Capital: Vienna

Background: Once the center of power for the large Austro-Hungarian Empire, Austria was reduced to a small republic after its defeat in World War I. Following annexation by Nazi Germany in 1938 and subsequent occupation by the victorious Allies in 1945, Austria's status remained unclear for a decade. A State Treaty signed in 1955 ended the occupation, recognized Austria's independence, and forbade unification with Germany. A constitutional law that same year declared the country's "perpetual neutrality" as a condition for Soviet military withdrawal. The Soviet Union's collapse in 1991 and Austria's entry into the European Union in 1995 have altered the meaning of this neutrality. A prosperous, democratic country, Austria entered the EU Economic Monetary Union in 1999.

Higher Education: In Austria there is a wide variety of institutions of tertiary education.

Since 1993 Austria also offers Fachhochschul-Studiengänge (degree programmes) in addition to the universities and private universities.

The postsecondary sector also includes the teacher training colleges and institutes, the colleges and institutes for the training of religious education teachers, the post-secondary colleges for the training of vocational teachers and the post-secondary colleges and institutes for the training of teachers for agricultural and forestry schools.