Elisabeth Gehrer

Gehrer (* May 11, 1942 born in Vienna Pokorny ) is a politician of the ÖVP and was in the federal governments Vranitzky IV to Austrian Bowl II between 1995 and 2007 the Federal Minister for Education, Science and Culture.

2.2.1 Federal Museums
2.2.2 Museumsquartier
2.2.3 Heritage

2.3.1 Abolition 2/3-majority for school laws
2.3.2 Berufsreifeprüfung
2.3.3 School Autonomy
2.3.4 school construction and school infrastructure
2.3.5 School Quality focus
2.3.6 duty hours reduction
2.3.7 Education Documentation

2.4.1 Recognition of the Coptic Church
2.4.2 revision of the system of recognition of churches and religious societies

2.5.1 PISA

3.1 Tuition fees, outsourcing and hours reduction
3.2 statement on the generation gap

Life

In 1949 Elizabeth Pokorny moved with her parents from Vienna to Innsbruck, where she attended high school and the teacher training college. After completing her training, she worked from 1961 to 1964 as an elementary school teacher in Hart im Zillertal, then two years at the elementary school Lochau. In 1964 she married Fritz Gehrer, moved to Bregenz and retired in 1966 for the time being out of the professional life; the marriage produced three sons.

1980 Gehrer began her political activity for the ÖVP as Councillor for music and regional cooperation in Bregenz and a year later became chairman of the Regional Planning Association of Lake Constance. In the Vorarlberg Landtag she pulled a 1984, 1989 Chairwoman of the ÖVP clubs in the town council of Bregenz and in the same year Vice-President of the State Parliament. In 1990 she was sent to the State Government of Vorarlberg, where she was responsible for the areas of school, training, science, women, youth, family, community development, energy conservation and development aid. In addition, it was used as a leading official President of the State Board of Education and was from 1994, the country director of the Women of the ÖVP Vorarlberg.

In 1995, Elisabeth Gehrer in the federal government Vranitzky IV, a coalition of Social Democrats under Chancellor Franz Vranitzky and ÖVP Vice Chancellor Chancellor, appointed Federal Minister of Education and Cultural Affairs and in autumn 1995 the Federal Chairman, Deputy ÖAAB, the employee organization of the ÖVP, selected. As Minister she belonged since the governments Vranitzky V (SPÖ / ÖVP, 1996-1997 ), air (SPÖ / ÖVP, 1997-2000 ) and bowl I ( ÖVP / FPÖ, 2000-2003 ), as well as Bowl II ( ÖVP/FPÖ- AAF, 2003-2007 ) to; from 2000 as a Federal Minister for Education, Science and Culture. In addition, it is since 1999 Deputy Party chairwoman of the ÖVP.

On 5 October 2006, four days after the poor performance of the Austrian People's Party in the parliamentary election, Gehrer made public not to accept her National Council mandate and leave with the swearing-in of the next government, all political offices, what happened on January 11, 2007.

Political priorities

Science / College

Expansion of technical colleges

The expansion of the colleges was a focal point of Gehrers education policy. Colleges offer vocational training on a scientific level and thus complement the academic training offered by the universities. The goal was 33,000 students at universities by the year 2010. Establishment of specialized high schools, the Council of Ministers decided in January 1993 at the request of Minister of Science, Erhard Busek, a little later, the National Council adopted the law. In 1994, 674 Austrians a FH- training. Operated in the winter semester 2005/2006 25,727 people a college degree, 42 percent of them women. In more than 200 training courses in various practical directions are offered.

University reform

In 2001, under Gehrer tuition fees in the amount of ATS 5,000 ( € 363.36 ) per semester introduced. On 9 August 2002, initiated by Elisabeth Gehrer University Act 2002 was promulgated. This aimed to strengthen the Austrian universities for international competition. The universities were converted from partial legal capacity federal institutions in full unincorporated legal entities of public law. They were given extensive autonomy, among others in the areas of personnel, internal organization and specialization. The selection mode for the appointment of managers of universities was changed from election by the University Assembly on the principle of double legitimacy. A variety of decision-making authority was shifted from tripartite bodies down to individual responsibility there, so as to provide faster management structures. Among other things, also tripartite, Bologna -compliant studies were introduced, which include the Bachelor as a first degree. These go on conducted in 1999 agreement between the EU member states to harmonize the forms of study in the " Bologna Declaration " back. Critics of the university reform complained that the financial situation of the universities had worsened and demanded for several years a higher doping.

Institute for Science and Technology - Austria

On the initiative of the Vienna experimental physicist Anton Zeilinger has been the concept of " elite university " designed, in which scientists in science and technology research should operate at the highest level. In February 2006, Elisabeth Gehrer the consulting firm MacKinsey and the Institute of Spatial Planning decided after evaluation by the German Centre for Higher Education Development, among other things because of the high financial participation by the State of Lower Austria for the location of Maria Gugging in Klosterneuburg. Then put Zeilinger, who disagreed with the decision-making process, its employees back. On 29 March 2006, the Institute for Science and Technology Austria ( ISTA) was decided (ÖVP / AAF ) and the opposition Social Democratic Party in the National Assembly by a vote of the governing parties. In the meantime, Anton Zeilinger has returned to the project and has a seat on the Board of Trustees of ISTA adopted because had withdrawn the policy and " drive car in the right direction," the.

Teacher training colleges and colleges of education

In 1998, on the initiative Gehrers Academy Studies Act, which entered into force on 1 September 1999 decided. The aim of the reform was the development of training, continuing education and training of compulsory school teachers. As provided in this Act, was subsequently in 2006, the "Higher Education Act of 2005 " (Federal Law Gazette I 30 /2006) decided. On 1 October 2007, the new teacher training colleges began their work. Significant changes were there until 2007 that the existing 54 facilities have been grouped into 14 colleges. Furthermore get graduates of teacher training colleges, the title of bachelor.

Culture

Federal Museums

With the Federal Museums Act 1998 Gehrer set the stage for the transformation of the federal museums in with full legal capacity, scientific institutions. Together with large construction investments received this so that the basis for the increase in visitor numbers from 2.36 million in 1995 to 3.45 million in 2005. Gehrer In 1999, the Technical Museum, Vienna, 2003, the Albertina and the Palais Mollard 2005 as part the Austrian National Library with Globe Museum and Esperanto Museum reopened. Were renovated sandstone facades of the Kunsthistorisches Museum and the Natural History Museum, the Museum of Applied Arts, the Austrian Gallery Belvedere and the Museum of Ethnology.

Museum Quarter

After more than 15 years of discussion Gehrer, in 1998 before the ground-breaking ceremony for the construction of the Museum Quarter in Vienna. 2001, the opening ceremony took place. With 50 cultural institutions in the MQ is one of the ten largest cultural complexes in the world and is a cultural meeting place of over 2.5 million people per year.

Conservation

1999, there was a comprehensive revision of the Monument Protection Act.

School

Abolition 2/3-majority for school laws

A school law particularly far-reaching measure under Elizabeth Gehrer was the abolition of the necessary 2/3-majority the National Council for changes in the School Organisation Act ( SchOG ) and in the School Education Act ( SCHUG ). By this it was repeatedly occurred in the past to block receive legislation in the National Council. Important principles such as free education were backed by their own constitutional provisions.

Berufsreifeprüfung

Gehrer followed the introduction of the Berufsreifeprüfung. 1997 in the National Council the necessary legislation was passed and so people who have completed an apprenticeship, enables efficient and time -saving continuing their education in Austria with the Matura. This Gehrer closed a gap in the permeability of the Austrian education system.

School autonomy

Another focus concerned the expansion of school autonomy. Schools were given the opportunity to make yourself focus formation in the timetables, the curriculum in addition to the compulsory core material also room for individual wells and additions ( expansion area ) was created. For the school life (student representative parent-teacher and in secondary schools ) received school partners the possibility to negotiate even rules in the context of behavior agreements. However, the school autonomy in Austria is developed in a European comparison still rather weak

School construction and school infrastructure

About 30,000 additional training places tenure were created in addition to higher schools under Gehrers. The focus was on the higher vocational schools. Also in their term of office was to equip all schools with computers, the connection to the Internet and the introduction of notebook classes.

School quality focus

Gehrer held at grown differentiated school system and focused their political work in improving the school and teaching quality. In addition to modernizing and streamlining of all curricula and the development of educational standards, the establishment of the Federal Institute for Educational Research, Innovation and Development of the educational system are ( BIFIE ), " Quality in Schools " Q. i S., " Innovations in Mathematics, Science and Technology Teaching " ( IMST ), and the initiative " LESEFIT " results of the work Gehrers.

Duty hours reduction

In 2003, Elisabeth Gehrer reduced the number of compulsory lessons in the main school and in the Mittlerer and high schools by one to two hours per week, after it had previously been protested by student organizations and educational scientists repeatedly against a too large time exposure to the schools for the children and young people. According to the " Regulation relief " the minister was criticized by side of the AHS teachers' union, many parents and the opposition parties, who saw a saving measure in the duty hour reduction. Due to the duty hours reduction had to be made in proportion to the increasing number of pupils at secondary schools less additional teachers. Changed in compulsory education by the duty hour reduction in the number of teachers nothing.

Education Documentation

In 2002, the Education Documentation Act ( BILDOK ) was adopted at the instigation Gehrers, which provides that the information relevant for the policy data such as school success, a visit to a bilingual education or using the after-school care but, for example, no data such as grades or behavioral clues to the formation Register or education evidence, a central database, transmitted and stored there for 60 years.

This was seen by many as unjustified invasion of privacy, among other criticism came from the Green Party, the Federation of Austrian parents' associations, the action Critical pupils and ARGE data. Gehrer was awarded in 2002 and 2004 each have a Big Brother Award. The Lifetime Achievement category was renamed Lifelong - nuisance Elisabeth Gehrer Prize for the most sustainable approach to the novel 1984 2004.

With regard to the constitutional provisions on data protection demanded the Data Protection Commission that this data could only be stored centrally, if earlier, the social security numbers that were queried as a mark for the creation of educational statistics course, would not encrypted traceable. Although it has complied with the remained worried that a misuse of the formation documentation could not be excluded, exist. This led to massive protests, some parents refused disclosure of the social security number of their children. Particularly sharp criticism voiced the club ARGE data. The successor Gehrers, Claudia Schmied, announced plans to amend the Education Documentation Act to close potential security gaps.

Kultusangelegenheiten

Recognition of the Coptic Church

Interest expenses on their initiative in Austria in 2003, the recognition of the Coptic Orthodox Church in Austria as a recognized church with all in Austria resulting rights and obligations, which in the field of Oriental Orthodox Churches ( Armenian Orthodox, Syriac Orthodox Church and Coptic Orthodox Church ) first established a joint working Church Commission for certain areas of the external legal relations. In this case, the Oriental Orthodox Churches Act ( Federal Law Gazette I No. 20/ 2003) has been circumvented provided for in the Religious Communities Act ten-year observation period as a confessional community for the Coptic Church, which will have to wait all other the applying for recognition religious communities in Austria.

Revision of the system of recognition of churches and religious societies

In 1997, a revision of the legal position of churches and religious societies was made by her. The legal status of already recognized religious communities remained untouched, but Neuanerkennungen were made almost impossible. The newly created legal status as a confessional community brings no additional benefits other than the acquisition of legal personality. This new law was retroactively applied to all those already submitted applications for recognition which had remained lying partly undone for years in the ministry until then. Critics at home and abroad see it as a violation of the principle of equality and freedom of religion.

International reviews

PISA

The results of the first PISA study in 2001, had taken part in the initiative to Austria Gehrers, positioned the domestic students in 11th place (upper third ). However, the 2004 study diagnose a crash on the 19th rank ( average). As a check endorsed by the OECD by statistics experts revealed the achievements were in 2001 due to faulty weights misrepresented and would then have already lead to a similar result as in 2004. The often -mentioned " crash " of the Austrian PISA results did not exist.

OECD report on the Education Policy 2006

On 12 September 2006, the report was published " Education at a Glance " of the organization for Economic Cooperation and Development ( OECD). Austria was " despite some efforts in the training of highly -skilled compared to other OECD countries fallen further behind ." Both the occupied much compared to low growth rate in degrees and the low number of first-year students have now had the effect that Austria was falling behind compared to all OECD member countries. Only Turkey is still less than Austria academics, referred to by the OECD as " almost last in higher education ".

" If one takes the number of new students and the financial resources for higher education, then it seems doubtful that Austria can quickly compensate this gap ," says the report. Significantly, the falling back, in direct comparison: The student rate has increased only slightly in Austria between 2000 and 2004 from 33 to 37% of a year (but the average for OECD countries over the same period from 44 to 53%). The study author Andreas Schleicher is pessimistic: " Austria is the increasing demand for well-trained professionals so can not satisfy. " Expenditure on tertiary education would be at 1.1 % of gross domestic product stagnated ( OECD average: 1.4%). While almost all OECD countries have increased their spending on education, their share had fallen sharply in recent years in Austria. Thus, the share of education spending ( public and private expenditure ) in 2003 was the GDP in Austria with 5.5% well below the OECD average of 5.9%. 1995, they had lain with 6.1% well above the OECD average (5.4 ).

Was noted positively the traditionally high proportion of people in the 25 - to 64 -year-old population who have completed an extensive training on elementary schools also ( Austria: 80%, OECD average: 64%). The supervisory relationship (teacher - student ratio ) stood at 15.1 in Austria above the OECD average, as well as in educational spending. However, the OECD found that total spending on education declined slightly despite the increase in invested funds from the federal government. Good ranking values generated Austria at the IT equipment in schools and in vocational training. From Austria, Bavaria, Baden- Württemberg, Hesse and Switzerland has been criticized in previous studies, that in this respect the specifics of the strongly developed in these countries, higher vocational education are too little attention in the OECD comparison.

Reception

Gehrer was just as Minister at the end of their tenure in the population very unpopular in the first APA / OGM confidence index for federal politicians Gehrer 2006 once the third worst in front of Heinz- Christian Strache (FPÖ ) and Jörg Haider ( AAF ).

Their qualification was called into question because they could produce a non-university training as a primary school teacher only, yet was also responsible for the entire university sector Minister. (see nickname " Strickliesel " ) The activities carried out under its auspices reforms are also only tailored to the interests of lobbies from business.

Gehrer was " Lifetime Menace " award three times with the Big Brother Award in the category.

Tuition, outsourcing and hours reduction

Under the leadership of Minister Gehrer numerous controversial reforms were carried out, among others, one hours reduction in Austrian schools and the introduction of tuition fees. The spin-off of the Austrian Universities was criticized by the opposition parties and the universities, as the financial situation of universities deteriorated visibly.

Statement on the generation gap

In August 2003, Elisabeth Gehrer said in an interview with the daily newspaper Die Presse: " According to my understanding the older generation has fulfilled the contract between generations. She has taken care of her parents, and she has had children. "Now one should openly deal with it, what is the job of the boys. "Children are the best future assurance, thereof one must be talking about. What makes life worth living? Approximately when rushing from party to party, it's the single life? " This quote was on the slogan" reduce children instead of parties, " Gehrer brought fierce criticism and caused an emotional discussion of values in Austria. The slogan " children instead of parties " was chosen from 1,100 journalists and private to the award of the year 2003.

Awards

2004: Grand Gold Medal with Ribbon for Services to the Republic of Austria

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