Social Professions - Authorised Educational Institution – Approval for Operation

General information

In Upper Austria, the operation of an authorised educational institution (School for Social Professions and/or Providers of Approved Training Courses or Courses of Study) is only allowed with approval from the authorities.

The operation of a school established under the Private Schools Act and other federal provisions of law is not subject to additional approval under the Upper Austrian Social Provisions Act. Changes in conditions that were the basis of the approval must be reported to the authorities.

Requirements

The approval will be issued on request from a legal entity, if ...

  • this entity has the required experience in the respective area of education;
  • this entity has, under consideration of the previously available educational capacities and with respect to the need for personnel, at least over the medium term, the resources that are necessary for social pedagogical supervision;
  • there is an assurance of proper training in terms of the personnel and material resources of the authorised educational institution; and
  • assurance is provided that the financial existence of the planned authorised educational institution for the execution or completion of educational courses or training courses.

Approval can be restricted to individual educational key areas under conditions or requirements and can be granted on a temporary basis.


The following must be included with the application for the issue of a permit:

  • the course of study
  • documentation of the qualifications of the director
  • documentation of the qualifications of the teaching staff
  • documentation of the educational equipment on hand
  • agreements with the trainee placement offices as well as
  • a set of rules for the school or training program.

Qualifications of the administrative and teaching staff (c.f. § 51 Upper Austrian Social Professions Training Act):


The director of a school for social professions, a training programme or course of study must have and be able to document:

  • a completed university degree in:
    • law
    • social and economic sciences
    • psychology,
    • (health) education
    • human medicine or
    • nursing care.
  • at least five years of professional experience in work with persons who depend on social or social-educational supervision; and
  • multiple years of practical teaching experience in the adult.

Contrasting with this, the director of a course of study or training programme for personal assistants, peer advisors or homecare aid must have:

  • successfully completed the equivalent of a high school diploma; or
  • for those offering courses of training or study for early childhood education and early education of the visually impaired,  a completed university degree in the social or economic sciences, psychology, (healthcare) education or human medicine; or
  • for those offering courses of training or study for social educational consulting in youth welfare, a completed university degree in law, the social and economic sciences, psychology, (healthcare and/or specialised) education, human medicine, a degree from a social sciences academy or a degree from an appropriate course of study at a vocational academy.

    Persons who have the following qualifications can serve as instructors at a school for social professions in a course of study or training programme for the respective field of study:
    • a successfully completed university degree, vocational college degree or teaching college degree
    • training in higher level service for healthcare and nursing care
    • training as a credentialed social worker
    • training in advanced medical-technical services
    • training as a specialised or credentialed case worker or
    • training as a social-educational case worker. 
  • they must also have the concretely required specialised knowledge and practical experience; and
  • must have the required educational skills.

In departure from this, in the field of personal assistants, only suitable persons with qualifications as instructors for the subjects of study under § 37 Para. 2 Z. 1 and 6 (Introduction in Personal Assistance and Self-Awareness) are qualified. 
In the field of peer counselling, only suitable persons with qualifications as instructors for the subjects of study under § 46 Para. 2 Z. 3 and 4 (Introduction to Peer Counselling and Foundations of Handicaps and Impairments) are qualified.

Suitable professional and educational staff can be hired to support the teaching staff.

Responsible department

Amt der Oö. Landesregierung
Direktion Soziales und Gesundheit
Abteilung Soziales
Bahnhofplatz 1
4021 Linz
Telefon (+43 732) 77 20-152 21
Fax (+43 732) 77 20-21 56 19
E-Mail so.post@ooe.gv.at
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