Request fizzles out

“Silence is never a good thing”: a rift at a private university

How many students are at the Umit in Hall? The Neos did not receive an answer to this question.(Bild: Christof Birbaumer)

Management duo with former provincial councillor Bernhard Tilg recalled, a proven expert takes over: ÖVP welcomes an "orderly procedure", the Tyrolean Neos see themselves confirmed after asking VP-LR Hagele: "Silence is never good!"

The Tyrolean private university has been rumbling for some time, but now - as reported - there has been a bang: the shareholders (the state of Tyrol and Leopold Franzens University Innsbruck) and Managing Director and Rector Sandra Ückert have ended their collaboration by mutual agreement with immediate effect. This was officially announced by Umit on Thursday: "In consultation with the Supervisory Board, all parties involved support this step, in particular to ensure the principles of economic efficiency, economy and expediency."

No figures at the push of a button
In plain language: the university has apparently not been able to make ends meet with the state money, although the state has provided funding of €8.2 million in the 2022/23 financial year, as can be seen from the answer to a question from Neos to Health Minister Cornelia Hagele in May of this year.

There is a gap between income and expenditure at Umit Hall.(Bild: Christof Birbaumer)

Otherwise, however, Hagele was very taciturn. The Neos wanted to know how many students are actually enrolled in Hall and Landeck and how many degree programs are offered. "Something that every management normally has to have at its fingertips. After all, the students are their source of income," said Neos education spokesperson LA Birgit Obermüller, expressing her irritation and drawing a comparison with another outsourced provincial company:

"Even at the Tyrolean Social Services TSD, we receive an overview of the current numbers of asylum seekers and accommodations upon request." LR Hagele argued that the figures related to the operational business, which she could not provide insight into. "Silence is never a good sign for the taxpayer," said the Neos.

Political pettiness on the back of UMIT and all those involved is out of place. Politicians should now look to the future.

Dominik Mainusch, Landtags-Vizepräsident und VP-Hochschulsprecher

Opposition doubts the right to exist
With the dismissal of Ückert, whose management style had been massively criticized by parts of the staff in 2023, ex-LR Bernhard Tilg has also lost his job as Vice Rector. The posts will be re-advertised and in the meantime, Professor Rudolf Steckel, a proven expert, will take over.

While VP university spokesperson Dominik Mainusch speaks of an "orderly procedure" and welcomes this, the opposition parties Neos and Liste Fritz say that Umit's raison d'être must be honestly examined.