"Inevitable"

Ückert dismissed as UMIT rector after criticism

UMIT is still in the headlines.

(Bild: Christof Birbaumer / Kronenzeitung)

According to the state of Tyrol and the University of Innsbruck, the decision was "unavoidable". Vice-Rector and former State Councillor for Health Bernhard Tilg is also losing his post. Rudolf Steckel is to take over on an interim basis.

There has been a change at the top of the private Tyrolean State University for Health UMIT in Hall: Rector Sandra Ückert and her Vice Rector, former ÖVP State Councillor for Health Bernhard Tilg, have to leave following criticism from the Supervisory Board. Corresponding media reports were confirmed by a UMIT press release. Rudolf Steckel, professor of business administration at the University of Innsbruck, is to follow on an interim basis.

"Mutual agreement"
The decision was made after "careful consideration", according to the state of Tyrol and the University of Innsbruck, which owns the private university with 1,360 students. The cooperation was also "terminated by mutual agreement", UMIT announced.

The shareholders followed a recommendation by the Supervisory Board, which had obtained two external legal opinions. "The fact that, according to the Supervisory Board, the principles of economic efficiency, expediency and economy were not sufficiently observed by the management makes this decision unavoidable at this point in time," according to media reports. Economic efficiency, particularly in connection with personnel policy, is said to have been central to the decision.

Always in the headlines
The University of Health had repeatedly hit the headlines and been subject to (opposition) political criticism due to its low student numbers. Cornelia Hagele (ÖVP), the state councillor responsible for health and science, and University of Innsbruck Rector Veronika Sexl admitted "that UMIT Tirol has repeatedly been the focus of public attention in recent years and has never really come to rest". In order to ensure "stability and smooth operations", Steckl is taking the helm of the Rectorate for the time being. At the same time, the functions in the rectorate and the management will be newly advertised.

Tilg also affected
The Vice-Rectorate will also be vacant after Tilg's mandate was linked to that of Sexl. The former health politician - who served as UMIT Rector from 2004 to 2008 - was appointed Vice Rector in 2022 after resigning from the black-green provincial government under Governor Günther Platter (ÖVP) the year before. He had come under constant criticism since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic. The electrical engineering graduate became particularly well known nationally through an appearance on "ZiB2" in spring 2020, in which he repeated several times that the authorities had "done everything right" when it came to Ischgl. Ückert, in turn, was appointed rector in 2020. Her contract would have actually run until 2028.

UMIT Tirol, which specializes in professional and research fields in healthcare and technology, currently offers 22 degree courses. The private university in Hall inTyrol (Innsbruck-Land district) is 90 percent owned by the state and ten percent by Leopold Franzens University Innsbruck.