Who we are

The private universities actively strive to further develop quality standards in Austrian higher education. The obligation to accredit and regularly re-accredit private universities is an essential distinguishing feature from state universities. The private universities, or the Private Universities Conference (ÖPUK) founded in 2009, are an active part of a wide variety of working groups dealing with the development of the Austrian higher education system.

In 1999, the Federal Act on the Establishment of Private Universities was passed. Since then, private universities have made an important contribution to diversifying and complementing the Austrian higher education landscape. The Austrian Private Universities Conference (ÖPUK) serves as a platform and service institution for its members; its aim is to promote cooperation within its own sector and between the higher education sectors in Austria. ÖPUK represents the educational policy interests of the sector. It serves the public and all stakeholders as a point of contact for concerns and questions about Austrian private universities. The Private University in the Principality of Liechtenstein has been an associate member since 2022, and in 2023 Stella Vorarlberg became the first Austrian private college to become an associate member of ÖPUK.