New AHS Upper Secondary Curricula: "Media and Democracy" and AI Skills Become Mandatory

Specifically, "Media and Democracy" is being introduced as a mandatory subject with two weekly hours. Schools can couple the subject with other subjects and teach it in an integrated manner. "Ebenfalls möglich wäre es, Medien und Demokratie mit anderen Gegenständen zu koppeln und integriert zu unterrichten." To make room for the new subject, two hours of Latin or a second living foreign language and one hour of an elective mandatory subject are being cut. Alternatively, schools can also cut other subjects instead of Latin or languages – the only requirement: they must not fall below the prescribed minimum number of hours for the subjects.

AI becomes a mandatory topic

The total number of weekly hours remains unchanged. However, schools can in future fall short of the minimum weekly hours for individual subjects by one weekly hour each in up to five subjects. This makes it easier to bundle mandatory subjects (with the exception of religion and ethics), for example.

Another focus is the anchoring of artificial intelligence in teaching. The subject computer science is being supplemented with the topic of AI, receives the name "Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence," and is increased from two to three weekly hours. State Secretary for Digitalization Alexander Pröll (ÖVP) said on this: "Künstliche Intelligenz darf kein Spezialwissen für wenige bleiben. KI-Kompetenzen müssen so selbstverständlich werden wie Lesen, Schreiben und Rechnen." Wiederkehr emphasized: "verankern wir diese Zukunftskompetenz systematisch in der Schule und stärken damit die digitale Mündigkeit junger Menschen." Wiederkehr (NEOS) and State Secretary for Digitalization Alexander Pröll (ÖVP) highlighted in a further press release above all the anchoring of AI in the curricula.

In the Wirtschaftskundliches Realgymnasium (business-focused secondary school), the new mandatory subject "Economics, Innovation and Sustainability" is being introduced in both lower and upper secondary levels, covering among other things the fundamentals of business administration (such as pricing and revenue calculation) and entrepreneurship, resource management, or the circular economy on the timetable.

Geography and economics in transition

Geography, however, is being cut. "Im Gegenzug wird bei Geografie gekürzt, wobei auch hier anderweitige schulautonome Lösungen möglich sind." In Geography and Economics there is a stronger focus on economic and financial education; purely scientific questions are being dropped. Topics such as migration, regional development, or natural population development remain on the curriculum, but no longer recur in different grade levels.

The cut in Latin instruction had sparked great debate in the spring. A Market survey commissioned by DER STANDARD found that around 50 percent of those surveyed said Latin instruction should be reduced, while 40 percent were opposed. 54 percent of those surveyed said that a greater focus should be placed on AI in schools.

Entry into force in four stages

The upper secondary curricula build on the lower secondary curricula amended in 2023 and bring a stronger competence orientation. Chemistry is being moved (unless regulated differently by the school) from 7th and 8th grade to 6th and 7th grade. The canon of elective mandatory subjects is being expanded to include "Education, Career Orientation and Life Design," "Media and Design," "Project Management," and "Technology and Design."

According to the ministry, the overarching goal is to educate students so that when they complete an AHS from 2031 onwards, they can shape their private and professional lives autonomously and adaptively. The new curriculum expands the focus beyond the mere imparting of knowledge and places "life skills" such as self-organization, critical thinking, communication skills, and problem solving at the center across subjects.

The reform takes effect gradually: for the fifth grades on September 1, 2027, for the sixth grades on September 1, 2028, for the seventh grades on September 1, 2029, and for the eighth grades on September 1, 2030. It should be noted that there is not just a single AHS upper secondary curriculum; instead, depending on the type of school (Gymnasium, Realgymnasium, Wirtschaftskundliches Realgymnasium, etc.), there are various ones. Some schools, such as the Theresianum, even have their own curriculum. In addition, only about ten percent of schools actually use the timetables prescribed by the ministry, which underscores the individual schools' scope for design.