A sustainable organisation
Sustainable operations call for a senior management team with an unswerving commitment to sustainability. Our University Management is fully aware of this, and has taken steps to ensure that the topic of sustainability is embedded in the university’s strategy and values. We promote a corporate culture in which sustainable approaches are a leading priority.
This section of our website covers all aspects related to sustainable management of the university – from internal decision-making structures geared towards environmental and social factors to the economic value we generate as a university. It also presents our membership of networks focused on sustainable operations and our efforts to communicate science to the public.
Driving sustainable development together
As a member of numerous national and global networks, IMC Krems is committed to driving forward sustainable development, both at the university itself as well as throughout society.
Providing knowledge to society and creating added value
Alongside our commitment to implementing sustainable structures for our core teaching and research competences, and for the higher education services we provide, another key focus is communicating science to the public, with an emphasis on lifelong learning.
Tip: check our Sustainability Report for further details
This section of our website is designed to give you an overview of our objectives for sustainable operations, and to outline the measures currently in place. You can find a detailed description as well as further indicators in our Sustainability Report, which will be published every two years from now on.
Financial stability
Financial stability provides the foundations for our activities and has direct impacts on the organisational set-up.
Public-sector funding accounts for two-thirds of IMC Krems’ budget. Subsidies for each degree programme are assured by contracts with the federal government and the State of Lower Austria.
Tuition fees paid by students make up approximately 7% of total revenue. The proportion contributed by project revenue including research and development income is around 22%.
Economic Impacts
It is generally acknowledged that higher education makes a major contribution to the continuous development of society and the economy. Higher education institutions help to ensure knowledge creation and knowledge transfer to industry by means of teaching, research and other activities.
The contribution made by higher education institutions is multidimensional: they promote growth in human capital, they influence the social, cultural and economic environment in which businesses operate, and at the same time they are also independent participants in the economy which, through their own spending, make a macroeconomic contribution to regional economic activity that should not be underestimated.
With our 3,000 students, 300 employees and almost 700 lecturers, our university makes a significant contribution to regional economic growth.
Trustworthy relationship with the IMC community
In our business dealings, we put an emphasis on our core values of fairness, commitment, mutual trust and a sense of responsibility, as well as embracing diversity and supporting personal advancement, in line with our vision and mission. This is facilitated by maintaining our legal and financial independence. It is reflected in our sustainable thinking and actions and in the our recognition of our responsibilities towards the business, the IMC team and students, as well as the society in which we operate.
Our University Management – comprised of the Executive Management and the Academic Board – is our highest governing body with regard to decision making on economic, environmental and social matters.
Our success is based on the trust that students, the IMC team, business partners and funding bodies place in our university. Compliance with legal and internal guidelines is essential for maintaining this trust, and in turn for the success and stability of the organisation.
Value creation vis-à-vis partners
Our organisational structure creates the necessary framework by promoting an open culture characterised by trust and mutual respect. In the interest of safeguarding sustainability, we take action to satisfy our stakeholders in all aspects of our educational, research and other activities.
Memberships
We are a member of the Austrian Association of Universities of Applied Sciences, a non-profit organisation comprising all Austrian universities of applied sciences that represents the interests of its members in Austria and abroad. The aim of the Association is to improve the financial and legal environments, achieve uniform standards and transparency in the higher education sector, and engage in efficient public relations to enhance the sector’s image.
Since 2013 we have been a member of the two most important initiatives and networks related to our sustainability operations: Principles for Responsible Management Education (PRME) and the United Nations Global Compact (UNGC).
United Nations Global Compact
We are committed to the Ten Principles of the UN Global Compact (UNGC) and play an active part within the network to help shape activities and content in Austria.
PRME DACH Chapter
The PRME initiative promotes achievement of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals and lays down principles for sustainable business education. The university is in regular contact with PRME members in Europe and the rest of the world, and has built up extensive relationships within the DACH Chapter of members in the German-speaking countries.
"Bündnis Nachhaltige Hochschulen" (Alliance for Sustainable Universities)
The members of the "Bündnis Nachhaltige Hochschulen" (Alliance for Sustainable Universities) actively contribute to the achievement of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in the areas of teaching, research, university management and cooperation and, in doing so, assume their social responsibility as universities.
Communicating Science to the Public
Introducing children and young people to science and research from an early age and providing lifelong access to higher education are important socio-political aspects of our mission. Based on these guiding principles, in 2006 we established the first university for children and young adults in Lower Austria, as well as the SeniorInnenUNI university for senior citizens, offering education to people in retirement.
Other initiatives and events connected with communicating science to the public have included Science Goes School, the Science Fair, summer Talent Internships, the Junior Life Science Meeting, the Long Night of Science and Research, the Lower Austria Research Festival, Enjoy Science, the Science Market, the “studieren probieren” university taster day, Teacher Goes FH, and collaborations with schools to organise research days at our campus.
Sustainability Day at IMC Krems
The university has held its regular Sustainability Day since 2016 – the event is all about social responsibility and sustainable development.
The day is organised entirely by students and is aimed at all university employees, teaching staff and students, as well as members of the local community. The goal is to build bridges between different disciplines, increase awareness of sustainability-related issues, and ultimately encourage participants to think and act more sustainably.