The University of Graz, founded in 1585, is Austria’s second oldest university and one of the largest in the country. Many excellent scientists, amongst them six Nobel laureates, have taught and researched here. With 31,000 students and 4,300 employees the University of Graz contributes significantly to the vibrating life of the Styrian capital. Its location in Europe encourages a lively scientific, economic and cultural exchange with South-East Europe, from which not only the city benefits, but also its educational institutions.

As a comprehensive university, the University of Graz regards itself as an international institution for education and research committed to research and teaching for the benefit of society. It is our policy to maintain freedom in research and teaching, which permanently commits us to social, political and technological developments. Increasing flexibilisation and globalisation are the essential frame conditions. Besides our ambition to create profile and visibility in a European and global context, it is above all one of our most outstanding characteristics that our university has acquired a special position in the south-eastern European region.

Institut für Bildungsforschung und PädagogInnenbildung

The “Institute of Education Research and Teacher Education” is part of the “Faculty of Environmental, Regional and Educational Sciences” and was founded in 2012. In the last two years the Institute has grown and has now 6 research groups and one research center. 

The research group “Education and Digital Transformation”, where we observe how the societal, political and cultural conditions in education are steadily changing. In particular, we focus on the increase of digitalization and the digital competences children and young people are going to need in the future. We further examine the consequences of digitalization for curricula development, learning environments, learning processes and teacher education. 

In order to prepare educators to pay attention to these new developments and to meet the challenges posed by digitalization, it is crucial to explore new avenues in teaching and research. In our research group, we respond to these pedagogical and societal realities, often by working in interdisciplinary teams and by applying experimental and participative research methods.