The FHK unanimously elected a new steering committee at a general meeting held on 15 November 2021, when the organisation appointed a women to its top position for the first time. CEO of IMC Krems, Ulrike Prommer, will serve as President for the next three years.
Responding flexibly and efficiently to market requirements
The growth in the university of applied sciences sector has been impressive, with almost 60,000 people now studying at this type of higher education institution. In Austria, one in three new students opt for a university of applied sciences. According to Ulrike Prommer: “Universities of applied sciences have now become firmly established at both the national and international level. We have shown what student-centred higher education with a strong customer focus and a high degree of coordination can look like. This is reflected in the professional success of our graduates. Political decision makers now need to adjust the relevant frameworks so that we can respond flexibly and efficiently to current requirements.”
“The demand from business and industry for highly skilled graduates remains strong. In order for universities of applied sciences to continue producing such high-quality graduates, we need the policy basis for our next phase of planning to be put in place as quickly as possible so we can move on to the implementation stage,” she added.
Sufficient funding for teaching and research
Prommer would like to see a significant reduction in bureaucracy. Excessive regulation has hindered development processes and progress, and made it difficult to react quickly to the latest developments in the labour market. She is also keen to ensure that sufficient funding is available for teaching and research, in order to maintain the current high standards of education. She is therefore urging the Austrian Federal Ministry of Science, Research and Economy to draw up the 2022/23 Universities of Applied Sciences Development and Financing Plan as quickly as possible.
An honour for IMC Krems
The IMC Krems Managing Team and Supervisory Board congratulated the new FHK President on her appointment. “My congratulations to Ulrike Prommer on her election as President, and to the entire FHK committee for its unanimous decision. The result shows that despite the diverse nature of the university of applied sciences sector, it speaks with a single voice, and is all the stronger for it,” commented IMC Krems CEO Prof. Karl Ennsfellner.
“As a proud father, I'm delighted that my daughter has been elected FHK President. I’m sure she will approach this new challenge with her usual zest and bring her expertise to bear as always,” said IMC Krems Supervisory Board Chairman, Prof. Heinz Boyer.
“After a successful first 25 years, universities of applied sciences now face a number of exciting challenges and forks in the road, and I’m delighted that the FHK has chosen Ulrike Prommer as its first female President. I believe that she can lead the way with her strong voice and innovative forward thinking,” added FHK board member and IMC Krems Academic Board Chair, Prof. Martin Waiguny.
Ulrike Prommer
Ulrike Prommer has been CEO at IMC Krems since 2009. She studied business administration at the Vienna University of Economics and Business. In 1995 she became a member of the FHK, where she has served on the board since 2009 and was a member of the quality management committee from 2005 to 2008. She held a seat on the steering committee from 2010 to 2015, and has been Vice President since 2017. Since 2015 Ulrike Prommer has sat on the supervisory board of HYPO NOE Gruppe Bank AG , and became a member of the founding and advisory board of ISK International School Krems in the same year. She was awarded the City of Krems’ Golden Pin of Honour for exceptional service in 2017. Ulrike Prommer was born in Krems and is married with two sons.
