Founded in 1872, the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, known too by its acronym BOKU, comprises 15 departments and four service centres in Vienna, as well as a number of experimental centres around Vienna. The university is attended by approx. 12,500 students, provides study courses at the bachelor, master and doctoral levels, has approx. 1080 staff (full-time equivalent) who are engaged in teaching and research, a broad range of external lecturers, and some 560 persons working in services and administration.
The university sees itself as a teaching and research institution that focuses on renewable resources that are a prerequisite for human existence. The relationships between man, society and the environment form the basis of all activities at BOKU, and its foremost aim is to make decisive contributions to securing the well-being of future generations. In this endeavour, it will seek ways of ensuring a sustainable and environmentally sound management of natural resources by allying the competences of the natural, engineering, economic and social sciences. Areas of competence in teaching and research are in particular: soil and land ecosystems; water, atmosphere, and environment; habitat and landscape; renewable resources and resource-oriented technologies; resources and social dynamics.
Study courses are designed to follow BOKU´s main teaching and research disciplines — sustainable use of naturally growing raw materials both for energy and innovative materials, protecting vital resources such as water, soil and atmosphere, shaping true to life production and health, protecting and shaping biotopes and environments, protecting the wellbeing of plants, animals and humans. In addition to undergraduate studies, BOKU puts great emphasis on postgraduate studies and continuing education. Numerous cooperation with units of higher education in Central and Eastern Europe underscore this commitment. BOKU is actively participating in a total of 14 international networks, such as the Euroleague for Life Sciences (ELLS), ICA - Association for European Life Science Universities (ICA-CASEE), or the Danube Rector’s Conference. BOKU follows a Human Resources Strategy for Researchers and was acknowledged by the European Commission with the logo "HR Excellence in Research".
