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Vienna Adult Education Centers in the financial crisis: Million claims threaten!
In 2025, the financial grants for Viennese adult education centers were significantly increased, while critical reforms are required.
Vienna Adult Education Centers in the financial crisis: Million claims threaten!
The financial currents around the Vienna Adult Education Courts (VHS) provide heated discussions. In a current analysis, there are massive changes in the subsidy structure and on the financial side, which have both opportunities and challenges.
The city of Vienna has invested strongly in adult education centers in recent years. In 2013, the urban subsidies were 25.2 million euros, but this sum rose to a proud 40.1 million euros by 2023. This makes an increase of impressive 59 percent compared to 2013 and 75 percent compared to 2008, when the city was only able to make only 22.9 million euros available. In view of the additional funds for renovations and investments, the total amount is even 56.1 million euros. This corresponds to an increase of 145 percent compared to 2008, such as meinzirk.at.
Refunds and challenges
But not everything runs smoothly: according to the current reporting of today.at the adult education centers now have to repay a total of 2.29 million euros to the city, since funding for the “Wiener Lernhilfe” project was not properly used. The billing for 2023 is still pending if there is no clear view of the use of funds. This not only causes concerns with the city, but also with the opposition parties.
The Stadtachechnungshof (StrH) is criticism of the situation of the VHS. It is criticized that the new financing agreement has been deleted in the new financing agreement, which significantly weakens the control options. This lack of transparency is considered alarming by the FPÖ and the Greens because they meet a central educational task.
Public and private financing
The efforts to finance further training can be seen not least in a larger context. Not only the city of Vienna, but also the public sector, the economy and various social groups, as in a report of Eurydice is explained. These all contribute to the financing of the education system.
Overall, most of the financing of further training on public funds that are made available for municipal adult education centers and cultural training. Individual subsidies and grants are also distributed to ensure broad access to further training. In 2023, an essential part of the funds came from participation fees, which underlines the need for a clear and transparent use of the funds.
The strh strongly recommends rethinking the payout modalities for grants over 50,000 euros, so that they will be paid out in installments in the future and only the last rate will flow after submitting a needs analysis. A consulting company has already been involved in identifying reform and savings potential, and initial savings of over 5 million euros for 2024 and 2025 are in sight.
The current developments related to the Viennese adult education centers are a clear indicator that despite increased financial means, there is a need for action in structure and control. Politicians will be required here not to lose sight of the educational mandate in the future.