Family in Higher Education

Since January/February 2025, the Anton Bruckner Private University has been part of the “Family in Higher Education” association, which is aimed at students and university members who want to combine family life with their studies. The ABU is particularly committed to easing the challenges of family life and academic education or work at an academic institution, and we are delighted to have found such good support for this goal in the association. By networking with other universities, we learn from their experiences and helpful tips and examine how these can be implemented at ABU.

In the areas of leadership and support, research, study conditions, working conditions, health promotion, infrastructure, and networking (see charter), the ABU aims to pursue a holistic approach to improving the situation and developing solutions.

By joining the “Family in Higher Education” network, the Senior Leadership wants to send a clear signal of its family orientation and commits itself to the goals laid down in the charter for a family-friendly university. In doing so, it takes into account the diverse lifestyles of all university members, regardless of gender, age, origin, and cultural background.

Goals

  • Creation of a family-friendly, gender- and diversity-sensitive organizational and scientific culture based on the mission statement
  • Improvement of study conditions through flexible study conditions and individual solutions
  • Establishment and expansion of standardized leave management for employees, as well as (re)integration measures for those on leave
  • Family-friendly scheduling of meetings (start time and fixed length)

Measures implemented to date to achieve the goals

For all university staff and students:

  • Creation of the position of a Coordinator for Gender, Diversity and Inclusion within the Quality Management Department, acting, amongst other things, as a point of contact for those requiring support or those with care responsibilities (since autumn 2024)
  • Cooperation with the Come2Upper Austria initiative run by Business Upper Austria – OÖ Wirtschaftsagentur GmbH as a point of contact for international professionals, students and their families to obtain reliable information, personal advice and practical support when moving here from abroad (since spring 2026)
  • Establishment of an advisory board to develop practical, flexible and sustainable measures that make studying, research and work at our university more compatible with (family) care responsibilities (since spring 2026)

For employees:

  • Voluntary social benefit for employees: child allowance in accordance with Section 11(1) of the Staff Regulations
  • Unbureaucratic application for an advance payment in emergencies
  • Introduction of the option for a sabbatical in Section 28 of the Staff Regulations (since autumn 2025)
  • Flexible working hours in administration through a flexitime framework model and a reduction in core working hours to Mon–Fri 09:00 to 11:45 (since spring 2026)
  • Option for working from home in administration, including both regular and ad hoc arrangements (flexibility introduced via a works agreement in 2025)

For students:

  • Unbureaucratic semester leave and study extensions to allow for the completion of Bachelor’s and Master’s theses in the event of pregnancy, care responsibilities for minor children or relatives in need of care, or similar circumstances
  • At faculty level, faculty members may allow individual compensatory assignments as a substitute if minimum attendance is not met due to family-related circumstances

Further information