University for Continuing Education Krems


The University for Continuing Education Krems is an Austrian university specializing in further education for working professionals. It is located in Krems an der Donau, Lower Austria.

Name

The Austrian Ministry of Education, Science and Research calls the university the Danube University Krems in English and the Legal Information System of the Republic of Austria calls the university the University of Continuing Education Krems in the English translation of the Universities Act 2002.

History

The first 93 students enrolled in 1995, when the institution began operation with programs in European Studies and journalism. In 2004, the Austrian parliament passed the Danube University Act granting the institution the rights of a full university. In 2019, the University for Continuing Education Krems was fully incorporated as a public university into the Universities Act 2002. The University for Continuing Education Krems Act ceased to be in force, while the institution’s specialization in postgraduate university programmes remained unchanged. More than 32,000 students have graduated from the university.

Courses

The University for Continuing Education Krems has specialized in further education of working professionals. It currently offers more than 200 academic courses and degree programs in the fields:
  • Arts & Culture
  • Building & Environment
  • Digitalization & Sensors
  • Economics & Business Management
  • Education
  • Health & Medicine
  • Law & Administration
  • Media & Communication
  • Migration & International Affairs
  • Psychotherapy & Social Services

    Students

Today, more than 7,500 students from over 100 countries study at the university. 26 percent of the students come from foreign countries.

Campus

The University for Continuing Education Krems is located in the Wachau region along the Danube, which has been named a world cultural heritage site by the UNESCO. A renovated tobacco factory dating back to the onset of the 20th century and new buildings on Campus Krems provide students and educators room for research and studying. The design for the new buildings is the creation of architect Dietmar Feichtinger, who places a new façade of steel, glass and aluminium opposite the industrial building from the previous century.

Organisation

Faculties and departments

Faculty of Health and Medicine

Departments:
  • Biomedical Research
  • Dementia Research and Nursing Science
  • Evidence-based Medicine and Evaluation
  • Health Sciences, Medicine and Research
  • Clinical Neurosciences and Preventive Medicine
  • Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy
  • Economy and Health

    Faculty of Business and Globalization

Departments:
  • E-Governance and Administration
  • European Policy and the Study of Democracy
  • Knowledge and Communication Management
  • Legal Studies and International Relations
  • Management and Economics
  • Migration and Globalisation
  • Security Studies

    Faculty of Education, Arts and Architecture

Departments:
On 2 February 2007, vice-chancellor Helmut Kramer resigned due to "conceptional differences on strategic leadership". In May 2007 Heinrich Kern was assigned new vice-chancellor. The interim vice-chancellor, Ada Pellert, who also had applied, was not considered on the shortlist of three by the nomination committee. This was followed by protests in the university senate claiming the decision to be gender-discriminating.
On 8 August 2007, the university issued a statement that the discussions on the vice-chancellor's nomination are based on structural problems in the university. The university decided to split the organisation into two universities. Kern and Pellert were asked to apply for the positions of the two universities' vice-chancellors.
In July 2008 deputy vice-chancellors Ada Pellert and Hanna Risku resigned. In August 2008, vice-chancellor Heinrich Kern resigned according to an agreement with the university council. Former deputy vice-chancellor Jürgen Willer was elected new vice-chancellor. Willer took office in January 2009. He resigned from the office in September 2012.
In its session held on 20 February 2013, the University Council elected Friedrich Faulhammer, former general secretary of the Federal Ministry for Science and Research, to become its vice-chancellor. In its meeting on October 15, 2024, the University Council elected Prof. Viktoria Weber as the new vice-chancellor. Weber has been in office since August 1, 2025.