS Technikum Wien supports the IoT/AI startup, which is now enjoying a great deal of success, with office space, technical know-how and the network of the university.

Internationalization is not an end in itself, but an important instrument for improving the quality of teaching and acquiring new skills.

International Relationship Capital Internationalization is not an end in itself, but an important instrument for improving the quality of teaching and acquiring new skills. In this respect, the 2017/18 academic year represented a conceptual phase in which new measures were planned and implemented in order to make better use of internationalization. The focus of the previous academic year was a survey both of the specifics of the individual degree programs and of the different realities of student lives (e.g. extra-occupational or distance study) in terms of internationalization and partnerships with foreign universities. To this end, in summer 2017 degree program discussions were held with all degree programs during which concrete partner universities, individual circumstances etc. were discussed. These discussions serve as a basis for further measures. The internationalization of degree programs at UAS Technikum Wien is important for the development of strategic partnerships with universities, as international degree programs increase the attractiveness for partner universities. More strategic partnerships mean greater mobility for employees and students. In addition, internationalization@home (e.g. English-language courses for regular students or intercultural training for employees) will be expanded.

Internationalization of Curricula In the course of internationalization, the range of English-language courses is being expanded, which requires corresponding skills on the part of lecturers and students. Preparations have therefore been made for an English Teaching Certificate and an Intercultural Skills Certificate to be introduced in the 2018/19 academic year.

In the Health-CONNECT, IoCEST, StudyAtHome Internationally and ENGINE projects, curricula, learning objectives and contents of different degree programs are adapted to fit an international outlook.

The call for proposals 22 by the City of Vienna’s fund to support universities of applied sciences focused on the internationalization of teaching. Of the seven projects ultimately funded, four are being carried out at UAS Technikum Wien, which adds considerable strength to the internationalization measures being carried out here. In the Health-CONNECT, IoCEST, StudyAtHome Internationally and ENGINE projects, curricula, learning objectives and contents of different degree programs are adapted to fit an international outlook. Furthermore, some attention is paid to the accessibility of the adapted educational offer, e.g. through virtual project teams.

internationalization@home For a long time now, internationalization has not only been possible abroad, but also within “one’s own four walls”. International learning setups and intercultural experiences (such as exchanges with incoming students or language courses) play an important role here. Equally important, however, is that international students are able to cope with everyday life at the university (e.g. with the aid of English-language signage or newsletters). Work will continue on these aspects in the future.

The International Week on Building Engineering, Energy & Mobility was held at UAS Technikum Wien for the third time already.

The International Week on Building Engineering, Energy & Mobility was held at UAS Technikum Wien for the third time already. Partner institutions from China, Mongolia, Portugal, France and Romania came together to discuss concepts in these areas. The program included a visit to the energy park in Bruck an der Leitha, content-focused workshops and networking with regard to the organization of research. With a delegation from Mid Sweden University, among other issues, a joint degree program was discussed which is due to start in the 2018/19 academic year. A large delegation also arrived from Lapland University of Applied Sciences, with the aim of creating a sustainable and comprehensive network between the two universities (beyond the exchange of individual lecturers).

Student and Employee Mobility

As in previous years, both staff and students of UAS Technikum Wien show great interest in gaining experience of various kinds abroad.

As in previous years, both staff and students of UAS Technikum Wien demonstrate considerable interest in gaining experience of various kinds abroad. 41 of the 221 business trips made by employees were supported by Erasmus+. Although the total number of trips abroad increased, the number of Erasmus+ grants fell from 64 to 41. Of these 41, 16 were for teaching purposes and 25 for training purposes. The gender ratio is relatively balanced here. 17 women and 24 men visited universities in the Erasmus+ area. What is striking, however, is that only two female employees traveled for teaching purposes. A reverse gender ratio is noticeable when it comes to training mobility, with 15 women and 10 men leaving UAS Technikum Wien for this purpose. The comparatively high proportion of female staff members who travel can also be explained by the fact that administrative staff, who are more likely to be female in this field of activity than in teaching, can apply for funding for stays abroad and are also happy to take advantage of this offer, such as to attend language courses.

2016/17

2017/18

Outgoing employees

199

221

Incoming employees

Outgoing students

166

119

Incoming students

Institutional partnerships

â&#x20AC;˘ of which non-European

20%

22%

â&#x20AC;˘ of which European

80%

78%

The situation is reversed for the international guests who visited UAS Technikum Wien in the 2017/18 academic year. While the number of visitors fell slightly from 73 to 63, the proportion of Erasmus+-funded students coming here rose from 30 to 48. As in the years before, visits for further education purposes outweighed those for teaching (29:19). However, the gap between the sexes has widened significantly. While in the 2016/17 academic year, exactly one third of the visitors were women, there were now only five compared to 48 men. There has been a slight decline in the mobility of students at UAS Technikum Wien. While 166 students completed a semester or internship abroad in the 2016/17 academic year, only 119 did so in the 2017/18 academic year. However, there has been an increase in the number of women who have decided to stay abroad.

34 percent of all student mobility was undertaken by female students in the 2017/18 academic year, compared with 28 percent in the previous year. The numbers of incoming students are similar to those of the previous year. 90 students from partner universities around the world completed either a semester abroad or an internship at UAS Technikum Wien. It is striking that the share of women has fallen compared to the 2016/17 academic year. While 38 percent of incoming students were female during that period, this figure has now dropped to 30 percent.

90 students from partner universities around the world completed either a semester abroad or an internship at UAS Technikum Wien.

Beyond the Borders of Europe: University Mobility in the Context of Erasmus+ Key action 1 (individual learning mobility) of the European Commission's Erasmus+ program has, since 2015, included the Erasmus university mobility spin-off of the International Credit Mobility (ICM). This promotes student and staff mobility in the higher education sector between program and partner countries around the world, and has thus enabled UAS Technikum Wien to exchange and transfer knowledge with international partners since the beginning of the activity in 2015.

The cooperation with these four partner countries, which was supported by the 2016 project, had a number of significant effects on the international landscape of UAS Technikum Wien, including the development of transnational curricula in the form of joint degree programs with Russia and Argentina.

While the submission in 2015 was made in cooperation with the National Research University Higher School of Economics in Russia and the Mongolian University of Science and Technology in Mongolia, which since then have been a fixed part of the annual application, this was soon expanded by the existing partnerships with the Instituto Tecnologico de Buenos Aires in Argentina and the China Three Gorges University in China. The cooperation with these four partner countries, which was supported by the 2016 project, had a number of significant effects on the international landscape of UAS Technikum Wien, including the development of transnational curricula in the form of joint degree programs with Russia and Argentina, student projects on urban development in Ulan Bator with Mongolia, or the presentation of joint research results at congresses, such as the one at the BauZ Exhibition in January 2018 with Chinese partners of UAS Technikum Wien. The cooperation is reflected in a variety of topics at UAS Technikum Wien, including the area of Information Systems Management and Information Systems, Mobile eyetracking for usability evaluation and sustainable building and sustainable urban development. In addition to the technical topics, it also includes, for example, the introduction of gender mainstreaming to the everyday life of partner universities. The highlight of each academic year for the students of UAS Technikum Wien, who within the framework of the joint degree program with Moscow study for one year at HSE, is the graduation, which is now celebrated at the Austrian Embassy.

In the course of the first round of the project, the first specific international week of UAS Technikum Wien was developed on the topic of Building and Energy Design &

Engineering and Environmental Technologies with partners from the project. This exchange now takes place every year and offers added value to the existing network of UAS Technikum Wien. The program has been instrumental in the development of strategic partnerships over the years between the four partner countries China, Mongolia, Russia and Argentina. The project involved staff ranging from university management and teaching to IT and gender/diversity management. After their travels, they received the Erasmus+ Mobility pass as a sign of recognition from the university. This underscores, among other things, the value placed on acquiring non-formal skills, such as intercultural competence or learning a new language. The project in 2016 enabled 22 students, 15 staff and 11 teachers to travel to and from the four partner countries and, at the end of the project, 100 percent of the participants were satisfied. In addition to the visible effects of the project, this was one of the reasons why this project of UAS Technikum Wien was selected among the three best for the Erasmus+ Award 2018 in the category of higher education.

The program has been instrumental in the development of strategic partnerships over the years between the four partner countries China, Mongolia, Russia and Argentina.

Since 2015, the ICM project has been supporting the international measures of UAS Technikum Wien, enriching the international landscapes of all participating universities, and has become an integral part of UAS Technikum Wien and its focus on internationalization.

Development of student numbers

2014â&#x20AC;&#x201C;15 3827

2015-16 3973

2016-17 4093

2017-18 4180

Teaching In the 2017/18 academic year, 13 bachelor’s and 18 master’s degree programs were offered in four different organizational forms (full-time, extra-occupational, dual and distance study) at the University of Applied Sciences Technikum Wien.

Type

Semester

Full-time / Extraoccupational / Dual / Distance study

Biomedical Engineering

Biomedical Engineering Sciences

Electronics and Business

Electronic Engineering

Embedded Systems

Renewable Urban Energy Systems

Game Engineering and Simulation

Healthcare and Rehabilitation Technology

Industrial Electronics

Computer Science

DUAL

Information Management and IT Security

Innovation and Technology Management

Integrative Urban Development – Smart City

International Business and Engineering

Degree program

Information and Communication Systems & Services

Study places

New and Improved Degree Programs In the 2017/18 academic year, the master’s program in Mechanical Engineering was launched. The new master’s program is designed to provide students with the know-how they need to cope with the increasing digitalization of mechanical engineering. The focus of this study program is on developing machinery and plants, starting from coming up with ideas and preparing drafts in a structured way down to the construction, calculation and simulation thereof. Graduates should be able to understand, organize, plan and manage this entire development process in the various sectors of mechanical engineering.

The first dual computer science course of study was also launched in Austria in the 2017/18 academic year, This is an attractive, practice-based study model to meet the strong demand for study places in computer science degrees. In contrast to the full-time form, the “dual” form of organization has a significantly higher number of mandatory practical phases in partner companies anchored in the curriculum in terms of content and organization, that are intended to promote the systematic interweaving of knowledge and application, theory and practice, abstraction and problem.

Type

Semester

Full-time / Extraoccupational / Dual / Distance study

Mechanical Engineering

Mechatronics/Robotics

Smart Homes and Assistive Technologies

Software Development

Sports Equipment Technology

Environmental Management and Ecotoxicology

Telecommunications and Internet Technologies

Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine

Urban Renewable Energy Technologies

Transport and Environment

Business Informatics

Degree program

Study places

Since the master’s program in Innovation and Technology Management promotes interdisciplinarity and diversity in a targeted manner, and also benefits from a heterogeneous student population, the FH teaching board (FH-Kollegium) agreed in December 2016 to broaden the admission requirements for the master’s program from the 2017/18 academic year. On the basis of a university-level understanding of quality and the quality objectives of UAS Technikum Wien in the area of studying and teaching, the bachelor’s degree program in Computer Science and the master’s degree programs in Information Management & Computer Security, Software Development and Game Engineering & Simulation underwent an evaluation process in the 2017/18 academic year, which comprises the phases of planning, surveying, documentation, evaluation and implementation. The quality objectives of UAS Technikum Wien in the field of studying and teaching are: •

• •

•

Students reach the level of education associated with the qualification goals (feasibility) during the standard study period. The curriculum meets scientific and professional requirements. The conditions and organization of the degree programs are effective and support the achievement of the educational objectives. The courses initiate, accompany and support the learning processes of students to achieve the learning outcomes. The lecturers are technically up-to-date and qualified as higher-education teachers.

The quality objectives are not standards and criteria that the degree programs must comply with and which result in a yes or no decision. By using various instruments and methods (online surveys of students, graduates and teachers; statistical evaluations, occupational field research, expert workshops), it is evaluated how good the degree programs are in achieving the quality objectives. The underlying question is therefore not: “Are we good enough?” but: “How good are we?” This finding is used to derive measures for the further development of the degree programs, serving as a kind of continuous improvement process.

The final reports of the evaluation procedures, which also contain measures for the further development of the degree programs, were dealt with by the UAS Technikum Wien council in May 2018. The measures are being planned and implemented by the Quality Assurance service department together with the degree programs, with the timeframe depending on the scope of the changes (minor changes to the study regulations, which can be decided autonomously by the program director; non-minor changes, which are decided by the FH teaching board; and changes requiring accreditation, which result in an amendment application to be submitted to AQ Austria).

The steady increase in the number of students in recent years continued. Students The continuous increase in the number of students in recent years continued and reached 4,180 in the 2017/18 academic year. Both the ratio between full-time and extra-occupational study programs and the proportion of women in these degree formats underwent only minor changes compared with previous years. Due to the continuing rise in demand for technical training and further education, the UAS accepted more students in the 2017/18 academic year than there were study places available (subsidized from federal funds). These additional study places are provided for in accordance with the available budget and without impacting the consistently high quality of education at the university.

Total number of students

4.180 4.093 3.973

3.827

2014/15

2015/16

2016/17

2017/18

2014/15

2015/16

3,827

Full-time students

1,795

47%

1,875

47%

1,958

48%

2,146

51%

322

18%

337

18%

362

18%

412

19%

2,032

53%

2,098

53%

2,135

52%

2,034

49%

316

16%

360

17%

387

18%

344

17%

Extra-occupational students • Extra-occupational female students

Female Students The proportion of female students has risen slightly in line with the trend of recent years. Currently, just over 18 percent of all students are female. UAS Technikum Wien has taken several measures to introduce more women to technology and technical fields of study and to create framework conditions that specifically support female students. Congresses and events such as the Daughter Days or the FiT Study Information Fair are used to specifically address female school-leavers and inform them about technical training opportunities (see the chapter on Relational Capital). The measure implemented over the past five academic years to increase the share of women among students as part of the “Women in Crafts and Technology” (FiT) program was continued in the 2017/18 academic year with two preparatory courses. The participants are specially prepared for the Smart Homes and Assistive Technologies as well as Computer Science bachelor programs. Whether girls and young women opt for a technical course or a technical degree also depends on whether there are corresponding role models. “EUR 1,000 instead of flowers” is the title of a growing cooperation with the Association of the Austrian Electrical and Electronics Industries (FEEI). On the one hand, six scholarships are awarded every year to excellent female students to bring women who perform outstandingly in the technical field into the spotlight. Secondly, events for female students and graduates are held at various technical companies under the title “Network meetings EUR 1,000 instead of flowers”. The content of these meetings is to get to know the company and provide input on topics concerning women in technology in particular, as well

4,093

2017/18

Total students

• Full-time female students

3,973

2016/17

4,180

as networking. In the summer semester, for example, a meeting was held at Siemens Building Technologies on the premises of Siemens City. Working as well as studying with supervision duties are strongly influenced by the general conditions at the university. At UAS Technikum Wien, we work continuously to further the study/family/career balance. UAS Technikum Wien has been entitled to hold the certificate “Family-friendly University” since 2014 and, in fall 2017, the certificate was again issued and awarded by the audit board of trustees (Audit-Kuratorium). Five measures have already been implemented, with a further six still or partially outstanding. One measure, for example, is the expansion of childcare facilities for students and employees on school-free working days and during the first week of school holidays. ProjectKitchen, the MakerSpace of UAS Technikum Wien, organized a series of workshops in cooperation with Mz*Baltazar's Lab (Vienna's feminist creative space for hackers and others). In these “hands-on” workshops, both technical basics and a creative and artistic examination of the implications of technology were dealt with, with artists and lecturers from Mz* Baltazar's Lab working together with the participants with electronics, sounds and other media. The workshop series started with a lecture by Dr. Stefanie Wuschitz on the work of Mz* Baltazar's Lab, their own definition of the term “feminist hacking”, the worldwide phenomenon of feminist hacker spaces and the planned collaboration of ProjectKitchen and Mz* Baltazar's Lab.

Currently, just over 18 percent of all students are female.

Students with Foreign Citizenship The trend towards an increasingly international student body at UAS Technikum Wien is continuing. The proportion of students from the EU rose again for the first time, while that of students from third countries, which had increased in recent years, remained the same. Germany still plays the most important role when it comes to individual countries of origin. However, the number of students from the Peopleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Republic of China has sharply increased: In the 2017/18 academic year, half

as many people of Chinese origin as people of German origin studied at UAS Technikum Wien. The number of students from India and the Ukraine, on the other hand, has declined significantly in recent years. Particularly noteworthy is the fact that an increasing number of foreign students coming to UAS Technikum Wien are female. 30 percent of all female students have a foreign citizenship, compared to 20 percent of all male students. The internationalization of the degree programs, which was decided on and started in the past few years, offers these foreign students, among others, additional opportunities to study at UAS Technikum Wien.

2014/15

2015/16

2016/17

2017/18

16%

18%

20%

22%

â&#x20AC;˘ of which EU

10%

â&#x20AC;˘ of which third countries

11%

12%

Proportion of female students with foreign citizenship

24%

26%

28%

30%

Proportion of male students with foreign citizenship

15%

16%

18%

20%

Germany

China

Iran

Turkey

Students in 2015/16

142

Students in 2016/17

166

Students in 2017/18

209

114

Proportion of students with foreign citizenship

Nations represented

Students by Type of School There were no major changes compared to previous years with regard to the previous education of students at UAS Technikum Wien. Graduates of a vocational high school (BHS) continue to represent the largest group of students. The second-biggest group is made up of graduates from a high school providing general education (AHS). More than 70 percent of all students come from one of these types of schools. While female students increasingly start at UAS Technikum Wien after graduating from a general high school, male students mainly come from vocational high schools.

2015/16

2016/17

2017/18

Prior education

total

female

total

female

total

female

BHS (incl. college)

1,664

10%

1,769

10%

1,751

10%

AHS

1,199

27%

1,203

28%

1,310

28%

Foreign school-leaving examination

598

25%

579

21%

580

24%

Other domestic university entrance examination

283

317

279

10%

Professional qualification

229

16%

225

18%

186

19%

Others

2015/16

2016/17

2017/18

Access to master’s degree

total

female

total

female

total

female

UAS bachelor

887

15%

899

15%

914

15%

University bachelor

244

34%

266

38%

251

37%

UAS master

27%

24%

30%

University master (and higher)

118

33%

40%

44%

Post-secondary degree

22%

38%

Others

21%

71%

38%

Total UAS degrees

939

16%

945

15%

957

15%

Total bachelor’s degrees

1,131

19%

1,165

20%

1,165

19%

In the course of the admission procedure for a bachelor’s degree program, it is possible to take a qualification examination. This additional examination is not a generally valid university entrance examination, but it enables the student to acquire a qualification for a certain course of study at UAS Technikum Wien. For this, it is necessary to complete a relevant apprenticeship, a vocational secondary school (BMS) or three years at a higher technical school (HTL).. Qualification examinations are a common way of being admitted to a degree program without a “Matura” (Austrian school-leaving exam). They must be taken in the subjects of German, English and Mathematics as well as in Physics for individual degree programs. For some years, UAS Technikum Wien has been offering preparatory courses in mathematics, physics, English, and German to prepare potential students for the qualification exam. This path, which several dozen prospective students successfully follow every year, has established itself as an additional opportunity to enable people with a technical background but without a Matura to attend a technical degree program.

Master’s Students after Completion of Academic Degree The vast majority of all master’s students at UAS Technikum Wien have a bachelor’s degree. Most of them have in turn graduated from universities of applied sciences, even though the share of students with a bachelor’s degree from a university has increased in the last few years. Female students are more likely to have a university degree (bachelor’s, master’s, or higher) than male students.

2015/16

2016/17

2017/18

Applications

Admitted

Applications

Admitted

Applications

Admitted

Bachelor’s degree programs

1,950

1,304

1,968

1,266

2,098

1,337

Master’s degree programs

1,012

816

928

791

970

776

Total

2,962

2,120

2,896

2,057

3,068

2,113

Share of admissions

72%

71%

69%

2015/16

2016/17

2017/18

Admission rate of female students

59%

61%

• to bachelor’s degree programs

53%

51%

55%

• to master’s degree programs

71%

82%

73%

Graduates

A total of 11,000 students have completed their studies at UAS Technikum Wien so far.

A total of some 11,000 students have completed their studies at UAS Technikum Wien so far. While the number of bachelor’s and master’s degrees is roughly the same as two academic years ago, the number of certificate courses increased sharply during this period (at a comparatively low level) from 38 to 125. At almost 50 percent, the proportion of female graduates in the certificate courses is considerably higher than in bachelor’s or master’s degrees.

Applicants For the first time, there were more than 3,000 applicants (i.e. prospective students who took an entrance exam) for a degree program at UAS Technikum Wien, of which two thirds were bachelor degree programs. There were also nearly 200 new participants in courses. The admission rate, especially to bachelor degree programs, has declined over the last few academic years, with the number of study places not keeping pace with the interest in studies at UAS Technikum Wien. Whereas in 2015/16, 67 percent of all those interested were admitted to a bachelor’s degree program, the figure was just under 64 percent in 2017/18. For female students, there is a considerable difference between the enrolment rate in bachelor’s and master’s degree programs. The admission rate to bachelor’s degree programs is lower, but has risen in recent years.

Reflection: Understanding in higher education teaching By FH-Prof. Priv.-Doz. Dr. Martin Lehner Head of Department of Entrepreneurship and Communications Virtually no other didactic consideration is as popular as the statement that one wants to enable students to understand. Put another way: Students should not only have memorized knowledge available, but should also have understood and comprehended it. “Understanding” refers to comprehending and grasping something or grasping facts, and this process of interpretation is then reflected in the fact that the students know or are able to do something. In addition, they are able to give explanations themselves, which at best support an expanded understanding of their own or of others. Understanding is characterized by certain features: •

•

Integration into existing knowledge: Understanding means that the new information fits harmoniously into the existing knowledge. Links are created between what is known and new concepts, thereby expanding the individual patterns of interpretation of the person concerned. Standards of understanding: Understanding always means the same as “understanding correctly” without the need to expressly state so. This means that it would not make much sense to speak of insight without reference to a measure of understanding – usually “correctness” or “truth”. Transformation: Understanding is basically a holistic matter because if someone understands a certain fact (= X), then he or she understands similar facts in an area around X as well. All forms of application and transfer are suitable to determine understanding.

procedure – once a principle or the like is introduced, only one example is shown and the students then work on tasks – is often not very effective. It is better if they work on two or more examples, gradually developing them, in order to then work on tasks comprehensively and independently. It is known that students can be given support to understand the examples using what are known as prompts (key questions, requests) to become aware of the logic of the solution to the example. In particular, learners can gain a lot from solution examples if they are able to fill the gaps in reasoning through conclusions. There are other transformations that support and prove the understanding in equal measure. These include, for instance: • •

• •

Capturing structures: Display content in the form of a structural scheme or a mind map; Creating classifications: Bring contents (keywords, arguments, formulas) into a coherent order; Determining what is important: Bring content “to the point”; Simplifying the facts: Prepare content for a target group with little previous knowledge.

Understanding can be promoted by the fact that the students develop certain connections for themselves. This applies to both the inner context, the factual basis of understanding, and the outer context, i.e. the embedding of the contents in a wider context. Learning from examples is often a good way of promoting an initial understanding. Here the research shows that the usual

TLC â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Teaching and Learning Center

The new service center of UAS Technikum Wien is innovative, digital and competent. In the 2017/18 academic year, the Teaching & Learning Center was founded as one of the measures of the 2025 strategy of UAS Technikum Wien to serve as a new service point for teachers and students. The aim is to further improve the quality of teaching and learning processes, bundle competencies and create synergies. In addition, a greater level of digitalization in teaching activities is intended to allow for more flexible and individual learning in terms of time in order to meet the changing demands being made of learning and teaching. Another central focus is on supporting students with their own studies.

Services offered in the 2017/18 academic year ... for students The TLC offers numerous support services for prospective and current students. These include, for example, all activities related to â&#x20AC;&#x153;Studying without Maturaâ&#x20AC;?. Qualification courses in German, English, mathematics and physics prepare applicants who do not have a Matura for the qualification examinations offered by UAS Technikum Wien. If these examinations are passed, it is possible to attend a degree program at UAS Technikum Wien in the chosen field of study, provided that the entrance exam (Reihungstest) to be taken during the admission procedure has been successfully passed. During the summer break, all freshmen have the opportunity to attend warm-up courses in mathematics, physics, computer science, electrical engineering, English and German. These are free of charge and help first-semester students to refresh their knowledge in the individual areas in order to make a better start to their studies. In addition to these offers, the blended learning platforms for mathematics and physics support self-study with examples, scripts and learning videos.

The TLC staff are also available to answer any questions students may have about problems with the Moodle learning platform used at UAS Technikum Wien. We are constantly working on expanding our services. From the 2018 winter semester, for example, Welcome Days will be held for all first-year bachelor students, familiarizing them with the general surroundings, structures, examination regulations, etc. at the UAS and thus given them a smoother start to their studies.

... for lecturers The service for lecturers is also constantly being expanded. The work in this academic year focused particularly on overhauling and further developing the Moodle learning platform. It was made more functional, given a make-over and had an example course set up with numerous learning videos about working in and with Moodle. Numerous Moodle training courses â&#x20AC;&#x201C; from beginner courses to advanced level â&#x20AC;&#x201C; were held by the TLC team for teachers as well as administration staff. The didactics retreat of the Vice Rectorate for Teaching was actively supported with a sequence on how to record teaching videos in a simple way. Numerous teachers were also personally coached for their actual work in and with Moodle and given support to solve special problems. There was continuous filming work being performed in the newly created eLab to create further learning videos using a modern interactive smartboard. The aim here is to provide students with meaningful support with their learning, especially during periods of self-study far away from the University of Applied Sciences. The focus of this academic year was on mathematics. In this academic year, the TLC also initiated the first standardizations in the field of courses in interdisciplinary areas such as soft skills, English, as well as economics and law.

Students 4180

Employees 1155

Research and Development

In recent years, there has been alternation between growth and phases of consolidation. 50

A Summary of R&D Developments Looking at the number and total volume of R&D projects over the last five years, significant increases alternated with years of consolidation. From 2014/15 to 2015/16, the total volume remained almost the same, rising by almost one million euros in the following year. In the 2017/18 academic year, it remained roughly at this higher level again, with only a slight increase. The same also applies to the number of R&D projects carried out at UAS Technikum Wien.

2013/14

2014/15

2015/16

2016/17

2017/18

Total number of projects

115

118

New projects

Total volume (EUR million)

3.5

4.7

4.6

5.5

5.8

Total third-party funding (EUR million)

2.7

3.5

3.4

4.2

4.4

â&#x20AC;˘ from orders (EUR million)

0.1

0.2

0.5

0.6

â&#x20AC;˘ from subsidies (EUR million)

2.6

3.2

3.8

3.9

Volume of R&D projects (Mio. Euro)

Number of R&D projects 115

118

5,8 6

5,5

4,7

4,6

82 4

3,5 64 3

2013/14

2014/15

2015/16

2016/17

2017/18

2013/14

2014/15

2015/16

2016/17

2017/18

Funding Structure and Outlook

90 percent of all third-party R&D funding from grants in the 2017/18 academic year came from the City of Vienna or the FFG.

As in previous years, the majority of third-party funded projects of UAS Technikum Wien are financed by the Vienna programme for funding universities of applied science (Wiener FachhochschulfĂśrderung). In the 2017/18 academic year, this represented 62 percent of third-party R&D funding or 66 percent of the volume of all third-party funded projects. A further 28 percent of third-party funding came from the Austrian Research Promotion Agency (FFG) this academic year. In the area of EU funding, again no application was approved in Horizon 2020 despite several attempts during the academic year, which means that the share of international research projects at UAS Technikum Wien remains low. R&D at UAS Technikum Wien still takes place mainly in rather small projects (volume below EUR 100,000) or very large ones (volume above EUR 400,000). Only a small proportion of projects have a volume in between these two amounts. Small projects (such as commissioned projects, innovation checks and FFG qualification networks) account for a total of 19 percent of the total volume, despite their small volumes. Very large projects (such as projects of the City of Vienna or the Christian-Â Doppler-Gesellschaft) account for 71 percent of the total volume. Slightly less than half of all funded projects take place in cooperation with partners. Cooperation with companies that are involved in 40 percent of all funded projects, above all in FFG-funded projects, remains particularly strong. Given the Austrian and international funding landscape, a sharp increase in research output at UAS Technikum Wien is not to be expected in the coming years. For several years now, the City of Vienna's funding program for universities of applied sciences, which accounts for the majority of third-party funding for R&D, has had an approximately constant overall budget, which restricts the opportunities for growth in R&D.

Current Topics and Developments Josef Ressel Centers are funding models in which application-oriented research is carried out at a high level over several years in cooperation with business partners. In 2017, a total of eleven of these centers existed at Austrian universities of applied sciences. The first Josef Ressel Center at UAS Technikum Wien, which was funded from 2013 to 2018, was concluded in this academic year. It was possible to obtain approval for a further center based in the Embedded Systems research focal area, which will enable a further long-term research perspective there. The internationalization of teaching at UAS Technikum Wien is an important topic for the coming years. In the past academic year, several externally funded projects funded by the City of Vienna were launched in which international cooperation was established, and curricula and didactic methods were developed for specific subject areas. The “IoCEST” project, for example, deals with the internationalization of curricula in areas such as engineering and environmental technologies, while “Health-CONNECT” aims to harmonize learning objectives and content in the field of eHealth through an exchange with partner universities in Portugal and Germany. On the one hand, this makes the degree programs of UAS Technikum Wien more attractive for international students, and on the other hand, the qualifications that students achieve here are more relevant for international use. Requirements for technical research increasingly go beyond purely technical knowledge. Funding bodies are increasingly demanding the integration of transdisciplinary approaches, and for research to have an economic or social use. In the 2017/18 academic year, further education courses were again held for researchers on these topics, and these are to be further intensified in the 2018/19 academic year. In order to offer researchers working at UAS Technikum a qualification beyond the master's program, a dissertation cooperation with Vienna University of Technology has been set up as of the 2018/19 academic year. This allows students to complete doctoral studies at Vienna University of Technology, where part of the supervision takes place at UAS Technikum Wien. Further partnerships of this kind with universities outside Austria are planned for the next academic year.

An important area of research work is the dissemination of results through lectures or publications. The newly launched publication database of UAS Technikum Wien is intended to provide a more comprehensive and accurate picture of publication activities. In the 2017/18 academic year, 101 publications were published by researchers of UAS Technikum Wien, of which about half were publications in the context of conferences and slightly more than a third were articles in scientific journals. This roughly corresponds to the number of publications in the 2016/17 academic year. Furthermore, 98 scientific lectures were held by researchers of UAS Technikum Wien in the 2017/18 academic year. With its startup initiative “Start me up”, UAS Technikum Wien would like to give students, employees, alumni and all other interested parties an incentive to pursue entrepreneurial thinking and innovation, the aim here being, among other things, to make students more attractive to employers and to facilitate the transfer of knowledge into the economy. As such, UAS Technikum Wien offers support to interested parties and all those who already have innovative business ideas. In fall 2016, events and workshops were launched in which experts talk about what it takes to set up a company successfully. Moreover, anyone looking to set up their own business is given support from mentors of UAS Technikum Wien. The aim is to help startups on an individual basis and to take advantage of partnerships, e.g. with INiTS, Vienna Business Agency, etc. There has been contact with around 30 internal and external startups since summer 2016, which have been supported in various ways. For example, UAS Technikum Wien provides coaching and infrastructure services to the successful IoT startup ToolSense, which was founded by students of the university. All in all, UAS Technikum Wien has become a visible player in this field over the past year and has also built up its own lively community.

Organization of R&D at UAS Technikum Wien The strategic research activities of UAS Technikum Wien are organized via the interdepartmental research focal areas: • Embedded Systems and Cyber-Physical Systems • Renewable Urban Energy Systems • Secure Services, eHealth & Mobility • Tissue Engineering and Molecular Life Science Technologies • Automation and Robotics

Embedded Systems and Cyber-Physical Systems Embedded Systems and Cyber-Physical Systems represent the largest relevance-oriented research area at UAS Technikum Wien. Located at the Department of Embedded Systems, this research focal area includes the two basic technological fields of “testing and verification of distributed embedded computer systems” and “design of embedded computer systems” as well as “smart home and assistive technologies” applications. Another area in the environment of the “Internet of Things” (IoT) is currently under construction within the institute. Research activities are generally concerned with the development and expansion of competencies, but also with the utilization of the results for academic teaching in relevant degree programs at UAS Technikum Wien as well as researching current issues in cooperation with industry. An example of the latter activities is the “Josef Ressel Center” funding program, in which universities of applied sciences carry out “application-oriented research at a high level” with Austrian companies, according to the definition of the Christian Doppler Forschungsgesellschaft (CDG). Two proposals of the Department of Embedded Systems have successfully undergone the international scientific review process to date and were considered worthy of support by the committees of the CDG. Modern electronics have substantially changed our lives: Cabin pressure control in aircraft, railway signalling systems, brake control in cars – electronics under high

What we have developed is a framework that can specifically intersperse errors in programmable logic devices to analyze the effect of errors on system behavior.

safety requirements must be much more robust than in everyday applications. From May 2013 to April 2018, the team of the Department of Embedded Systems at the Josef Ressel Center VECS (“Verification of Embedded Computing Systems”) dealt with the verification of embedded computer systems for such safety-critical applications. In cooperation with Bluetechnix R&D GmbH, LOYTEC electronics GmbH, Infineon Technologies Austria AG, Siemens AG Österreich, Kapsch TrafficCom AG and Oregano Systems GmbH, new approaches for the verification of embedded systems, both at the hardware and software level, were jointly researched. During the five-year period of the center, around 30 scientific publications were produced documenting the results of the project. Finally, an open source tool suite was developed that helps develop systems that react more robustly to faults and errors. This tool suite is called FIJI (“Fault-Injection Instrumenter”). “What we have developed is a framework that can specifically intersperse errors in programmable logic devices (so-called FPGAs – Field-Programmable Gate Arrays) in order to analyze the effects of errors on system behavior,” says Martin Horauer, who headed the Josef Ressel Center VECS between 2013 and 2018. “When developing safety-critical systems, one tries to subject them to a certain stress. FIJI helps developers to think about the errors that can happen while the system is being built, and to develop a more robust system.” By publishing FIJI under an open source license on the VECS project website, other academic institutions, companies, and individuals around the world can not only use the tool suite, but also continue to develop it by having access to the entire source code. In 2017, a proposal for another Josef Ressel Center, which was partly linked to VECS, was prepared by the Department of Embedded Systems, which was approved in spring 2018 and opened on July 1, 2018. The institutes's new Josef Ressel Center focuses on the development of “Electronic Based Systems”: The team at the new center again will cooperate with Austrian companies. The Josef Ressel Center funding program has been around since 2012. As of October 2018, 14 Josef Ressel Centers have since been set up in Austria. The only two centers established to date in Vienna are both located at the Department of Embedded Systems at UAS Techni-

kum Wien, which was transferred to the new Electronic Engineering Department at the end of the 2017/18 period.

Renewable Urban Energy Systems The transition of the energy system towards a sustainable supply system has made great progress in recent years thanks to intensive research and development activities, particularly in the field of technology. Renewable generation technologies such as wind power and photovoltaics have established themselves on the market and, together with conventional renewable generation technologies such as large-scale and small-scale hydropower, make a relevant contribution to sustainable electricity and heat generation. Given the rising number of private, decentralized, fluctuating energy generation plants in combination with electricity storage, an increasing share of e-mobility and the increasing electrification of building heating systems, the energy system faces major challenges, the complexity of which will continue to grow from today’s perspective. In order to guarantee security of supply with maximum energy efficiency and a high proportion of renewable energy sources in the future, our energy system must therefore undergo a fundamental transformation in the coming years, taking into account the rising level of digitalization, current social developments, and changing framework conditions and requirements. At the same time, new innovative technological (e.g. blockchain, artificial intelligence) and systemic developments and achievements open up new opportunities to jointly address these challenges at local or regional level. In order to meet these challenges, an interdisciplinary team of researchers at UAS Technikum Wien within the research focal area Renewable Energy Systems deals with topics in this context at different levels. In close cooperation with university and non-university research institutions, as well as in cooperation with the energy industry and Austrian companies, the experts of the R&D focal area were involved in more than 25 national and European research and training projects in a leading capacity in 2017/18. Leading roles in national and international expert networks – such as the deputy head of the photovoltaic research program of the International Energy Agency (IEA) – are in the hands of the experts of the R&D focal area, as are the scientific management and co-designing of various specialist conferences.

With the “Clean Energy for all Europeans” package, the EU presented a very ambitious proposal for our future energy system two years ago. In the future, so-called “Renewable Energy Communities” or “Citizen Energy Communities” are to offer prosumers and consumers the opportunity to make a contribution to energy system transformation by making joint use of self-generated energy, as well as through investments in joint generation and storage facilities. In the “awarenESS” research project, the feasibility of a community storage facility for rural communities is being investigated using the specific example of Großschönau. A key aspect here is the development of suitable management, cooperation and accounting models that enable all participants to participate fairly, on an equal footing, and in accordance with their individual possibilities and usage preferences, while at the same time taking into account their individual requirements and interests. Based on ideas regarding energy communities, the research project “Zukunftsquartier” aims to develop transferable concepts for plus-energy neighborhoods as substantial preparatory work to implement an energy showcase district in Vienna. By analyzing a larger number of neighborhoods and developing recommendations for action (e.g. for the planning process, for technology combinations and for stakeholder involvement), the project is intended to be an important initiator and pioneer for the realization of future innovative energy showcase neighborhoods in Vienna and other cities. In view of the developments mentioned at the beginning, flexible energy consumption is becoming increasingly important both in industry and in the private sector. In the “Flex+” project, concepts are being developed together with component manufacturers, energy suppliers and other research institutions, and tested in real-life situations with more than 100 private households in Austria. The aim is to develop the flexibility of private heat pumps, electric boilers, battery storage and electric cars and to use them for network and system purposes. The “SPIN.OFF” research project shows that electricity storage facilities in the private sector and in businesses can make an active contribution to relieving the burden on the grid. Together with the Vienna University of

Various socially acceptable and environmentally friendly scenarios for a flexible urban energy system will be developed. Technology and other project partners, a self-learning energy management system based on an artificial neural network is being developed and tested in an office building in Vienna to reduce load and generation peaks. However, a decisive factor for the long-term success of these mostly technical developments is their social acceptance. In the “sLIM - Smart Living in Urban Metropolis” project, funded by the City of Vienna, different approaches to make the urban energy system more flexible are being developed. However, the focus here is not so much on the technical potential as on the social and environmental effects. Various socially acceptable and environmentally friendly scenarios for a flexible urban energy system are being developed against the background of important trends in the fields of environment, technology and society.

Secure Services, eHealth & Mobility Improving quality of life, promoting innovation and conserving resources: these are the strategic long-term goals of the Smart City framework strategy, which aims to ensure that the city of Vienna retains its status as the most livable city up to 2050 and to improve its reputation as an innovative city. Digital transformation constantly offers new innovative processes, models and developments to achieve these goals using the latest technologies, and is therefore a central factor in achieving them. Digitalization makes it possible to create demand-oriented and efficient care structures in order to promote healthy and climate-friendly mobility, and to continuously improve the provision of healthcare to citizens. In the field of eHealth, for example, it helps reduce the number of hospital stays through interoperable telemonitoring systems in accordance with the telemonitoring framework architecture of the Federal Ministry of Labour, Social Affairs, Health and Consumer Protection developed by UAS Technikum Wien. Another example are rehabilitation concepts that are supported by IT solutions in the personal environment, such as those developed and tested in the REHAbitation research project. With a view to data transparency and increasing the health awareness of patients, the research focus can boast a large number of projects for the creation of

digital medical documentation using the CDA standard (commissions from, among others, the Austrian Medical Association or PVA). As such, patients have full control and overview over their data at all times and from any location. For the success of digitalization, interdisciplinary cooperation is seen as the key to success. An important aspect is promoting cooperation between IT experts and specialists with specialist knowledge in order to generate promising ideas and develop innovative solutions. Since its inception, the research focus “Secure Services, eHealth & Mobility” has consciously being promoting this aspect by way of the fact that employees of UAS Technikum Wien working together in research teams across departments. This can also be seen in current projects such as HealthConnect, IES Austria, REHABitation or GreisslerPLUS, in which knowledge from information and communication technology, biomedicine, electronics, electrical engineering and mechanics is applied. Another interdisciplinary project is the Innovation Lab for Medical Technology and eHealth (INNOVATE), the aim of which is to provide an easy-to-use technological basis on which data protection-compliant, easy-touse eHealth solutions can be developed, even without high-level specialist knowledge. The project is currently investigating the quality requirements for mobile applications that can be found in both the medical and lifestyle sectors. Firstly, quality aspects from classical software development were examined for their relevance to mobile applications, filtered out and consolidated by means of expert interviews. The result was that interoperability and secure services were highlighted as the most important aspects. Following on from this, specifications, guidelines and communication standards were collected and selected on the basis of previously defined criteria in order to implement two application cases as Android prototypes for validation. The resulting applications and the collected quality criteria are used for teaching purposes in various degree programs.

For the success of digitalization, interdisciplinary cooperation is seen as the key to success.

Another aspect of digitalization is the major relevance of the preparation of data used, because only “smart data” can enable the digital transformation to lead to increased efficiency in processes and new market models. In order to process unstructured data, and to analyze and use them based on approaches from the field of artificial intelligence, they must first be made interoperable and exchangeable. Interoperability of data and systems in the context of medical information systems has been a core topic of the “Secure Services, eHealth & Mobility” research focus for years. However, the requirements for interoperable data and systems are not limited to the medical sector. The Integrating the Energy System (IES) research project investigates and demonstrates how harmonization processes for standardized data transmission from a medical setting can be transferred to the energy world and applied there. For this purpose, use cases were defined with stakeholders from the energy environment and this requirement was technologically implemented using profiles. The use cases include the communication of measured variables from energy components in the field to a central control unit, the transmission of schedules (performance specifications to be fullfilled in the future), as well as the adjustment of system configurations. These three profiles were implemented by project partners and external companies, and validated by means of interoperability and conformity tests. The test software Gazelle from the field of eHealth was adapted, reconfigured and embedded into the IT infrastructure of UAS Technikum Wien. Participation in the European IHE Connectathon 2018 in The Hague can be seen as a preliminary highlight, where early software solutions based on the defined profiles were tested. Another such event will take place at Energybase in January 2019 to enable software manufacturers to conduct quality-assured, internationally recognized interoperability tests.

Tissue Engineering and Molecular Life Science Technologies The research activities of the Biochemical Engineering Institute (at the end of the 2017/18 observation period, it was merged into the new Department of Life Science Engineering) use molecular life science technology concepts and the basic science of biochemistry. This approach makes it possible to investigate potential threats to the environment and human health. In the fields of tissue engineering and regenerative therapies, techniques that allow the replacement of injured or destroyed tissue in patients are being further developed and optimized. One of the focal areas of regenerative medicine at UAS Technikum Wien is to discover how shock waves affect cells and tissue. In the field of biomaterials, the many years of intensive research and development work on a novel structure made of silk fibers with the aim of regenerating tendons and ligaments contributed to the establishment of the startup company Morphomed in 2017, where this new technology forms the basis for developing an implant for use in hospitals as a substitute for the cruciate ligament.

In the fields of tissue engineering and regenerative therapies, techniques that allow the replacement of injured or destroyed tissue in patients are being further developed and optimized. biochemical mode of action of shock waves in order to be able to recommend optimized courses of treatment to the clinic. In ecotoxicology and environmental chemistry, cellular systems and simple organisms such as bacteria and algae, as well as more complex organisms such as snails and worms, make it possible to estimate the hazard potential of chemicals and their mixtures in the environment. Molecular biological methods make it possible to determine the exact mode of action of these undesirable substances and are therefore the focus of intense development work for use in teaching and research at the University of Applied Sciences.

New findings in the field of disease models for use in skeletal muscle regeneration were published in a review article entitled â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Importance of Biophysical and Biochemical Stimuli in Dynamic Skeletal Muscleâ&#x20AC;? in the international journal Frontiers in Physiology.

Furthermore, the microinjection method was successfully established in fish egg cells. This allows substances such as anti-cancer agents to be tested during the fiveday development phase up to the amphibious zebrafish larva, which is not yet subject to animal testing laws. This enables a variety of new areas of application and forms the basis for further research projects.

For years, there has been no scientific mechanism of action explaining the success of shock wave treatment for non-healing wounds of diabetes patients in hospitals. In a project funded by AUVA, the effect of shock waves directly on diabetic cells of mice or human cells with increased glucose load is being investigated together with the LBI Traumatology department at the LorenzBĂśhler-UKH hospital. The aim is to investigate the

One of the strategic cornerstones of the research focus is the targeted development of a research-led mindset among students by directly integrating current research projects with the teaching at the Institute of Biochemical Engineering. In order to help students acquire skills in the best possible way, the focus is on suitable student-centered didactic approaches that promote networked thinking and social interaction based on a

combination of knowledge, experience, practical skills and self-organization. The “Problem-based Learning (PBL) in Molecular Life Science” funding project launched with funding by the City of Vienna in the 2017/18 academic year will enable a comprehensive expansion of the existing expertise with PBL and other explorative teaching approaches, as well as an increased use of further innovative didactic methods, especially in the two extra-occupational master’s programs “Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine” and “Technical Environmental Management and Ecotoxicology” as well as in the bachelor’s program “Biomedical Engineering” at the University of Applied Sciences Technikum Wien, thereby ensuring the high quality of teaching. Students work in PBL modules based on complex, realistic and job-relevant problems with high application relevance in small groups that can be properly supported by teachers. Many problems are generated directly from the research focus and supervised by researchers. In addition to the (further) development of PBL modules, work focuses on expanding the didactic skills of teaching and research staff and on creating an effective support system and appropriate accompanying measures for the modules. Establishing an international network, public events and workshops will also ensure that PBL is anchored at UAS Technikum Wien and contribute to Vienna’s image as a location for high-quality teaching and to the usability of the project results for other educational institutions as well.

of machines, systems, products, and associated components. Innovative automation and robotics solutions combine mechanical engineering expertise with highly developed sensor concepts and powerful computer algorithms. The networking and communication of system elements via the Internet and the processing of the data acquired in this way enable a wide range of technical concepts and business models, the development of which has only just begun. With regard to system architecture, safety and the direct cooperation between man and machine, current concepts of this “fourth industrial revolution” still leave many questions unanswered. The “Automation and Robotics” field of research concentrates on application-oriented research on the following topics: •

•

Automation and Robotics Automation and robotics are important core areas for the development of efficient, resource-conserving production systems, but also for non-industrial applications. Both society and the market require mechatronic systems that are user- and environmentally friendly, as well as being highly efficient and adaptive, i.e. intelligent. The primary driving force here is the digitalization

•

Advanced automation: Smart manufacturing in the digital factory, control and regulation of mechatronic systems, artificial intelligence in the factory of the future, safety and security issues in automation and robotics Innovative sensor technology: imaging sensor systems, intelligent sensors and sensor signal processing, multimodal sensor technology and sensor fusion, machine learning Robotics: selected issues relating to industrial, mobile and service robotics, collaborative robotics, intelligent industrial work assistants, cognitive robotics, human machine interface Materials technologies and generative manufacturing processes: new materials (long fiber reinforced) and intelligent material deposition for biomimetics-inspired designs that follow the flow force Industrial operations management: Business models, ontologies and architectural models for the digital factory, integrated simulation, control and optimization of processes.

Concepts can be implemented with artificial intelligence and statistical reasoning that cannot be implemented by classical control engineering.

Concepts can be implemented with artificial intelligence and statistical reasoning that cannot be implemented by classical control engineering. Algorithmic performance is substantially determined by the mathematical framework conditions. Dynamic or partially unknown processes are therefore difficult to map. Based on these framework conditions and the limits of classical control engineering, methods were researched which allow service robots to only navigate on the basis of data. The resulting algorithms were implemented, successfully tested and combined with existing AI frameworks (including deep learning) to produce methods that can evaluate and imitate robot motion based on data. Development was supported through masterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s theses; these concepts were then implemented in the Digital Factory. A second physical instance of this factory in a miniature format (3D-printed robots), a â&#x20AC;&#x153;mini factoryâ&#x20AC;?, offers the possibility to examine these concepts there as well. Within the framework of a research cooperation with the Austrian Ministry of Defence in the field of autonomous land-based systems, new technologies for autonomous service robots are to be further developed, improved and optimized on the basis of existing microsystems. These microsystems are rescue robots made by the Viennese company taurob, which can be used as search-and-rescue robots when disasters occur. Within the framework of this research cooperation, the semi-autonomous and fully autonomous capabilities of these robots are to be improved and presented, assessed and evaluated in various deployment scenarios.

Spotlight on Research

A video gives an insight into the REHABITATION project funded by the FFG, along with the overarching research focus. Since its inception, the â&#x20AC;&#x153;Secure Services, eHealth & Mobilityâ&#x20AC;? research focus has been consciously using the cooperation between IT experts and specialists with specialist knowledge. Employees work together in cross-departmental research teams. The REHABitation project, funded by the FFG, not only illustrates this aspect, but also shows how solutions can be developed in interaction with potential users: By involving a competence network (including end users), rehabilitation and prevention measures were developed which record and validate the functions of the biomechanical movement system and postural control by means of mobile and domestic technologies. The video, made in early summer 2018, gives an insight into this project and the research focus. www.technikum-wien.at/ rehabitation-youtube

Video Series: Alumni as Role Models The UAS TW graduate videos illustrate the variety of career paths available after completing a technical degree. The importance of moving images in modern communication is increasing. Videos have also become an important communication tool to highlight study and research operations at UAS Technikum Wien. However, a particularly successful video series deals with what comes after graduation: The image of technical professions in the minds of young people is dusty and prejudiced. Every academic year, the videos, in which we visit graduates at work show, how colorful and varied reality is. Youtube playlist with more than 30 graduate portraits: www.technikum-wien.at/alumni-youtube www.technikum-wien.at/ alumni-youtube

Age of students

up to 17 2

18 to 27 3007

28 to 37 1000

38 to 47 135

48 to 57 33

58 to 67 3

Further Training The Technikum Wien Academy is part of Austria’s largest university of applied sciences, offering further training and development courses. While the UAS concentrates on the publicly financed bachelor’s and master’s degree programs, the TW Academy’s continuing education portfolio ranges from one-day seminars to postgraduate master’s courses over four semesters. The TW Academy draws on an extensive pool of knowledge, with tailored, in-house expertise across disciplines that can be expanded by external experts if required. Constantly evaluating the training and lectures provided ensures their quality and the satisfaction of participants with the courses offered. All programs have been designed in close cooperation with business and industry. The teaching content and learning outcomes therefore reflect the qualifications and skills that are currently in demand on the labor market.

The complete range of continuing education courses offered by the Technikum Wien Academy can be found at academy.technikumwien.at

Through the TW Academy, UAS Technikum Wien is active on the private training market as well as on the publicly financed training market. The Academy’s students come from 38 countries and have 30,000 square meters of learning space at their disposal, including the space used by UAS Technikum Wien. All programs have been designed to accommodate extra-occupational studying goals. All seminars and lectures are taught by experts from UAS Technikum Wien and from collaborating institutions and companies. This ensures both the academic and teaching quality of the courses.

Developments in the 2017/18 Academic Year

The TW Academy draws on an extensive pool of knowledge, with tailored, in-house expertise across disciplines that can be expanded by external experts if required.

In the previous academic year, the Academy consolidated its range of vocational education and training courses – a development from which the institution was able to benefit throughout 2017/18. There was a clear increase in the number of participants in seminars. The number of participants in international programs actually doubled compared to the previous year. In the Pre-College Programs, the number of participants increased by more than half to a total of 58. Short-cycle studies also saw an increase of one third. The masters' courses have also been able to establish themselves well: The programs available were consolidated and, within this range, there was also a sustained increase in the number of participants. The following is an overview of the most popular and most important training fields from the TW Academy portfolio:

Certifications and Seminars Thanks to the ELGA, IHE, and HL7 initiatives, the Technikum Wien Academy has become an established and in-demand eHealth training program provider. The employees of UAS Technikum Wien are recognized throughout the industry as experts in this field and are actively involved in the refinement of the standards. The segment has also developed very strongly in the field of CPRE â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Requirements Engineering. Requirements engineering as the first step of system development significantly influences the success of a project. A systematic, structured and high-quality recording of requirements, customer wishes and needs helps to develop customer-oriented products and services. In addition, a good needs analysis forms the basis for cost estimation, project planning, implementation and quality assurance.

The more precise, structured and consistent the analysis of problems and needs, the fewer the number of costly errors that find their way into development. This means that projects have even fewer costs caused by errors, a fact which, in turn, sustainably boosts the success of the project and creates more satisfied customers. Usability has become the most important success factor for software products. Users demand technology that meets their needs, because a lack of usability leads to poor acceptance, high rectification costs or even rejection of the product. With the IBUQ Foundation Level and the IBUQ Advanced Level, there are two highly sought-after and internationally recognized certifications in the range of programs on offer.

Certifications and Seminars in 2017/18 Total days

Participants

of whom women

Total certifications

172

ELGA IHE HL7

ELGA CDA Implementation

IREB CPRE Foundation Level

IREB CPRE - RE@Agile Primer

IBUQ Foundation Level

IBUQ Advanced Level

ICT Basic â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Certification exam

ICT Advanced

Seminars

156

International programs

MedTech Summer Academy

111

413

109

Total

Pre-College Programs in 2017/18 Pre-College Programs

Number of semesters

Associate students

of whom women

Pre-College Program

Pre-College Program extended

Total

Pre College Programs (Pre-Study Courses) The objective of the two pre-college programs â&#x20AC;&#x201C; the two or four-semester pre-study courses â&#x20AC;&#x201C; is to prepare foreign students with average or poor German language skills for technical studies in Austria.

Short-cycle Courses (Academic Courses) Short-cycle courses, which are designed as short, condensed academic training courses lasting no more than three semesters, developed positively in the 2017/18 academic year. The App and Web-Development short-cycle courses are particularly popular as practical and market-oriented programming courses. The two short-cycle courses are geared towards one another and can be taken simultaneously. The focus is on new career areas related to the mobile Internet. Short-cycle courses are aimed at people who, after achieving their Matura or after dropping out of university, are looking for the opportunity to complete vocational training at an academic level that is in demand on the labor market. Previous knowledge is not required.

The App and Web-Development short-cycle courses are particularly popular as practical and marketoriented programming courses.

Short-cycle Courses (Academic Courses) in 2017/18 Short-cycle Courses

Number of semesters

Extraordinary Students

of whom women

App Development

Web Development

Digital Marketing

Software Testing

Number of semesters

Extraordinary Students

of whom women

MSc Digital Business

MSc Project and Process Management

MAS User Experience Management

MBA Business Development

148

Total

Master’s Courses in 2017/18

Total

Postgraduate Master’s Programs Since the 2015/16 winter semester, UAS Technikum Wien in collaboration with the Technikum Wien Academy offers master courses according to the Law on Studies at the University of Applied Sciences (Fachhochschul-Studiengesetz) Due to the course being unique on the further education market in Austria and its specific focus of the topics, interest in this new further education option was considerable from the very start. For example, the well-established Master Digital Business is dedicated to the varieties of online marketing, social media marketing and mobile marketing – what is referred to as the “Digital Triple Play”. From concept development to the successful execution of measures and digital monitoring, students learn how to further develop and sustain your company’s marketing.

Other Figures for the 2017/18 Academic Year

461 photos

852 / 98

Employees of UAS Technikum Wien have the possibility to upload a photo to accompany their details for display in the internal area (CIS). In the 2017/18 academic year, 461 employee photos were rejected and 1,956 accepted.

The most common male first name of UAS students since 2003 with 852 mentions is Michael, while the most common female first name with 98 mentions is Julia.

7,854 km Cooperation partners and those interested in cooperation from the most diverse regions of the world regularly visit UAS Technikum Wien. The visitors who traveled the furthest distance in the 2017/18 academic year had to travel 7,854 km to come here.

89 Disasters

-4 points

The bug tracking system is used to report problems to IT or building services. In the 2017/18 academic year, more than 6,000 bug tracking tickets were created, fortunately only 89 of them of the type â&#x20AC;&#x153;Incident: Disasterâ&#x20AC;?.

Applicants for degree programs at UAS Technikum Wien take an entrance exam, the result of which determines whether they are admitted to the program. The best result in the entrance exam in the 2017/18 academic year was 603.75 points, the worst -4 points.

Graphic Design The graphics in this report were produced using specially developed simulation software. Based on Witten and Sander’s research on diffusion-limited aggregation at the beginning of the 1980s [1,2] , a growth process is simulated in which individual particles randomly adhere to each other due to Brown’s movement and thus form an agglomerate. This model for the formation of fractal structures is used in many areas of physics and biology, for example in electroplating (electrolytic deposition), crystallization processes, high-voltage discharges, the agglomeration of soot or dust particles and the growth of bacterial colonies. In the graphics of this report, each particle shown represents a statistically registered person at UAS Technikum Wien. The cover shows the total number of everyone – students as well as employees. While on the cover, as well as on the colored double pages, there are specific, legible representations, the same graphic instrument is used on the remaining pages to create freer and more abstract graphics.

[1] T. A. Witten/L. M. Sander, 1981. Diffusion-Limited Aggregation, a Kinetic Critical Phenomenon [2] T. A. Witten/L. M. Sander, 1983. Diffusion-Limited Aggregation

Imprint Publisher UAS Technikum Wien Höchstädtplatz 6 1200 Vienna T: +43 1 333 40 77-0 info@technikum-wien.at www.technikum-wien.at

Layout Process – Studio for Art and Design www.process.studio