University of Applied Arts Vienna

What University of Applied Arts Vienna does

The University of Applied Arts Vienna (Universität für angewandte Kunst Wien) is a public Austrian university operating under §4 of the Universities Act 2002 as a legal entity under public law, founded in 1867 and headquartered at Oskar-Kokoschka-Platz 2 in Vienna. It delivers undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral programs across six institutes covering Architecture, Fine Arts & Media Art, Design, Conservation & Restoration, Art Sciences & Education, Art & Society, and Language Arts, plus a dedicated Institute for Art and Technology that houses specialized workshops and laboratories in robotics, coding, geometry, ceramics, metal, wood, textile, book and paper, analogue and digital photography, and joining technology. The institution serves primarily domestic and international students seeking higher education in applied arts, design, architecture, and conservation, with supplementary continuing education via the Klasse für Alle program and a children's university office.

Its underlying technology consists of physical workshop infrastructure and specialized research labs rather than a software platform, augmented by digital platforms including the AAA graduate-thesis exhibition site and the BASE course management system. Proprietary research facilities include the Angewandte Interdisciplinary Lab (AIL), the Art x Science School for Transformation, the Weibel Institute for Digital Cultures, the ÆSR Lab (joint with mdw and the Austrian Academy of Sciences), and the Gender Art Lab. The business model is a hybrid of state appropriations from the Austrian Federal Ministry of Education, Science and Research (BMBWF) plus earmarked research grants — most recently including EU Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF) co-funding — supplemented by nominal regulated tuition fees per Austrian law. Distribution is direct on-campus in Vienna, extended globally through international exchange partnerships via the IO_Aktuell office. Customer-facing channels center on the dieangewandte.at website, social media (Facebook, Instagram, YouTube), email newsletter, the annual Angewandte Festival, and a dedicated Press and Media Relations function; the institution is fully subject to Austria's Informationsfreiheitsgesetz effective September 2025.

Name

University of Applied Arts Vienna

Legal name

University of Applied Arts Vienna

Website

https://dieangewandte.at

Company type

Private

Founded year

1867

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

The University of Applied Arts Vienna is a public Austrian university founded in 1867 that delivers undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral programs in fine arts, design, architecture, and conservation to domestic and international students across six institutes in Vienna.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education (Applied Arts and Design)

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113), Fine Arts Schools (611610)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Technical Universities with Architecture, Built Environment & Design Engineering (EDAHAEAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Engineering & Technology Institutes (Comprehensive) (EDAHAEAA), Applied Research & Innovation Universities (EDAHAEAE)

Keywords

• Art and design education
• Fine arts programs
• Architecture degree programs
• Creative arts research
• Interdisciplinary art studies

Headquarters

HQ city

Vienna

HQ country

Austria

HQ region

Europe

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Public University Funding: As a public university under Austrian law (§4 Universities Act 2002), the institution receives government funding from the Austrian Federal Ministry of Education, Science and Research. Students generally pay minimal tuition fees.
2. Research Grants and Projects: The university conducts funded research projects including ÆSR Lab funded by BMBWF and EU Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF)

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The University of Applied Arts Vienna is a public Austrian university that delivers tertiary education, artistic research, and doctoral training across applied and fine arts, design, architecture, conservation and restoration, and art-science disciplines. Its teaching and research are supported by specialized on-site workshops and laboratories spanning robotics, coding, geometry, wood/metal/ceramic/textile technologies, analogue and digital photography, and book and paper fabrication. Programs are accessed through the university's own admission process, with global reach via partner-university exchange agreements, and include continuing education through the Klasse für Alle offering.

Product overview

The University of Applied Arts Vienna operates primarily as an educational institution offering academic programs across multiple artistic, design, and technological disciplines. Its digital presence consists of institutional websites and platforms rather than commercial products. The main website provides access to information about institutes, departments, upcoming events (including the Angewandte Festival 2026), and various exhibitions and lectures. The AAA (Angewandte Abschlussarbeiten) platform serves as a digital exhibition space for graduate thesis projects from all university departments.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Degree programs in applied arts and design (Architecture, Fine Arts & Media Art, Design, Conservation & Restoration, Art Sciences/Education/Communication, Art & Society, Language Arts) Undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral programs organized across six institutes, covering architecture, fine and media arts, design, conservation and restoration, art sciences, art and society, and language arts. Programs are delivered in-person at multiple Vienna campuses and are open to domestic and international applicants through the university's centralized admission process.
• Continuing education through Klasse für Alle Continuing-education program associated with the university's design and applied arts portfolio, offered to participants beyond the regular degree-program audience.
• International exchange programs (Outgoing, Incoming, BIP) Student and staff mobility programs administered by the IO_Aktuell international office under bilateral agreements with partner universities worldwide, supporting both outgoing Austrian students and incoming international students.
• ÆSR Lab (Applied/Experimental Sound Research Laboratory) Funded research project combining electroacoustic practice with contemporary sound studies, executed in partnership with mdw and the Austrian Academy of Sciences; outputs include artistic-scientific research, publications, and events.
• Angewandte Festival Annual public festival showcasing final-year student projects through exhibitions, performances, and public discourse events, serving as a public-facing showcase of the university's programs.

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• mdw – University of Music and Performing Arts ViennacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration in the ÆSR Lab (Applied/Experimental Sound Research Laboratory), a joint research project between University of Applied Arts Vienna and mdw. The project focuses on sound research combining electroacoustic practice with current sonic studies.
• Austrian Academy of Sciences (Phonogram Archive)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in ÆSR Lab research project, contributing the Phonogram Archive expertise to the sound research collaboration.
• Bundesministerium für Bildung, Wissenschaft und Forschung (BMBWF)coreOthersRegulatory body and funding source for the university. Provides governmental oversight and funding as the supervisory authority per §4 Universities Act 2002.
• Partner Universities WorldwideminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational exchange partnerships with universities globally, enabling student and staff mobility through Outgoing, incoming, and BIP programs.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Konstfack University of Arts, Crafts and Design: Sweden's largest university of arts, crafts and design. Comparable public funding model and program mix in design, fine art, and craft disciplines.
• Berlin University of the Arts (UdK Berlin): Germany's largest art university, covering fine arts, design, music, and performing arts. Direct German-language peer with comparable disciplinary breadth and similar public-funder profile.
• University of the Arts Helsinki: Finnish public arts university comprising the Academy of Fine Arts, Sibelius Academy, and Theatre Academy Helsinki. Comparable public-funder profile with broad coverage of visual arts, design, and performing arts.
• Royal College of Art: London-based university exclusively focused on art and design postgraduate education. The closest international peer to the University of Applied Arts Vienna in mission, scale, and creative discipline coverage.
• Zürcher Hochschule der Künste (ZHdK): Switzerland's largest arts university, offering programs across design, art, music, dance, theater, and film. Closest German-language peer in the DACH region with very similar program structure and scale.
• Aalto University School of Arts, Design and Architecture: Finnish university combining art, design, architecture, and media programs under one school. Highly comparable structure to the Angewandte's Architecture, Design, and Fine Arts & Media Art institutes.
• University of the Arts London (UAL): Federated institution comprising Central Saint Martins, London College of Fashion, London College of Communication, Chelsea College of Arts, Camberwell College of Arts, and Wimbledon College of Arts. Comparable breadth across fine arts, design, media, and communication disciplines.
• Rhode Island School of Design (RISD): Leading US art and design college with programs across fine arts, architecture, design, and digital media. A benchmark international peer for applied arts education at the top of the global rankings.
• ECAL (University of Art and Design Lausanne): Renowned Swiss design and art school with a focus on applied arts, industrial design, and visual communication. Comparable in size, mission, and reputation tier within the European design school landscape.
• École nationale supérieure des Arts Décoratifs (EnsAD): Paris-based public art school under the French Ministry of Culture, covering art, design, and applied arts. Direct counterpart in francophone public arts education with a similar applied-arts focus.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/DieAngewandteWien
• Facebookfacebook.com/dieangewandte
• Instagraminstagram.com/dieangewandte
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/university-of-applied-arts-vienna

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about University of Applied Arts Vienna