The Federal Representation (BV) is organized throughout Austria. Since 2005, the Federal Representation of the ÖH has no longer been directly elected, but is made up of persons delegated by the individual university representations. At the express wish of the ÖH and after lengthy negotiations, this change is now being reversed. From 2015, all students throughout Austria will once again be able to directly elect their national representatives, with each vote carrying the same weight. This should strengthen the democratic legitimacy of the federal representation, restore democracy in the highest student representation body and make work easier by reducing the current 100 mandates to just 55.

The University Representation (UV) represents students vis-à-vis the local university administration and the Rectorate. It fights for your interests and rights as a student and tries to bring about improvements at the university and in teaching.

Representation work in the respective fields of study is the responsibility of the student representatives. They therefore form the smallest unit within the student representation structure in Austria. Depending on the number of students, the student representatives consist of 3-5 people who are elected in the course of the ÖH election. They are the direct contact persons for and take care of the concerns of the students on their degree program and are actively involved in various committees (e.g. curricular working groups, study conferences, etc.) for improvements in everyday student life.

The departments are organized according to areas of responsibility and support the university representatives and their chairpersons with their activities. At all universities, as well as at the University of Art and Design, there are three areas of responsibility that must be covered by departments:

– Department of Economics and Finance
– Department for Education and Politics
– Department for Social and International Affairs

Still installed:
– Department for Sustainability
– Department for Antiracism and Antifascism
– Press and Public Relations Department
– Department of Art and Culture
– Department for Queer Feminism
– Department for Accessibility
– Department for Dokapi Affairs
– Borrowing department

Student participation is extremely important, which is why many other people work as student representatives in collegiate bodies such as the Senate and the curriculum commissions or as student members of commissions and committees. Get in touch with us if you are interested in getting involved!