Saving universities means securing the future
Whilst Europe increasingly views education, research and innovation as strategic investments in the future, Austria is debating cuts to university funding. At a time of global technological upheaval, other countries are investing heavily in knowledge, research and training. Austria, on the other hand, risks making cuts precisely in the areas where the foundations for future prosperity are laid.
Whilst Europe increasingly views education, research and innovation as strategic investments in the future, Austria is debating cuts to universities. This sends exactly the wrong signal to students, researchers and an entire generation whose future prospects depend on a well-funded education system and a strong higher education and research sector.
By expanding the European Education Area, the European Union is pursuing the clear objective of strengthening higher education institutions, promoting research and ensuring Europe remains competitive and innovative in the long term.
At a time of global technological upheaval, other countries are investing heavily in knowledge, research and training. Austria, on the other hand, risks making cuts precisely where the foundations for future prosperity are laid.
Karoline Adam, Co-President of Volt Austria: "The question is not whether we can afford to invest in education. The question is how costly it will be for Austria if we fail to do so."
Austria must not ruin its future through austerity
Many universities are already under enormous pressure. Overcrowded lecture theatres, precarious working conditions in academia, a lack of infrastructure and chronic underfunding characterise the daily lives of many students and researchers.
Further cuts would not solve these problems, but would only exacerbate them.
Right now, Austria needs more investment in education, research and innovation, not less. For universities are far more than just places of learning. They are centres of scientific progress, democratic education and social development. They safeguard Europe’s technological competitiveness as well as the social cohesion of our society.
"A country does not restore its health by cutting its universities to the bone. Cutting funding for higher education today jeopardises economic strength, social cohesion and our competitiveness tomorrow," says Rico Winter, Co-President of Volt Austria.
Education is not a budget reserve
The current budgetary problems must not be solved at the expense of the next generation. When the healthcare system, educational institutions, research and public infrastructure are all coming under increasing pressure at the same time, this is not merely a spending problem. Above all, it shows that Austria has neglected the funding of key public services for years.
Whilst labour is heavily taxed in Austria, large fortunes and inheritances remain comparatively lightly taxed by international standards. At the same time, public systems have been subjected to ever-increasing pressure to make short-term savings.
Volt therefore advocates a different approach: a state capable of taking action that safeguards investments in the future, rather than gradually eroding them.
These include:
reliable, long-term funding for public universities,
investment in research, innovation and European educational partnerships.
How do we intend to finance this?
introduction of a wealth tax for the super-rich,
introduction of an inheritance tax,
relief for workers through a reduction in non-wage labour costs and a reduction in income tax for lower earners,
fight against corruption through the judiciary's uncompromising prosecution of cronyism,
Austria's participation in European tax harmonisation to limit tax loopholes and opportunities for fraud,
as well as the efficient and transparent use of public funds instead of blanket cuts and a scattergun approach.
Europe's future will not be built on austerity
Europe will not secure its role in an increasingly uncertain world through short-term austerity measures, but through knowledge, innovation and education. Universities are not a drain on the national budget. They are an investment in economic strength, social progress and democratic stability.
Cutting funding for higher education today risks economic stagnation, social division and a loss of innovative capacity tomorrow. Volt therefore takes a clear stand against cuts in the higher education sector.
For anyone who takes Europe's future seriously must also be prepared to invest in it.