Vienna University of Economics and Business (WU) is over 100 years old. Its predecessor, the Imperial Export Academy, was established on October 1, 1898, with the aim of imparting knowledge to businessmen engaged in foreign trade. Immediately following World War I, the Academy became a public World Trade University (Hochschule fuer Welthandel), offering a three−year degree program. The University was renamed again in 1975, this time to Wirtschaftsuniversitaet Wien (Vienna University of Economics and Business Administration). In 1983, foreign language teaching was expanded at WU and basic IT studies were made a compulsory part of its degree programs.
The 1980s were a period of enormous growth at WU. between 1981 and 1987 enrollment doubled, from 8,000 to 16,000 and since 1982 WU has been housed in its large complex in Augasse. Throughout its history, WU has turned out thousands of highly qualified graduates who have proceeded to excel in the business world both in Austria and abroad. Recent reforms, new degree programs with more flexible structures and revised course regulations will make education at WU even more up to date and geared towards the needs of today’s business world. WU has now grown to 20,000 students and more than 1,000 full−time and adjunct faculty and staff members who thrive in a buzzing atmosphere of academic research and activity.
WU's close cooperation with the business world affords it an especially practical relevance, which is one of the reasons why the Financial Times ranked WU among Europe's Top 50 Business Schools. WU has over 180 partner universities throughout the world and acknowledged expertise in a number of fields, including that of East−West business. Its wide range of courses as well as the international orientation of its teaching and research have made WU a renowned center of knowledge in many key fields of business and economics.
In 2007 WU was awarded EQUIS accreditation (European Quality Improvement System) by the European Foundation for Management Development (EFMD).
The EQUIS accreditation is a major achievement in the history of WU, and the result of the work of all members of the WU community. It shows WU's entrepreneurial spirit, is a proof of high academic quality, and underlines the excellence of WU.
WU’s EQUIS accreditation reaffirms its commitment to turning WU into a top European university. WU is now one of 105 international business universities from 31 countries which have been EQUIS accredited so far.
Information source: University/School web-site
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