Campus Heinberg aims to expand the reach of the University of Applied Sciences in St. Pölten and show what modern, practice-oriented higher education can look like. The project builds on linking technical and social disciplines, a strong European foundation of alliances, and an emphasis on artificial intelligence and sustainability. The aim is to create a vibrant environment for students, researchers, and regional partners.
From a small school to a European player
The University of Applied Sciences in St. Pölten was established 30 years ago in a region where few expected a university, and today it is an example of the success of the higher education system in Lower Austria. It has approximately 4 000 students, and once Campus Heinberg launches, capacity will increase to roughly 4 500, which is a 12–15 % rise. Around 350 in-house instructors and researchers work here, and the offering includes 15 bachelor's and 17 master's programs. As a university of applied sciences, it places emphasis on practice and competencies usable on the labor market.
A further strength is its location: St. Pölten is 20–30 minutes by train from Vienna, and Heinberg has similar accessibility to Bratislava. The school's profile is predominantly technological, but the portfolio is broad: from media studies (among the best in Austria) through digital technologies, management, communication, and statistics to AI, security, mobility, railway technologies, and healthcare and social work. In quality rankings, the school scores in innovation, interdisciplinarity, and student support, and it has also received an award for the quality of student life. Emphasis on the study environment and the student experience is part of its identity.
Research, cybersecurity, and links to practice
The university ranks among the most research-active applied universities in Austria, with a budget of around 50 million euros and roughly 7 million in revenues from research and technology transfer. Research is organized in departments, centers, and groups, and is closely interlinked with the companies and communities for whom the results are intended. It pays special attention to cybersecurity—from secure systems and cyber defense to AI and data governance. An AI Reality Lab operates in St. Pölten, and the same facility will be established in Heinberg.
Interdisciplinarity and the European dimension are key to the institution, as evidenced by active participation in the UDRAS alliance (Engaged Entrepreneurial Universities for Sustainable Development of Regions). In innovation rankings, the school has placed at the forefront, especially in interdisciplinary research and comprehensive student support. This approach leads to solutions that connect technical and social aspects and are usable in practice. Trust in AI and its responsible deployment are among the research priorities.
Campus Heinberg: a laboratory of applied education
The vision is to build a campus that will show what it means to be a modern applied university in Europe. Heinberg is to function as a “living laboratory”—with innovative, experimental teaching, strong regional anchoring, and at the same time European relevance. The focus is on a sustainable and healthy environment and AI-driven approaches in cooperation with the technical university. The ambition is to be a “talent hub” that connects generations, degree study, lifelong learning, and accompanying activities, and shapes graduates—founders and value creators.
Heinberg will be a unique physical node for European university alliances, and its operation is to be financed in the long term up to 2037, alongside standard federal funding of study places. The partner technical university will focus on green technologies—from materials and energy valorization to green chemistry—and several research groups will be active on site. Our university plans three research groups, a new AI Reality Lab, and is opening selection procedures for research leaders. In the bachelor's and master's programs, approximately 500 students are planned, with a clear pathway to doctoral studies at the partner technical university or elsewhere.
