Package of measures: “Prevention of antisemitism through education”

The Federal Ministry of Education, Science and Research (BMBWF) and Austria’s education agency OeAD present their strategy and contributions

10 of 38 measures laid down in the National strategy to combat anti-Semitism adopted by the Austrian Federal Government in January 2021 relate to education, science and research. Based on this, the Federal Ministry of Education, Science and Research (BMBWF) and the OeAD, Austria’s Agency for Education and Internationalisation, have drawn up proposals and recommendations for the education administration, for teacher training and professional development of teachers and for supporting those affected by anti-Semitic incidents, and bundled them in a strategy paper.
The strategy paper, which is now available at oead.at/strategiepapier-praevention-von-antisemitismus, provides concrete recommendations for the entire education administration. The OeAD supports the BMBWF in implementing these steps with its Holocaust Education programme _erinnern.at_.
“Education, science and research are central instruments for effectively combating anti-Semitism. We are clearly aware of the danger and challenges of anti-Semitism. The latest figures from the Jewish Community on anti-Semitic incidents are frightening and show that there is a need for greater awareness-raising. We use teacher training, school development and professional ethical standards in education to resolutely fight anti-Semitism,” emphasises the minister of education Martin Polaschek.
The federal minister Karoline Edtstadler emphasises: “For decades numerous state and civil society actors have been making decisive contributions to fighting anti-Semitism. With the National Strategy against Anti-Semitism Austria is now a pioneer in the fight against anti-Semitism in Europe. Through regular exchange with the Jewish communities and the broadest possible involvement of all actors we ensure that the strategy will be implemented. With the recommendations that are now available the Ministry of Education and the OeAD are taking a significant step towards combating anti-Semitism and promoting Jewish life.”
Recommendations and guidelines for action
To curb anti-Semitism in all its forms and to raise awareness of how to recognise everyday anti-Semitism the BMBWF and the national education agency OeAD initiated two international projects. The aim was to operationalise the measures in education listed in the National Strategy and to sustainably anchor approaches and principles of anti-Semitism prevention in the Austrian education system.
On the basis of numerous consultation meetings project partners developed recommendations for actors in education administration and education management to strengthen their competence in dealing with anti-Semitism at schools and to create better framework conditions for the prevention of anti-Semitism. Furthermore, an evaluation of selected training curricula and discussions with experts from various fields of competence took place in 2021. On the basis of these an international project team developed a catalogue of qualifications and measures for appropriate teacher training and continuous professional development of teachers in the field of anti-Semitism-critical educational work and Holocaust education.
Regarding this strategy paper the OeAD’s managing director Jakob Calice says: “To be able to deal competently and confidently with anti-Semitism and also with other anti-human attitudes teachers need appropriate framework conditions and support from the education policy and education administration. Improving these conditions in the interest of those affected is the aim of this strategy paper and the recommendations formulated in it. These also support an enormous concern of the OeAD, namely the promotion of diversity and equal opportunities and the advocacy of European values.”
Why this is so important explains Oskar Deutsch, President of the Jewish Community (Israelitische Kultusgemeinde) Vienna (IKG), as follows: “Anti-Semitism must always be effectively combated, whether it is in the pub, in the football stadium, in social media or at school, and regardless of how it is articulated. Anti-Semitism is not only directed against Judaism as such but also against an open, democratic society. It is directed against the very foundations of Austria and Europe and thus against all of us.”

 About the strategy paper:
The strategy paper with recommendations and proposed measures can be downloaded here: www.erinnern.at/massnahmenpaket-praevention-von-antisemitismus. It is addressed, together with concrete goals, to political decision-makers, specialised departments of the Ministry of Education, education directorates, university colleges of teacher education and teacher training facilities at universities and to school headmasters and headmistresses.
Regarding the qualification of teachers in initial and in-service training the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) funded a separate research project the results of which were also included in the strategy paper: www.erinnern.at/Publikation-Antisemitismen-Sondierungen-im-Bildungsbereich
About the Holocaust Education programme _erinnern.at_
The OeAD programme _erinnern.at_ for teaching and learning about National Socialism and the Holocaust sets standards for the teaching of these topics at schools. It promotes the transfer of historical and methodological-didactic knowledge as well as reflection on its significance for the present. This includes regarding anti-Semitism not only as a historical phenomenon but also providing answers to the current challenges in dealing with anti-Semitism in the school context.
To the pictures of the event
Enquiries and contact:
OeAD – Austria’s Agency for Education and Internationalisation
 Mag. Ursula Hilmar
 Spokesperson
 +43 1 53408-270
 presse@oead.at
 www.oead.at