100 Years of Women's Studies at BOKU

The University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna (BOKU) is celebrating a special anniversary in 2019. In 1919 - 100 years ago - women were allowed to study at BOKU as regular students for the first time. Before and during the First World War, women were only allowed to attend individual lectures as guest students or to study as extraordinary students at the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna.

"BOKU was founded in 1872. At that time we had 120 students, but no female students, because it was not allowed for women to study. With the academic year 1919/20, it was approved by decree that women were "in principle admitted" to BOKU as regular students. 100 years later we have approx. 12,500 students with a proportion of women of approx. 50%. We see a similar situation with regard to the number of doctoral theses completed with approx. 50% female doctorates. There is still a backlog demand for female professors (approx. 25%), but the trend is rising.

All these developments clearly show that the rapid rise of BOKU from a small agricultural and forestry university to a modern life science university would not have been possible without women. This successful path must be continued in order to make BOKU "Fit for the Future"."     Rector Univ.Prof. DI Dr. Hubert Hasenauer

Celebrate with the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna the special anniversary year "100 Years of Women's Studies at BOKU". During the whole year 2019 until spring 2020 events will take place on the occasion of the anniversary.

The anniversary year started with a women's brunch of the ÖH-BOKU departments for women and feminist politics, as well as the department for organisation and internal communication on 8 March and the BOKU Farm women's day on 19 March. The highlight of the anniversary year will be a ceremony of the Rectorate on 17 October 2019.