The University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, or simply BOKU (derived from its German name, Universität für Bodenkultur Wien, [ˌunivɛʁziˈtɛːt fyːɐ̯ ˈboːdn̩kʊlˌtuːɐ̯ viːn]), founded by the Austrian Empire in 1872, is an education and research centre for renewable resources in Vienna. BOKU combines fundamental and applied expertise in the fields of natural sciences, engineering and biotechnology as well as social and economic sciences to enhance the knowledge basis for sustainable management of natural resources. It is a member of the Euroleague for Life Sciences (ELLS) university network. There are currently around 13,000 students from over 100 countries enrolled at BOKU.
After 27 years at Palais Schönborn (today's Austrian Museum of Folk Life and Folk Art) the City of Vienna decided in 1896 to build a new campus at Türkenschanzpark in the 18th district. The departments of sustainable agriculture, soil science, horticulture, animal husbandry, economics and social sciences are still headquartered at this original campus. Another city campus, located at Muthgasse in the 19th district near the Heiligenstadt underground station, is the headquarters for the biotechnology, chemistry, plant sciences, water resource management, waste management and food sciences departments. There is also a research facility complex in Tulln, north of the city, with biotechnology and agricultural sciences laboratories and facilities. Other important locations and testing fields are Groß-Enzersdorf (Lower Austria), Jedlersdorf (Vienna), Knödelhütte (Vienna), Heuberg/Rosalia (Burgenland) and the Water Cluster Lunz am See (Lower Austria).
Departments and Research Units
15 Departments of BOKU
Department of Material Sciences and Process Engineering (Department für Materialwissenschaften und Prozesstechnik)
Department of Biotechnology (Department für Biotechnologie)
Department of Water, Atmosphere and Environment (Department Wasser-Atmosphäre-Umwelt)
Department of Nanobiotechnology (Department für Nanobiotechnologie)
Department of Chemistry (Department für Chemie)
Department of Integrative Biology and Biodiversity Research (Department für Integrative Biologie und Biodiversitätsforschung)
Department of Food science and Technology (Department für Lebensmittelwissenschaften und -technologie)
Department of Landscape, Spatial and Infrastructure Sciences (Department für Raum, Landschaft und Infrastruktur)
Department of Economics and Social Sciences (Department für Wirtschafts- und Sozialwissenschaften)
Department of Sustainable Agricultural Systems (Department für Nachhaltige Agrarsysteme)
Department of Civil Engineering and Natural Hazards (Department für Bautechnik und Naturgefahren)
Department of Forest- and Soil Sciences (Department für Wald- und Bodenwissenschaften)
Department of Crop Sciences (Department für Nutzpflanzenwissenschaften)
Department of Agrobiotechnology, IFA-Tulln (Interuniversitäres Department für Agrarbiotechnologie, IFA-Tulln)
Department of Applied Genetics and Cell Biology (Department für angewandte Genetik und Zellbiologie)
Research Units and Initiatives
Center for Development Research
Center for Global Change and Sustainability
Center for Agricultural Sciences
Vienna Institute of BioTechnology
Bio-Resources & Technologies Tulln
During the 2004/2005 academic year, the university began the switch to the European Union system of higher education, meaning that they implemented a three-tier system of studies. From that point on, the university has offered bachelor's degrees (180 ECTS), master's degrees (120 ECTS), and doctoral/PhD degrees (180 ECTS).
Food Science and Biotechnology
Landscape Architecture and Landscape Planning
Forestry
Wood and Fibre Technology
Environment and Bio-Resources Management
Civil Engineering and Water Management
Agricultural Sciences
Equine Sciences
Wildlife Ecology and Wildlife Management
Food Science and Technology
Biotechnology
Landscape Architecture and Landscape Planning
Phytomedicine
Forest Sciences
Wood Technology and Management
Environment and Bio-Resources Management
Civil Engineering and Water Management
Plant Sciences
Livestock Sciences
Agricultural and Food Economy
DDP Material and Energetic Exploitation of Renewable Raw Materials (NAWARO)
Alpine Natural Dangers / Watershed Regulation
Organic Agricultural Systems and Agroecology (AgrEco-Organic or EUR-Organic)
Mountain Forestry
Water Management and Environmental Engineering
Applied Limnology
Organic Agricultural Systems and Agroecology (AgrEco-Organic or EUR-Organic)
Natural Resources Management and Ecological Engineering (NARMEE)
Applied Limnology and Wetland Management
Environmental Sciences - Soil, Water, Biodiversity (ENVEURO)
DDP EM in Animal Breeding and Genetics
Safety in the Food Chain
DDP European Forestry
Horticultural Sciences
DDP Material and Energetic Exploitation of Renewable Raw Materials (NAWARO)
Viticulture, Enology and Wine Economics
Organic Agricultural Systems and Agroecology (AgrEco-Organic or EUR-Organic)
Sustainability in Agriculture, Food Production and Food Technology in the Danube Region
Doctoral studies of Social and Economic Sciences
Doctoral studies of Natural Resources and Life Sciences
PhD in Biomolecular Technology of Proteins (BioToP)
International Graduate School in Nanobiotechnology (IGS-NanoBio)
Leopold Figl – Federal Chancellor of Austria (1945–1953)
Franz Fischler – EU Commissioner for Agriculture, Rural Development and Fisheries (1995–2004)
Nikolaus Berlakovich – Federal Minister of Agriculture and Forestry (2008–2013)
Luis Durnwalder – Governor of South Tyrol (1989–2014)
Günter Haiden – Federal Minister of Agriculture and Forestry (1976–1986)
Hans Lechner – Governor of the State of Salzburg (1961–1977)
Hermann Neubacher – NSDAP, Mayor of Vienna (1938–1940)
Erwin Pröll – Governor of Lower Austria (1992–2017)
Josef Pröll – Federal Minister of Finance and Vice-Chancellor (2008–2011)
Hans Tuppy – Biochemist und Federal Minister of Science (1987–1989)
Oskar Weihs – Federal Minister of Agriculture and Forestry (1970–1976)
Andrä Rupprechter – Federal Minister of Agriculture and Forestry (2013–present)
Walter Bitterlich - Forest Scientist and Inventor
Adolf Cieslar - Forest Scientist
Adolf Ritter von Guttenberg - Forest Scientist
Herbert Killian - Forest Historian
Josef Kisser - Botanist
Helga Kromp-Kolb – Meteorologist und Climate Scientist, Austrian Scientist of the Year 2005
Wilhelm Neurath - Economist
Emil Perels - Land Planner
Karl Prachar - Mathematician
Karl E. Schedl - Zoologist and Forest Scientist
Franz Schwackhöfer - Chemist
Erich von Tschermak-Seysenegg - Plant researcher
Martin Wilckens - Animal researcher and Founding Rector of BOKU
