Austria's schools cut Latin to make room for AI and media literacy
Austria's education system is set for a major overhaul in autumn 2023. Education Minister Christoph Wiederkehr (Neos) has unveiled sweeping reforms aimed at modernising school curricula. The changes will reduce hours for some traditional subjects while making room for new areas like artificial intelligence (AI) and media literacy.
The reform will cut instruction hours for certain subjects to free up time for emerging fields. In Gymnasien (academic secondary schools), Latin will drop from twelve hours to eight. A second modern foreign language—excluding Latin—will lose two hours, though English instruction remains unchanged. These adjustments respond to concerns that adding new topics without removing old ones would overwhelm students.
AI and media education will now have dedicated space in the curriculum. A new subject, Media and Democracy, will be introduced, while AI understanding will be woven into existing lessons. The minister stressed that the focus should be on core AI principles rather than fleeting trends. Schools will also retain flexibility to adjust hours locally, allowing them to prioritise more French, sports, or even extra Latin if they negotiate reductions elsewhere.
To address teacher shortages, the existing Digital Basic Education subject in lower secondary schools will expand, alongside professional development programmes. The reforms treat AI education as an ongoing task rather than assigning it to a single entity. Meanwhile, discussions continue about lowering university entry requirements for law and medicine, potentially reducing the Latin prerequisite from twelve to eight hours.
The rollout is ambitious, with the government aiming for a balanced approach. Instead of chasing every new technological trend, the curriculum will focus on foundational AI knowledge and its practical applications.
The reforms mark a shift toward modern skills while scaling back traditional subjects. Schools will have some freedom to tailor their schedules, provided they meet the new national standards. The changes are expected to take effect from autumn 2023, with ongoing training to support teachers in delivering the updated curriculum.
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