An interview with Andrea Kurz: The number of doctors could fall

The forthcoming double budget and the government’s planned cuts to university funding have caused quite a stir across Austria. Rector Kurz, what was your first thought when you heard about the cuts?
I was shocked at first, but I always switch to planning mode very quickly. There were severe cuts during my time in the US too, but by changing structures and processes, you can counteract them to a certain extent.

What specific impacts would the planned cuts have at the Medical University of Graz?
It will, of course, depend on the scale of the cuts, which is not yet clear at this stage. But in practice, it will affect all areas – that is, teaching, research and clinical training. We would have to supervise larger groups of students or trainees with fewer teaching staff, which would compromise quality and alter the training of our doctors. It will be difficult to continue developing innovative teaching methods, programmes for students and so on, and researchers would certainly leave. Of course, cuts would also affect medical care – we need to consider how many doctors we can actually still train. The duration of studies could be extended because, for example, we might not be able to offer as many examination dates. This, in turn, would affect the number of doctors in Styria. Jobs may be at risk, particularly if we cannot make ends meet through proactive measures such as reorganisation, restructuring and process changes, or by not filling posts following retirement. But still: overall, the number of doctors could then be lower.

Where would this be felt first?
It should have the least impact on patient care, but initially it would certainly be felt most acutely in the administrative sector, amongst general staff and those providing research support, where posts cannot be filled or planned vacancies are not advertised. We need to consider very carefully what we can continue to maintain. This will then become apparent relatively quickly in our publications and our ability to secure third-party funding.

Markus Zeitlinger suggested that scaling back research would also mean that Austrian centres would no longer be involved in international studies, and that as a result, certain new medicines would only become available to Austrian patients at a later stage. Do you see it that way too?
That is certainly possible. The Austrian market isn’t particularly attractive to the industry anyway, as it is too small. If we were then to be excluded from these trials as well, we would really have a problem. It is clear that, ultimately, cuts to research are always closely linked to patient care. We need a certain number of doctors in Styria, not just at the University Hospital, but also across the regions.

How are the planned cuts being viewed abroad?
It’s a major issue in the DACH countries. And just a year ago, our government was still saying that, given the Trump administration, we were effectively a safe haven for researchers from the US, but now we have to make sure that our best researchers don’t leave us. We absolutely shouldn’t be in this situation, because what Austria does so well is our greatest asset: our people.

Do you think these discussions are having an impact on young people who are considering studying medicine?
No. Many want to study medicine and will go ahead with their plans despite the current uncertainty; perhaps a small percentage will drop out. But I think motivation is the more decisive factor.

How do you assess the atmosphere when it comes to collaborations with industry and third-party-funded projects?
Good question. Industry, innovation and academic thinking are evolving together. I could well imagine that the business sector might turn away from us to some extent if it cannot be sure that, for example, there will still be enough people in a laboratory in a year’s time to carry on with the research.

Returning to Markus Zeitlinger – he also spoke of a willingness to accept a pay freeze. What is your view on that?
It’s certainly possible, or even likely.

In principle, the discussions have now been postponed until the autumn. How is the Medical University of Graz preparing for this?
We – that is, all 22 universities together – are currently working together to highlight what we believe is important to enable Austria to cope with the current situation. We will make this available to the government. At the Medical University of Graz, we have been scrutinising our structures and processes for years, looking at how we can achieve greater efficiency through digitalisation and AI. We will actively continue to pursue this, as a certain degree of resource reduction is inevitable. We universities are always portrayed as if we were completely out of touch with reality. People underestimate what we do. For example, we’re working on collaborations between universities to streamline processes, or to establish a joint unit that handles spin-offs, rather than everyone setting up their own system in parallel.

What other topics and projects will Med Uni Graz be focusing on in the coming academic year?
We are in the process of developing a completely new curriculum, which will come into effect in autumn 2027, and this autumn we are launching the new psychotherapy degree programme in collaboration with the University of Graz. In research, we’re in the process of identifying key priorities; digital transformation is also a major focus for us, and we’re actively working to improve efficiency in this area.

What will be the biggest changes in the new curriculum?
We call it a Z-curriculum, in which we start with the pre-clinical phase but involve students in clinical subjects and patient care much earlier on. This allows us to integrate the two areas more effectively across the different stages of the degree programme. Other universities have already expressed an interest in this approach.

If you were to make an appeal to the federal government, what would it be?
I would ask them to take a holistic look at the higher education system in Austria. It is truly excessive that Austria has 77 higher education institutions. I would also ask them to amend certain laws to increase the flexibility of universities. But they probably don’t want to do that, because these aren’t short-term solutions, but rather long-term processes that may prove unpopular. What is so very close to my heart is academic freedom. And I believe that is under threat as a result. I said this when Trump came to power and cut research funding. Now we are heading in the same direction. Academic freedom is a cornerstone of our democracy. It is not just about the money we are not receiving; it is about the direction Austria is taking and the mindset.

Text credit: Beate Mosing/Styrian Medical Association