The University College of Teacher Education of Christian Churches Austria is Austria’s largest private university college for teacher education with eight campus locations in Vienna and Lower Austria. The layout as an institution for pre-service teacher education, teacher professional development and advanced teacher training should lead to the best possible professionalisation of teachers in all pedagogical contexts including Religious Education. In emulating an ecumenical perspective, the University College fosters the cooperation of the seven Christian Churches which act as stake holders of the college (Roman-Catholic, Protestant of Augsburg Confession and Reformed Confession, Greek-Orthodox, three Oriental Christian Churches, Old Catholic Church) while each of the Churches maintains its independent identity. Moreover, two dioceses cooperate to run the college. In addition, the college cooperates with the association of Free Churches, Islamic, Alevi, Jewish and Buddhist institutions in training programmes for teachers of Religious Education with a view to foster interfaith competences.

The course programme at the University College of Teacher Education of Christian Churches Austria includes Teacher Education for Primary and Secondary Schools (General Education), a Bachelor Programme for Elementary Education and Teacher Education in cooperation with Religious Education. In addition the college offers an extensive programme for in-service teacher education and advanced teacher training, academic training programmes (leading to a Master’s Degree), additional training programmes and supervision of school development programmes.

Currently about 2,500 students participate in pre-service teacher education programmes and about 1,000 students in advanced teacher training courses.

The specific ecumenical character of the University College of Teacher Education manifests itself in the activities of the pastoral team, which consists of Roman Catholic and Orthodox priests and one Protestant pastor. Their ecumenical cooperation is expressed in their motto: „Everybody who works at the college is invited to share this community with the pastoral team as they are baptised into Christ and to let God’s Kingdom resound in their diversity.”

The Christian spirituality as practised at the University College of Teacher Education fosters interreligious encounters. At the Strebersdorf Campus a room of silence, designated to prayer and meditation, is also open for all non-Christian groups. This room is equipped with prayer stools, cushions and prayer and hymn books as well as prayer rugs to encourage interreligious gatherings. SCIVIA (lat. for “Know your ways”), the center for pastoral care and communication located in Krems-Mitterau is a unique place of vivid exchange and pastoral care and serves as an open forum for lecturers, students and college staff alike.