• Guide to positions
  • Study in Germany
  • PhD in Germany
  • Postdoc in Germany
  • Professor in Germany
  • Industry guide
  • Research & Development in Germany
  • Engineering in Germany
  • Thematic guide
  • Working in Germany
  • Working in Austria
  • Working in Switzerland
  • Higher education in Germany
  • Job profiles
  • Service range
  • Events
  • Employers
  • Graduate schools
  • Guide overview
Extended job search
Study in Germany PhD in Germany Postdoc in Germany Professor in Germany
Research & Development in Germany Engineering in Germany
Working in Germany Working in Austria Working in Switzerland Higher education in Germany Job profiles
Events Employers Graduate schools Guide overview
Log in Bookmarks For employers
academics - Logo
From
Die ZEIT - Logo
Forschung & Lehre - Logo
Career advice My academics Log in Bookmarks (0) Bookmarks For employers

Dual careers in Austria
Dual career couples in Austria

Recruiting outstanding academic staff is a top priority for universities and higher education institutions in Austria. There are additional challenges for families. This is a guide for dual career couples in Austria.

© Jonathan Schöps / photocase.de
Contents

What are the options for dual career couples in Austria?

The idea of supporting dual careers is a relatively new approach within the Austrian academic world, and as such is still developing. Having said this, since the first organisation was created in 2010, development has been fast, bringing Austrian academic development into line with other countries in aspiring to equality amongst gender.

Dual career (DC) services in Austria have limited scope and mainly exist to support researchers, outstanding artists or administrative managers. There is a difference in target-oriented support between the groups.

Typically, a regional dual career service will offer the following:

  • Individual support for couples on tax matters, housing, family affairs
  • Extending the regional networking with Universities of Applied Sciences, colleges of education and companies
  • Broaden the spectrum of information for DC couples
  • One or two contact persons will be based at university – with month network meetings
  • There will be individualised services, such as information and support for job-seeking partners, identifying job possibilities, and establishing contact with colleagues or potential employers
  • Information will be provided for residencies, visa regulations and insurance
  • Close co-operation with family support services at university concerning nursery schooling, schools and residential homes for the elderly

What support do employers offer?

Universities

It has been largely recognised within the Austrian university fraternity that a better sense of equality must be established. That is why in 2013, an initiative was set up under the Task Force Gender and Diversity of the Austrian Universities Conference (Österreichische Universitätenkonferenz). This saw the creation of the Dual Career Service Vienna.

As a result, the level of support and benefits varies, but female partners are generally targeted. However, all DC Service units support both partners. They are supported by approximately half of Austrian organisations in regard to researchers and scientists. This is mainly due to contract limitations and so they have less contact with DC staff. For example, DC advice at the Vienna University of Technology (Technische Universität Wien, TU Wien) offers only two different types of advice service – one for postdocs (and in German only) and one for professors.

Some organisations go much further. The Austrian Research Promotion Agency (Österreichische Forschungsförderungsgesellschaft, FFG), whilst not an academic institution, offers a dual career grant of up to EUR 2,000. The aim is to cover integration costs such as German courses, inter-culture training, career advice and childcare costs.

The range of available dual career services depends on the specific case and available resources. There are a number of Austrian universities and research organisations who outsource their DC services, for example by contributing financially to a DC service network.

DC services are primarily promoted via websites, flyers, social media or email. Internal newsletters, flyers and articles in internal magazines with information on DC services are distributed by institutions to raise awareness of the services.

Hiring

In terms of career progression by institutions, dual hiring for roles at the same institution is unusual at Austrian higher education institutions. Nearly all institutions permit couples to work at the same place, but managements are keen to avoid allegations of nepotism, interdependence or conflict of interest. Selection and employment procedures within the Austrian education system is made as transparent as possible; as a result, no organisation would allow a crossover of hierarchy between couples at the same institution. Scientists and researchers must bear this in mind when considering a dual career at an Austrian institution.


Regional support

As well as the university-supported DC Services, regional support can also be found. These are services provided for by local regions or business chambers with an interest in promoting excellence and attracting the best academically qualified to their area.

Regional Support Organisations
Regional Support Organisation Description
Club International (CINT)
  • Service for international employees and their families in Graz and Styria
  • Founded by the Styrian Federation of Austrian Industries (Industriellenvereinigung) and the Austrian Economic Chambers (Wirtschaftskammer Österreich, WKO) to support everyday challenges
Carinthian International Club (CIC)
  • For international employees in Carinthia
  • Advisory service that aids introductions to social and economic life in the region
  • Enables people to take decisions in relation to work, living or schooling of children
Vienna Business Agency – Expat Centre Vienna
  • Offers advice and support for international experts, managers and executives in Vienna
  • Supports networking with the community and offers free counselling
Source: Euraxess
© academics

The support for dual careers and their linked organisations is a growing and progressing movement that is new to Austrian higher education and one that is improving over time. The support can be found, but sometimes it takes time to find the right support for scientists and researchers.

Which organisations support dual career couples?

DC networks can initially appear daunting with several overlapping organisations. For example, the network of universities in Vienna, Lower Austria and Upper Austria is known as the Dual Career Service. They endeavour to support couples in their career advancement and improve the compatibility of job and family. The first DC network was created by the five Styrian universities in 2010, then called the Dual Career Service, but since May 2018 is now known as the Dual Career Service Styria-Carinthia to reflect a greater network of universities.

In total there are four DC service networks across Austria. They are listed in the table below. Some of these services work across the same geographical regions.

Don't miss out on any new jobs

With our Job-Mail, you will receive suitable job ads as well as interesting content matching your search profile  on a weekly basis.

Current search terms: Austria
After registering, you will be able to adjust your profile.
Please enter an email address in a valid format.
You can stop your Job-Mail subscription at any time, e.g. by sending an email to info@academics.com. We also use your email address to send you advertisements for similar offers from the ZEIT publishing group. You can withdraw your consent to this use at any time. By registering, you declare your agreement with our terms & conditions and take note of our privacy policy.
DC Service Networks
DC Service Network Description
Dual Career Service Styria – Carinthia (Dual Career Service Steiermark – Kärnten)
  • Covers the five Styrian universities
  • Originally formed in 2010
Dual Career Service Vienna – Lower Austria – Upper Austria (Dual Career Service Wien – Niederösterreich – Oberösterreich)
  • Network spanning 15 universities and various educational and research institutions
  • Formed in 2013
Dual Career Service Support of the Vienna Science and Technology Fund (Wiener Wissenschafts-, Forschungs- und Technologiefonds, WWTF)
  • Has 13 member organisations from the scientific domain in the greater area of Vienna
  • These organisations contribute financially to the DC Service
  • Established in 2013
Dual Career Service Network Upper Austria – Salzburg – Tyrol (Netzwerk Dual Career Service Oberösterreich – Salzburg – Tirol)
  • Informal organisation for the three universities in the western provinces of Austria
  • Established in 2017
Source: Euraxess
© academics
Authors
Gerard Thompson
Source
academics - January 2019

Share
Current jobs and vacancies in Austria
  • University professorship for the subject »Theory and Mediation of Contemporary Art«

    2023-03-02 Akademie der bildenden Künste Wien Wien (Österreich)
    University professorship for the subject »Theory and Mediation of Contemporary Art« - Akademie der bildenden Künste Wien - Logo
  • PhD Student Position: Machine Learning in Biology & Medicine

    2023-02-07 Medizinische Universität Wien - Institut für Artificial Intelligence Wien
    PhD Student Position: Machine Learning in Biology & Medicine - Medizinische Universität Wien - Institut für Artificial Intelligence - Logo
  • University professorship for the subject »Diaspora Aesthetics»

    2023-03-02 Akademie der bildenden Künste Wien Wien (Österreich)
    University professorship for the subject »Diaspora Aesthetics» - Akademie der bildenden Künste Wien - Logo
To all job vacancies in Austria

Related articles

Postdoc Austria: Fellowships, salary and career prospects

This article will give you an insight into postdoc fellowships in Austria, as well as what you may expect to receive in terms of salary and financial remuneration.

Professorship in Austria

There are many exciting opportunities for academics in Austria, including assistant professors, professors and visiting professors, with excellent salaries and working conditions. How can you become a professor in Austria, and what can you expect to earn at different stages of your academic career?

Visas, residence permits and work permits for Austria

Austria is an attractive country for visiting students or researchers to work, but their rules surrounding residency and permission to work can appear complex and bureaucratic. This article provides information about how you can meet these requirements.

Higher Education in Austria

In Austria, there are many higher education institutions offering superb education in multiple fields to cater to all areas of different expertise. What are the different higher education institutions and what are they offering? What are the costs and is working in higher education in Austria a positive experience?

Academics
  • About us
  • Contact
  • Legal notice
  • Terms of use
  • Privacy policy
  • Cookies & Tracking
  • Partners
  • Job-Mail
  • academics.de
For Employers
  • Post a job
  • Mediapack
  • Terms and conditions
You can also visit us at
academics - Logo From Die ZEIT - Logo Forschung & Lehre - Logo Deutscher Hochschulverband
Data privacy
Please deactivate your ad-block plugins to edit your permissions regarding cookies and tracking.