Freedom of Information Act

Source: https://www.tuwien.at/en/tu-wien/contact/freedom-of-information-act Parent: https://www.tuwien.at/en/tu-wien/contact/

The freedom of information consists of two pillars

The Freedom of Information Act – IFG has come into effect on 1 September 2025. This means transparency based on 2 pillars:

• Obligation to proactively provide information (§ 4 IFG) - Information of general interest shall be published. This is done in the University Gazette: University Gazette – Overview | TU Wien
• Fundamental right to access information (§ 7 IFG) – information requested upon application. The Admission Office (Mag. Gruber and Mag.a Dr.in Titscher) is the central point of contact at TU Wien for this purpose: informationsfreiheit@tuwien.ac.at

Fundamental right to access information

There is now a constitutionally guaranteed fundamental right of access to information upon request from TU Wien and foundations of TU Wien that are subject to audit by the Court of Audit.

Exceptions to the obligation to proactively provide information and the fundamental right to access information shall apply exclusively to the necessary protection of certain important public and legitimate private interests. Pursuant to Art. 22a (2) B-VG, information whose confidentiality is necessary for the reasons listed below and for which no other legal provisions apply is exempt from the obligation to provide information:

• for compelling reasons of integration or foreign policy,
• in the interests of national security, of comprehensive national defence or of maintaining public order and security,
• forthe unimpaired preparation of any decision
• to prevent significant economic or financial damage or
• to protect in the overriding legitimate interest of another person (the right to protection of personal data, protect professional, business, or trade secrets, maintain banking secrecy, maintain editorial secrecy, protect intellectual property rights of the affected persons).

Further information can be found on the website of the Data Protection Authority: Informationsfreiheitsgesetz (link in German)