Austria: Increasing Budget for Mass Education

Abstract

Looking at the 1982 budget figures, it seems that even in a period of economic stagnation Austria is still prepared to invest in education. Thirteen percent of the national budget (42, 500 million of Austrian schillings; 30 schillings = one pound sterling; about 7 schillings = 1 DM) is spent on education. This means an increase of over 300 percent since 1970, when the corresponding figure was 10, 300 million. Continued priority for education is based on the general feeling that growing competition in international markets requires highly specialized manpower and concentration on products requiring a high level of technological skill. People believe that a better education and additional know-how might make it easier to avoid unemployment.