University College of Christian Churches for Teacher Education Vienna/Krems

Christian institution for religious-teacher education and advanced training

Initiators
In the process of becoming a university (2000-2007), many pedagogical and religious education academies as well as religious education institutes had to merge into larger institutions. The project thus started as the concept of a "House of Religions", which, however, did not materialize at first. Subsequently, foundation of a university college with a common concept for Christian teacher education was planned. On October 1, 2007, this institution officially commenced its operation as the "Kirchliche Pädagogische Hochschule Wien/Krems" (KPH).

Current sponsorship includes the Roman Catholic Church (Archdiocese of Vienna, Diocese of St. Pölten), the Old Catholic Church, the Protestant Churches A.B. and H.B., the Greek Oriental Church (Bulgarian Orthodox Church, Greek Orthodox Church, Romanian Orthodox Church, Russian Orthodox Church, Serbian Orthodox Church) and the Oriental Orthodox Churches (Armenian Apostolic Church, Syrian Orthodox Church, Coptic Orthodox Church). Between 2012 and 2014, the Austrian Buddhist Religious Society (ÖBR), the Free Churches in Austria, the Alevi Faith Community and the Jewish Religious Association joined as cooperation partners.

For the religions and denominations cooperating in the KPH, independent specialization courses have been set up within the framework of the bachelor's and master's degree programs in religion, through which graduates receive the additional qualification for the respective religious education. In addition, continuous education of teachers of religion is organized for all in Vienna and Lower Austria, for most even Austria-wide.

Occasion
The process of "PädagogInnenbildung Neu” (Pedagogical Education New), initiated by the educational policy from 2013, accelerated the interreligious expansion of the ecumenical KPH Vienna/Krems. This was prompted by the termination of independent teacher training for all religions at the primary level, as a result of the reform. The religious societies did not see themselves in a position to found independent universities, just as the minority denominations in Austria had not seen themselves in a position to do years before. Thus, since 2015, the various religious societies have signed cooperation agreements with the KPH Vienna/Krems, initially Christian denominations with the Free Churches, later with the Alevi and the Islamic Religious Community, the Israelite Religious Society and finally with the Buddhist Religious Society.

Thus, the original vision of a university college in interreligious cooperation to which the respectful approach to heterogeneity and diversity has been structurally inscribed from the beginning (as an initially interdenominational project) is realized.

Target Groups
The courses offered by KPH Vienna/Krems are aimed at students of initial teacher training, in-service teacher training and further education. Within the framework of teacher training, there are courses dedicated to interreligious learning ‒ in particular through encounter. Numerous interconfessional and interreligious seminars, event series and study days for in-service teacher training are open to teachers of all religions and denominations who are in service. In the area of further education, a range of university courses are offered, p. e. Interreligious Competence and Mediation. In addition, there are many internal KPH projects and an extensive program of events for staff and students.

Objectives
Since 2013, interreligious competence has been an integral part of teacher education in Austria. It is becoming increasingly important, not only in initial education, but also in in-service and further education for teachers. Interreligious skills are thus becoming a cross-cutting matter in a continuum of lifelong professionalization of a teacher. This is reflected in religious education at KPH. In pedagogical training, it is important that future teachers engage with different religions as preparation for professional life. In-service teachers should also gain a deeper understanding of how to deal with multi-religiousness in schools.

Topics
Within the framework of the interreligious courses, students should acquire foundational knowledge of their own religion and in relation to different religions. This serves a change in perspective and the ability to act in multi-religious contexts based on an attitude of tolerance, openness and recognition of others.

The topics for interreligious learning in initial teacher training, in-service teacher training and further education are numerous. In the curriculum of the teacher training program for primary education, interreligious skills are taught in various modules, compulsory as well as elective, in particular in the courses: Concepts of Teacher Personality; Conception of the Human Being and Religion; Foundations of Plurality-Enabled Religious Education; Intercultural and Interreligious Learning - Muslim Students in Class; Religious Diversity and Interreligious Learning; Human Dignity and Human Rights Education; Ethics and Violence Prevention. The interdenominationally and interreligiously designed training series "Treffpunkt Religionen - Lernen in Begegnung" (Meeting Point Religions - Learning in Encounter) offers participants approaches from the respective perspective of the speakers. In the encounter, common exchange and reflection, the certainty in one's own faith as well as the capacity to handle plurality can be deepened.

Duration
KPH Wien/Krems is a project of denominational and religious cooperation and, as an institution of initial teacher training, in-service teacher training and continuous education, is established for the long term. The courses for the acquisition of interreligious skills take place every academic year. Continuing education courses are offered annually. Public events are held irregularly and several times a year.

Activities

  • Network Interreligiosity
  • Competence Centre for Intercultural, Interreligious and Interdenominational Learning
  • special Group Religious Education – Interreligiosity
  • special research area "Interreligiosity“
  • the project "Interreligious Literacy, Gender und Diversity“
  • Centre for Continuous Education and Advanced Training in Religion offering interreligious courses
  • Office of the Religions.

Events

  • p. e. symposiums
  • Day of Interreligious Dialogue
  • celebrations connecting religions
  • November pogrom commemoration
  • Human Rights commemoration
  • Diversity Night (Abend der Vielfalt)
  • Peace Festival
  • various discourse series of the focus area "interreligiosity" as well as of the Institute of Islamic Religion

Form of Organization
Private university college for teacher education

Funding
The teaching activities of the university are financed by federal funds, infrastructure and administration by church sponsorship.

Products

  • Krobath, Thomas / Ritzer, Georg (Hg.): Ausbildung von ReligionslehrerInnen. Konfessionell- kooperativ – interreligiös – pluralitätsfähig, Wien/Berlin: LIT-Verlag 2014.
  • Krobath, Thomas / Lindner, Doris / Petschnigg, Edith (Hg.): „Nun sag, wie hast du‘s mit der religiösen Vielfalt?“. Zwischen Konflikt und Kompetenz in Kindergärten, Schulen und Jugendarbeit (Schriften der Kirchlichen Pädagogischen Hochschule Wien/Krems, Band 19), Wien: LIT-Verlag 2019.
  • Rektorat der KPH Wien/Krems (Hg.): Festschrift – Wissensbilanz 2017. 10 Jahre KPH Wien/Krems, Wien/Krems: KPH Wien/Krems 2017.
  • Videos on the YouTube-Channel

Website l Social Media l Contact
www.kphvie.ac.at
Facebook: www.facebook.com/KPH.Wien.Krems
Instagram: www.instagram.com/kphwienkrems
Youtube: www.youtube.com/channel/UCs8FxjWRQjCpMH81zkYugbg

Kirchliche Pädagogische Hochschule Wien/Krems
Mayerweckstraße 1
A-1210 Wien

E-Mail: office@kphvie.ac.at

 

editor: ll / update: ew 2022