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Höhere Technische Lehranstalt

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Höhere Technische Lehranstalt

A Höhere Technische Lehranstalt (HTL, Higher Technical Education Institute, or in a transferred sense Technical College) is an engineering-focused secondary school in Austria. As an umbrella term it is used for either

Contents

  • Höhere Technische Lehranstalt (HTL, HTLA),
  • Höhere Technische Bundeslehranstalt (HTBLA, Federal Higher Technical Institute), or
  • Höhere Technische Bundeslehr- und Versuchsanstalt (HTBLuVA, Federal Higher Technical Institute for Education and Experimentation).

    • These institutions are an important part of Austrian vocational education. HTLs specialise in disciplines such as civil engineering, electronics, electrical engineering, information technology, informatics, industrial engineering, mechanical engineering, mechatronics and chemistry. There are 75 HTLs in Austria (as of 2016).

    HTLs also existed in Switzerland until 1995 when these institutions were converted into Swiss Universities of Applied Sciences.

    Types of Courses

    Höhere Technische Lehranstalten generally offer four different types of courses:

  • Fachschule courses last four years. The first year at a HTL is usually also the last year of compulsory education, which ends in Austria with grade 9 so students are at least 14 years old when they enter HTL. After four years, students have to complete a Technikerarbeit, a final examination project and then pass the final examinations to graduate from HTL. Students can also attend the examinations for the Berufsreifeprüfung, but these examinations are voluntary. The Berufsreifeprüfung formally enables students to attend university.
  • The so-called Höhere Abteilung offers the most common type of courses at Austrian HTLs. The courses last five years and start with grade 9. This type of education has a number of similarities to Japanese colleges of technology (Kosen). After five years, students may complete the school via a Diplomarbeit, a final examination project that requires several hundred hours of work – similar to a Technikerarbeit but at higher level. After that, a student has to pass one written test in mathematics, and an exam in a main technical subject and one (or by choice two) in a language (German or English) and the final oral examinations to graduate. The examinations are called Reife- und Diplomprüfung since the Austrian Reifeprüfung (Matura) is an integral part of it and students are formally enabled to attend university. After three years of work experience in engineering graduates can apply for the Austrian professional title Ingenieur (pre-nominal letters: Ing.), literally engineer. According to Council Directive 92/51/EEC of 18 June 1992 on a second general system for the recognition of professional education and training, Annex D this certificate was equivalent to university education of at least 1 year but less than 3 years, similar to e.g. a Foundation degree. Directive 92/51/EEC is no more in force - it was repealed by Directive 2005/36/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 7 September 2005 on the recognition of professional qualifications.
  • The so-called Abendschule (evening school) offers a type of course that is very similar to the Höhere Abteilung and intended for people who want to study while they work. These courses are organized in 8 semesters and are completed with a Reife- und Diplomprüfung just like the Höhere Abteilung.
  • The fourth type of courses at HTLs are special post-secondary courses for students who have completed an apprenticeship, are master craftsmen or graduated from Gymnasium with Matura. These types of courses are also offered at the Höhere Abteilungen and end with the same qualifications as the five-year courses.

    • HTLs

  • The largest HTL in Austria with 3.500 students is the HTBLuVA Mödling, which is also the largest school in Europe.
  • The oldest Austrian vocational school is the HTBLuVA Wien 5 Spengergasse in Vienna, established in 1758 by Maria Theresia.
  • The HTBLVA TGM (Technologisches Gewerbe Museum) in Vienna has the highest school building in Austria (about 70m, 16 floors).
  • The HTBLVA TGM also has the largest base area of any HTL in Austria.

    • References

    Höhere Technische Lehranstalt Wikipedia
    (Text) CC BY-SA