The TU Wien is Austria's largest research and educational institution in the field of technology and natural sciences. More than 4,000 scientists are researching "technology for people" in five main research areas at eight faculties. The content of the studies offered is derived from the excellent research. More than 26,000 students in 62 degree programmes benefit from this. As a driver of innovation, TU Wien strengthens the business location, facilitates cooperation and contributes to the prosperity of society.

At TU Wien, we have been conducting research, teaching and learning under the motto 'Technology for people' for over 200 years. TU Wien has evolved into an open academic institution where discussions can happen, opinions can be voiced and arguments will be heard. Although everyone may have different individual philosophies and approaches to life, the staff, management personnel and students at TU Wien all promote open-mindedness and tolerance.

Preventing discrimination and improving equal opportunities

Preventing discrimination against people and improving equal opportunities are at the heart of our interactions with one another and our environment. This also means that we learn from history by critically examining our past. We actively speak out against discrimination and promote equal opportunities.

Promoting scientific excellence and top-quality teaching

Our identity as a research university means that we build our reputation through our research. The content of the teaching we offer is based on this research. TU Wien combines basic and applied research and research-oriented teaching at the highest level. Through their knowledge and their strong relationships, our graduates and scientists contribute to the transfer of knowledge and technologies across society and the economy. The members of TU Wien thus help to ensure that Austria remains internationally competitive as a research location and help to stimulate its innovative potential.

"NETTech" – for fair and respectful communication at TU Wien

On social networks, interactions can often be more rude, blunt or hurtful than in everyday life. What follows is a plea for respect, acceptance and integrity.

Within a university setting, there are many different facets of communication as a specific form of social conduct: these include communication within the scientific community, interaction between teachers and students, and also between fellow employees and amongst students. With its mission statement ‘technology for people’, TU Wien portrays an image that everyone attached to the institution helps to cultivate and maintain. Forms of expression can be found on websites and social networks, in face-to-face conversations, or in written communication such as emails.

Agreement for all

In the pre-amble of TU Wien’s internal agreement on co-operative behaviour and anti-discrimination in the workplace, it states that co-operative behaviour in the workplace forms the basis for a positive in-house work environment and is therefore an important prerequisite for individual job satisfaction, engagement and the success of the university.
Although this agreement only covers interactions between colleagues directly employed by TU Wien, it should also act as a guideline for all members of the university. After all, those who excel in their chosen field tend to have key skills that extend beyond those they have acquired purely through academic study. Aside from gaining professional qualifications, students also develop their social skills and personalities while at university.
The following is clear: bullying and discrimination on the basis of gender, ethnic origin, skin colour, age, religion, world view, disability or sexual orientation, as well as harassment or sexual harassment in the workplace, represent are severely detrimental to employees’ well-being and constitute a violation of human dignity. Such behaviour will not be tolerated at TU Wien under any circumstances.

Study: Combating hatred online

According to a 2017 study, opens an external URL in a new window conducted by the Austrian Institute of Strategic Analysis (ISA) and meinungsraum.at, and led by political scientist Peter Filzmaier, almost half of those asked had experienced cyber bullying and hate posts in the past, with that figure rising to two thirds among the younger respondents. Those affected stated they had mostly ignored these kinds of posts, but that they often felt helpless, while three quarters did not know where to turn for help.

External advice centre

In September, the organisation ZARA – which promotes moral courage and anti-racism – opened an advice centre in order to help those affected to fight back. As well as offering psychosocial counselling, the centre also aims to inform people as to whether or not the abuse may constitute a criminal offence. In this case, the advice centre will also ensure that illegal hate posts are deleted as quickly as possible. To this end, the organisation is in close contact with the operators of Facebook and YouTube. Advice can be given face-to-face, or via email, online forms, Facebook Messenger or online chat.

Internal measures

Within TU Wien, any students, professors or project workers seeking help – regardless of their hierarchical level within the university – have the following points of contact available to them: the Committee on Equal Treatment (AKG) (Working Group on equal opportunities), the student psychological counselling service, opens an external URL in a new window, the occupational psychology service and the works council, opens an external URL in a new window. TU members can report any malicious communication or harassment in the workplace or during everyday student life to any of these points of contact. One thing should be clear to everyone: anyone at TU Wien who breaks the rules and causes harm to others, who fails to respect colleagues and work partners, who abuses anyone in the community or circulates unlawful statements, has no place at TU Wien.