Höhere Technische Lehranstalt

Höhere Technische Lehranstalten (HTL, Higher Technical Institute), also called Höhere Technische Bundeslehranstalten (HTBLA, Federal Higher Technical Institute) or Höhere Technische Bundeslehr- und Versuchsanstalten (HTBLuVA, Federal Higher Technical Institute for Educating and Experimenting) are technology and crafts orientated higher colleges in Austria. These institutions are an important part of Austrian vocational education and unique within Europe. HTLs are specialising in engineering disciplines like, for example, civil engineering, electronics, electrical engineering, information technology, informatics, mechanical engineering, mechatronics and chemistry.

HTLs also existed in Switzerland until 1995 when these institutions were converted into Swiss Fachhochschule-institutions.

Types of Courses

Höhere Technische Lehranstalten generally offer three different types of courses:

* Fachschule courses last for four years and start after compulsory education, which ends in Austria with grade 9 so students are 15 years old and over 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, but they are limited to a specified range of majors.

* The so called Höhere Abteilung offer the most common type of courses at Austrian HTLs. It is possible to start this type of course after compulsory education or to complete grade 9 in HTL. However, in both cases the actual course starts after completing grade 9 and lasts for five years. 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 - similar to a Technikerarbeit but at higher level - or via a "Klausurwoche" (a week with one nine hour long, practical test each day). After that a student has to pass one written test in mathematics and one in a language (German or English) and the final oral examinations to graduate. The examinations are called " Diplom- und Reifeprüfung" 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 EU Council Directive 92/51 EWG, Annex D ( [http://eur-lex.europa.eu/smartapi/cgi/sga_doc?smartapi!celexapi!prod!CELEXnumdoc&numdoc=31992L0051&model=guichett&lg=en ] ) this certificate is equivalent to university education of at least 1 year but less than 3 years, similar to e.g. a Foundation degree.

* The third type of couses at HTLs are special post-secondary courses for students who have completed an apprenticeship (four years long), are master craftsmen or graduated from Gymnasium with Matura (both three years long). These types of courses are also offered at the "Höhere Abteilungen" and end with the same qualifications like the five-year courses.

Notable HTLs

* The largest HTL in Austria with 3.500 students is the HTBLuVA Mödling.
* The oldest Austrian vocational school is the "HTBLuVA Wien 5 Spengergasse" in Vienna, established in 1758 by Maria Theresia.

Höhere Technische Lehranstalten in Austria

"Sorting by Gemeindekennziffer".

See also

*Education in Austria
*List of universities in Austria

External links

* [http://www.htl.at/index.php?lang=&modul=kategorien&id=&lang=eng www.htl.at] Internet platform for diploma projects and final examination projects at Austrian HTLs
* [http://www.bildungssystem.at/article/articlelistview/277/1/63/?swlang=en www.bildungssystem.at] - Information about the Austrian educational system
* [http://www.bmukk.gv.at/enfr/index.xml www.bmukk.gv.at] - The Austrian Federal Ministry for Education, the Arts and Culture