Austria’s Education Minister wants nationwide minimum standards for kindergartens, while President Alexander Van der Bellen has urged a stronger “Europapatriotismus”… plus more stories from Austria on Friday.
Minister pushes for nationwide minimum standards for kindergartens
Education Minister Christoph Wiederkehr wants to anchor uniform minimum standards for kindergartens in federal law as part of the current “reform partnership” with states and municipalities, according to Der Standard. He says this should improve quality and help address staffing problems.
At present, the provinces set rules such as group size, staff-to-child ratios, and qualification requirements, which means different rules across Austria. Previous attempts at nationwide minimum standards have failed, with some states raising doubts about feasibility, including the need for many new facilities if groups were reduced, against a backdrop of staff shortages.
Wiederkehr also criticised differing rules for assistant staff, saying an assistant trained in Styria cannot automatically work in neighbouring Carinthia.
“We need uniform job categories and minimum requirements for training, as well as quality standards for pedagogy,” he said, referring to the need for einheitliche Berufsgruppen (uniform professional categories).
Van der Bellen calls for “Europapatriotismus” in New Year address
President Alexander Van der Bellen used his New Year address to call for the development of a “Europapatriotismus” and more unity in response to a changing global situation, according to ORF. He argued that Europe should not allow itself to be divided and should strengthen its independence.
Van der Bellen said alliances once seen as fixed no longer exist in the same way, that war continues in Eastern Europe, and that Europe faces disinformation and digital sabotage. He also said Europe should become more independent in energy supply and “souverän” (sovereign) in its defence capability, and that the EU should recognise its own strength and negotiating power.
“Our Europe is a place that many, very many people envy. Let us not allow this Europe to be talked down,” he said.
Swiss resort tragedy as Austria offers medical support
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Swiss authorities began the task of identifying victims after a catastrophic fire in a bar in the ski resort of Crans-Montana that left at least 40 people dead and 115 injured, according to Die Presse. Some of the injured were still in critical condition, the report said.
The article said Swiss officials expect identification to take time, with dental and DNA samples being used. It added that embassies were working to determine whether their citizens were affected, and that the Foreign Ministry in Vienna said no Austrians were among the victims.
Austria also offered Switzerland medical care for five seriously injured people through the Interior Ministry.
Austrian man dies in Tyrol sledding accident
A 63-year-old Austrian man has died in a sledding accident in the municipality of Nikolsdorf in East Tyrol, according to Kurier. His 58-year-old wife was seriously injured.
The couple was riding downhill on a forest road from the Rabantalm valley on Thursday afternoon when they went off the right-hand edge of the road in a left-hand bend. They then fell into rocky, steep, wooded terrain.
Other sledders raised the alarm, and the couple’s 23-year-old daughter and 23-year-old son-in-law provided first aid. The woman was recovered by rope and taken to the hospital, and relatives were supported by a crisis intervention team.
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What’s happening in Austria today
The Margaretha Lupac Foundation’s Democracy Prize 2024 and Science Prize 2025 were to be awarded in Parliament, with opening remarks by National Council President Walter Rosenkranz and a panel discussion with the award winners.
Several blood donation drives are listed for today. In Graz, a Red Cross session at Murpark is scheduled from 12 pm to 2 pm and 3 pm to 7:30 pm. Sessions are also listed in Hard in Vorarlberg from 4 pm to 9 pm, and in Strasshof an der Nordbahn in Lower Austria.
In sport, the Jänner Rallye 2026 programme in Upper Austria lists free practice at 12:15 pm, a qualifying stage at 12:45 pm, shakedown from 1 pm to 4:15 pm, and a driver presentation and start-position selection from 6 pm.
For weather, there will be cold westerly flow, with afternoon temperatures around -1C to +6C and listed early minima by province that include Vienna -1C, Lower Austria -2C, Upper Austria -8C and Salzburg -13C.
Avalanche bulletins for today describe low danger overall in Carinthia and Tyrol, while warning that wind slabs are the key issue in places, especially on steep shady slopes at high altitude.
Vocabulary
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der Kindergarten – kindergarten
der Mindeststandard – minimum standard
die Neujahrsansprache – New Year address
der Notruf – emergency call
die Bergrettung – mountain rescue
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