Learning

“If your only tool is a hammer, then every problem looks like a nail.” This quote by worldfamous Villach-born communication studies scholar Paul Watzlawick hits the proverbial nail on the head. At the place where Paul’s educational journey started many years ago, children and young people can today choose from a wide array of educational offers that give them all the tools they will need in their professional lives.

As a city of artists, researchers, inventors and developers, Villach sets great store by education and offers (lifelong) learning opportunities to people of all ages.

More than 240 preschools and close to 100 primary schools in the greater Villach area give our youngest citizens a head start on their educational paths. Parents can choose from a wide array of care and educational offers for their children, including those with a multilingual focus, Montessori education and inclusive schooling. The International School Carinthia and its outstanding International Baccalaureate program round off the broad range on offer.

Upon graduating from primary school at about age 10, children can choose from many different (specialized) secondary schools, catering to diverse interests and talents.

At about age 14, young people can again select the school at which they will continue their educational path, choosing, among others, from a wide range of vocational schools and schools for higher vocational education with a technical, commercial or social focus in and around Villach. These schools offer ideal learning environments for students to receive a high level of vocational training. Some of them also lead up to the Matura schoolleaving examination, enabling graduates to enroll in university. Austria is the only country in Europe offering this unique combination of vocational and academic training at pre-university level that produces young graduates who are ideally prepared for their future careers.

And finally, the Alpen-Adria- Universität Klagenfurt (AAU), the Carinthia University of Applied Sciences (CUAS) and the University College of Teacher Education Carinthia (PH) as well as a number of further well-known universities in the region and in neighboring Italy and Slovenia offer graduate and post-graduate programs. The country’s research institutions, in turn, provide attractive opportunities to conduct research in a vast array of fields.

CITY OF KNOWLEDGE, RESEARCH AND TECHNOLOGY

The region has lived up to its reputation as a dynamic technology hotspot for years. Not only is it home to the largest research unit in the field of microelectronics, but has also been the location of the industrial company with the highest research rate in Austria since 2014.

The High Tech Campus Villach is home to the Silicon Alps technology and innovati-on cluster, which connects stakeholders in the field of electronic-based systems in the south of Austria. The latest flagship project in the region is the Villach branch of Silicon Austria Labs (SAL) - one of only three such locations in Austria. Since 2018, this world-class research center and pioneer in electronic based systems is located in the Technology Park Villach (tpv). The core of SAL in Villach is the Carinthia Tech Research, which has been carrying out research at the location since 1997.

In addition to independent research bodies such as SAL, in-house research institutions, such as Kompetenzzentrum Automobil- und Industrieelektronik (center of excellence for automotive and industrial electronics) and Imerys Technology Center Austria, form the core of the region’s innovation scene.

The Carinthia University of Applied Sciences with locations in Villach and the nearby cities of Spittal, Feldkirchen and Klagenfurt frequently cooperates with companies in innovative research projects. One example is digital.lab, which offers help to the public administration and enterprises to master the digital transformation process. The University also directly cooperates with the regional industry, for instance within the Silicon Austria Labs.

Last but not least, the Austrian Research Center for Primatology at Landskron’s “monkey mountain” is an interesting counterpoint on the otherwise technology-focused Carinthian research landscape.

INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL CARINTHIA (ISC)

The International School Carinthia (ISC) in Velden offers top-class education to children of both Austrian and international families in the region. The curriculum is based on the Austrian system and the educational approach of the International Baccalaureate (IC).

This outstanding school is located a few minutes outside of Villach by car.

FAMOUS VILLACHERS

Villach as an innovative mecca on the Drau

Historical figures such as the revolutionary doctor Paracelsus, the painter and sculptor Bruno Gironcoli, or the philosopher Paul Watzlawick have their roots in this city on the Drau. Today, local industry’s many researchers ensure world-changing innovations, and a lively regional cultural scene guarantees a climate of creativity.