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ItalianoThe long wait is over. In October 2022, MCI | Die Unternehmerische Hochschule® in Innsbruck and FH Technikum Wien, in cooperation with the Austrian Trade Association, will launch the first university courses leading to a Bachelor Professional degree in eCommerce. Science Minister Heinz Faßmann welcomes this forward-looking cooperation between science and business.
"This year we have laid the legal foundations for the further development of continuing education at universities. In this respect, I am particularly pleased with this first Bachelor Professional 'eCommerce Fachwirt:in'. The cooperation between MCI, FH Technikum and the Trade Association promises a high-quality and very practice-oriented academic education. The focus of a Bachelor Professional is a very strong professional orientation - and this is taken into account here in an exemplary manner," said the Minister of Science.
"The new university education 'eCommerce Fachwirt:in' is the logical continuation of the success story for digital specialisation in the retail industry, which began with the 'eCommerce Lehre'. Based on the new legal foundations for university-based further education, we are thus setting the next milestone that guarantees a strong practical orientation at an academic level - with the Bachelor Professional degree. The proven system of dual training is thus complemented at the academic level with a new specialisation offer in the field of STEM subjects," says Handelsverband Managing Director Rainer Will happily.
"75 percent of our traders want this university course, now it's time to implement it. Many thanks to Science Minister Faßmann as well as to the MCI Innsbruck and the FH Technikum Wien for this historic closing of ranks between science and business. Together we are making Austria fit for the future as a trading location for the challenges of the 21st century," says Will.
The challenge: a practice-oriented curriculum
The new Bachelor Professional "eCommerce Fachwirt:in" is to be offered as early as the winter semester of 2022 in order to be able to train the urgently needed specialists in the field of digital trade and eCommerce in Austria. To this end, the trade association is working together with its members, the MCI Innsbruck and the FH Technikum Wien, on a practice-oriented study plan that is optimally tailored to the specific needs of domestic trade. A professional start in retail will become even more attractive in the next few years with the help of the university course "eCommerce Fachwirt:in" - especially for the Y and Z generations.
University courses leading to a Bachelor Professional degree are equivalent to regular Bachelor studies. Prerequisites for admission are relevant professional qualifications or several years of relevant professional experience. Almost two-thirds of domestic consumers are convinced of the potential of the new training, as a survey by Mindtake Research on behalf of the trade association shows. The background: The Corona pandemic has led to a shortage of apprentices in Austria and massively aggravated the staff shortage in the retail sector. Many businesses complain about too few IT specialists.
The goal: highly qualified skilled workers for a digital retail environment
"We accompany motivated people - that is the MCI's guiding principle. We are all the more pleased to be able to offer this high-quality university course in cooperation with the retail association and other partners. In this way we are strengthening the competence of the local business location and offering young people attractive opportunities to shape their future," explains Andreas Altmann, Rector of the MCI.
"We are pleased to contribute to an innovative educational product with our comprehensive expertise in management, digital business, e-commerce, logistics, IT law, etc., our many years of experience in e-learning and our worldwide network in order to strengthen Austria's competitiveness and build bridges between science and business. Our team is already in the starting blocks," confirms Altmann.
"The training to become eCommerce Fachwirt:innen also requires a sound technical knowledge from the future specialists. We are pleased to have the opportunity to demonstrate our great know-how at the interface of digitalisation, technology and business in the development and implementation of the new Bachelor Professional university course," says Sylvia Geyer, Rector of the FH Technikum Wien.
"With focal points between Artifical Intelligence, User Experience Design, Data Science and Social Media Management, our UAS can contribute expertise in a broad range of topics for this field. In addition to teaching digital skills and learning the relevant technical tools, we also focus on a hands-on mentality as well as a sound mix of theory and practice. On this basis, we can train highly qualified specialists who are well equipped for the diverse requirements in the digital retail environment," Geyer is convinced.
About the Trade Association
The Trade Association - spokesperson and partner of the trade - has been active since 1921 as a free, non-partisan and independent interest group and innovation platform to accompany its more than 4,000 members in the best possible way in the environment of changing market challenges. In addition to the members, who in Austria with approx. 300,000 employees at 25,000 locations achieve an annual turnover of more than 65 billion euros and together cover approx. 85% of the market, numerous companies of various specialisations are associated with the trade association as partners.
About MCI Innsbruck
As an Entrepreneurial School®, the MCI combines science, business and consulting in a unique concept for more than 3,700 students in 29 degree programs. It stands for internationality, academic quality, practical relevance, innovation, close cooperation with business, solution-oriented research & development, modern infrastructure, high customer and service orientation and international reputation.