Mission Statement

Diversity as strength!
The URBI-Faculty was founded in October 2007 and includes four branches of sciences: educational sciences, sport sciences, geography and environmental system sciences. About 6,300 students study at six institutes and two centres (organigram).

Science and research concentrate on current issues in the fields of

Education / "Bildung" – social integration – teacher education
Exercise– health – sports
Regional development – sustainability
Environment – climate change

Scientific analysis and the finding of practice-oriented solution approaches complement each other in the analysis of social problem areas. The URBI faculty expressly supports the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), in particular the Education Policy Goal 4, to ensure inclusive, equitable and quality education and to promote lifelong learning opportunities for all (Position paper on the implementation of SDG 4 in Austria).

Owing to the broad thematic and scientific range of the new faculty, it supports an interdisciplinary approach of these issues. Alongside a variety of national and international research cooperating agreements, the faculty maintains diverse non-university contacts – at regional as well as supra-regional level. This targeted inter- and transdisciplinary exchange is the basis for a solution-oriented collaboration of science and society.

Furthermore, the faculty seeks maximum proximity between theory and praxis concerning its graduates – such as a common development of professional / work-related perspectives or the opening of new fields of work.

Science needs communication!
Within its responsibilities, the faculty feels obliged to provide for a positive development of society. In function, the faculty respects ethical values of a human social system particularly with regards to human rights, sustainability and social justice. In each of its fields of work the faculty is oriented towards the following considerations:

Research

Analyse and recognise the challenges of a modern and globalised society.
Address societal problems, which will be dealt with scientific methods in a critical and innovative way.
Conduct basic research and practice-oriented, interdisciplinary, transdisciplinary research
Increase the research capacity within the faculty; establish synergies within the faculty and with other faculties

Teaching

Provide research-based teaching and enable research-led learning to support ideal training and education.
Develop interdisciplinary and international teaching as well as doctoral studies further.
Highlight relationships between study and job.
Intensify the support and guidance of students.

Graduates

Cultivate contacts with graduates and extend networks.
Organise events for graduates.

Further education

Highlight the commitment through offers of further education and lifelong learning as well as public relations.

Staff

Support of young researchers through a post-doctorate (habilitation) forum and schools for doctoral students.
Aim for an increase of staff to meet the complex needs.

Administration

Support of scientific and administrative staff for the administrative tasks in a modern and communicative scientific setting through further / continuing education.