About Austria
Austria is a land-locked
alpine
German speaking country in
Central Europe
bordering
Switzerland
and
Liechtenstein
to the west,
Germany
and
Czech Republic
to the north,
Slovakia
and
Hungary
to the east and
Slovenia
and
Italy
to the south.. Austria is today one
of Europe's most influential countries in both economic and political
issues. Over the last half-century, the extraordinary Alpine scenery and
cultural attractions of Austria and its cities, have transformed it into
a major tourism destination. Perhaps no one country can match the
musical résumé of Austria. It's the homeland of legendary composers like
Brahms,
Haydn,
Mahler,
Mozart,
Schubert
and the
Strausses
- both father and son. In addition, the German-born
Ludwig van Beethoven
lived in Vienna for most of his adult life.
As
for its world-class skiing conditions and breathtaking mountain scenery,
an
Austrian citizen with no skiing ambitions cannot be considered a true
Austrian. The Artwork is also something to be admired, from the
beautiful Gothic and Renaissance work to the fabulous Baroque art in
Austria's churches. Austria is Alpine splendor at its best. You have
fantastic nightlife, sophisticated shopping, and a classical culture. No
study abroad adventure would be complete without sampling the local
cuisine. Popular favorites include Wiener Schnitzel (breaded veal
cutlet), Backhendl (fried breaded chicken), Emmental cheese, Sachertorte
(chocolate layer cake) and Krapfen (a jam-filled pastry). An Austrian
entrepreneur made the Red Bull Energy Drink the global brand it is
today. And of course, students in Austria should not miss the chance to
meet friends at the local coffee shop.
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Austrian
Educational System In
Austria the education system is more centralized, with the federal
government in Vienna bearing the major responsibility for curriculum and
the funding of schools. Local entities and the nine Austrian
Bundesländer have responsibility for school regulations and the
day-to-day running of schools through school committees. Austrian school
law, unlike most countries, is a part of the constitution, and any
change requires a two-thirds vote in parliament. This Austrian
centralization goes back to the Imperial Primary Schools Act of 1869 and
Austria’s imperial Habsburg history. Most universities apply a system of
semesters, which means that the academic year is divided into two
separate teaching periods or semesters. The first semester comprises
first 13 weeks of educational and study activities, concluded with 2
weeks of autumn vacation. Then there is 1 week of individual study and 3
weeks of examinations, followed by 1 week of vacation. The second
semester comprises also 13 weeks of educational and study activities,
but is interrupted by 2 weeks of Easter holiday. The summer break of 6
weeks is followed by the second examination period, which consists of 3
weeks of examinations. Some courses need 4 weeks of examinations; in
that case the summer break takes only 5 weeks. The examinations are
followed by 1 week of deliberations. Between the end of the
deliberations and the beginning of the new first semester one free week
remains.
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