Academy of Fine Arts Vienna

The Academy of Fine Arts Vienna has been a leading European training center for artists for more than 300 years. It houses two of the most significant Austrian art collections, i.e., the "Gemäldegalerie" (Paintings Gallery) and the "Kupferstichkabinett" (The Graphic Collection).
We offer students a variety of courses, including painting and sculpture, photography and video, performance, and conceptual art, including architecture, scenography, and conservation/restoration. The Institutes of Art Theory and Cultural Studies and of Natural Sciences and Technology in the Arts ensure a high theoretical standard in all the departments by offering seminars and carrying out a great variety of projects. This is closely linked to the training of art teachers, which we consider central in conveying and communicating art to others. The course structure, based on diploma studies and bachelor/master programs, is augmented through various doctoral studies, including an internationally renowned PhD-in-Practice program and the master program Critical Studies. This wide range of courses offered by the Academy enables students to pursue their own individual goals and to obtain a variety of qualifications.
As a university, the Academy of Fine Arts Vienna is primarily dedicated to teaching processes based on research and art alike, i.e., on scientific and artistic research, the findings of which are integrated into the curricula in different ways and communicated to a broader public through exhibitions, symposia, lectures, and a publication series. Conveying a sophisticated understanding of art to a knowledge-based society is one of the main tasks of the Academy, apart from teaching students.
The strength of the Academy lies in its teaching staff of successful, internationally recognized artists and its students from over 50 different countries, thus endorsing Vienna's central role as a mediator between East and West. The Academy also cooperates with universities and other institutions of art and culture worldwide. The Academy encourages its students to gather international experience in their studies and supports them in their endeavors.
The Academy of Fine Arts is the only Austrian university where women hold at least 50% of all positions in all staff categories and on all management levels. Such consistent enforcement of the federal Equal Opportunities Act by the relevant university bodies proves that gender fairness can also be achieved on the tertiary education level.
The Academy's teaching and research work rest on a differentiated concept of art that relates to the aesthetic appearance of a work of art and the characteristic forms of thought underlying artistic practice. First and foremost, we understand art as a mode of thinking and acting, which becomes manifest in a wide range of media. Art, as a specific form of insight, can be expressed by representatives of many professions seemingly unrelated to art. Consequently, the Academy provides a broad spectrum of offers for lecturers, students, and the interested in its collections such as the said Paintings Gallery and The Graphic Collection.
Students at the Academy of Fine Arts are prepared for innovative work in an ever-widening field of social practice. We insist on the highest standards in teaching and research, but encourage our students to experiment simultaneously. With a teacher-student ratio of 1:6, the Academy offers highly individualized care and support to students. This puts it on a par with any outstanding art school worldwide, which is also reflected in its teaching regime.
To safeguard these qualities, students undergo a complete selection procedure prior to admission, while students and peers regularly assess our lecturers. The Academy's artistic output, on the other hand, is judged by international experts at regular intervals.
Five buildings, covering a total area of 33,500 square meters, provide sufficient space for teaching and research. All the sections are equipped with state-of-the-art laboratories, workshops, and studios. In particular, the video and sound studios are among the best of their kind in Austria.
Besides, students and graduates have the opportunity to present and display their work in numerous exhibition rooms.
All those working at or for the Academy, be it in teaching and research or administration, do so in an atmosphere of mutual respect and harmony. We are convinced that we can only achieve our common goals in a joint effort, through cooperation.
Aware that effective management rests on trust and a positive attitude, we strive to foster our employees' strengths.
To further improve our work's effectiveness and efficiency, we have been investing in all our employees' personal development and further training, and we regularly report on such staff development measures.