Legal Status, Accreditation, Quality Assurance

In its letter dated 8 September 2015, the Federal Ministry of Science, Research and Economy confirms that:

• The Danube Private University (DPU) is a recognised, accredited educational institution,
• the academic degree ‘Doctor of Dental Medicine’ (Doktorin der Zahnheilkunde) awarded upon completion of the diploma programme in Dentistry at the DPU has the legal effect of the academic degrees of universities pursuant to the Universities Act 2002,
• and that the aforementioned diploma programme complies with Directive 2005/36/EC, Article 34.

In its letter dated 27 November 2024, the Federal Ministry of Education, Science and Research confirms that “the Danube Private University (DPU) is a recognised, accredited educational institution.“

The Danube Private University is authorised to offer the following degree programmes:

• Bachelor’s degree programme in Human Medicine (6 semesters, 180 ECTS), academic degree Bachelor of Science(abbreviated “B.Sc.”), at the Krems an der Donau campus, and
• Master’s degree programme in Human Medicine (6 semesters, 180 ECTS), academic degree Doctor medicinae universae(abbreviated “Dr. med. univ.”), at the Wiener Neustadt campus.

The degrees awarded are fully-fledged academic degrees with the same legal effect as those conferred by public universities pursuant to the Universities Act (UG).

By the inclusion of the Danube Private University in the 2024 Medical Universities Ordinance (MUVO 2024), Federal Law Gazette II No. 299/2024, it is confirmed that the Bachelor’s and Master’s programmes in Human Medicine at the private university constitute an essential part of basic medical training in accordance with Annex V, V.1., 5.1.1. of Directive 2005/36/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 7 September 2005 on the recognition of professional qualifications. This also confirms that these programmes comply with the general provisions of the Directive.

The Board of the Agency for Quality Assurance and Accreditation Austria (AQ Austria) has approved the renewed extension of the accreditation of the Danube Private University until 2030:

2025 – Extension of institutional accreditation: At its 91st meeting on 19 March 2025, the Board of AQ Austria resolved, on the basis of the evidence provided, that the imposed conditions had been fulfilled.

2024 – Accreditation of the Master’s degree programme in Human Medicine: The Board of AQ Austria approved the application for accreditation of the Master’s degree programme in Human Medicine (6 semesters, 180 ECTS credits, Doctor medicinae universae, abbreviated “Dr. med. univ.”, full-time mode of study) to be offered in Wiener Neustadt in cooperation with the clinical partner institutions in Wiener Neustadt, Neunkirchen and Hochegg.

2021 – Extension of the institutional accreditation of the Danube Private University for a period of six years with conditions, in connection with the revocation of the accreditation of the Master’s degree programme in Human Medicine, as part of the procedure for the extension of institutional accreditation.

The accreditation of the DPU was extended by the Board of the Agency for Quality Assurance and Accreditation Austria (AQ Austria) – following completion of the procedure in accordance with § 10 of the Private University Accreditation Ordinance – with effect from 1 August 2014 for a period of six years until August 2020.

As part of the procedure for extending the DPU’s accreditation, all degree programmes offered at the DPU were evaluated and approved for continuation, namely:

• Diploma programme in Dentistry leading to the degree Dr. med. dent.
• Bachelor / Master of Arts in Medical Journalism and Public Relations (BA/MA)
• Bachelor in Dental Hygiene (BA)

as well as the university continuing education programmes leading to the degree Master of Science (MSc) in specific fields of dentistry:

• Aesthetic and Reconstructive Dentistry
• Function and Prosthodontics
• Oral Surgery / Implantology (German) / Oral Surgery / Implantology (English)
• Clinical Oral Surgeon / Implantologist (Full-time)
• Orthodontics (German) / Orthodontics (English)
• Clinical Orthodontist (Full-time)
• Endodontics

We would like to express our sincere thanks to the following reviewers: Univ.-Prof. Dr Carlo Marinello, University of Basel, Chair; Univ.-Prof. Dr Regina Mericske-Stern, University of Bern; Univ.-Prof. Dr Günter Bentele, University of Leipzig; Sarah Schober, student representative, Medical University of Vienna, as well as the representatives of the Agency for Quality Assurance and Accreditation Austria, AQ Austria.

They took part in the “Extension of the Accreditation of the DPU” procedure, which included an on-site visit to the DPU on 11–12 March 2014, and prepared the detailed expert report dated 30 April 2014.

We were very pleased to note that the evaluation of the DPU was positive in all key assessment criteria, particularly regarding the establishment of the necessary staffing and spatial resources, as well as the facilities for practical training and the outpatient clinic.

Upon completion of the procedure, both AQ Austria and the DPU are, in accordance with § 10 of the Private University Accreditation Ordinance, obliged to publish the outcome report of the accreditation procedure on their websites. This report must in any case include:

• the expert report
• the Board’s decision including its reasoning, and
• the applicant institution’s response to the expert report.

Personal data, sources of funding, as well as trade and business secrets are exempt from publication – omissions in this regard are marked with “(…)”. In the AQ Austria expert report, only minor adjustments to personal data were made; the DPU’s response to the AQ Austria expert report is published in full.

The DPU thanks the reviewers and AQ Austria for their constructive critical remarks in the outcome report. The DPU will take these on board in order to further advance the development of the university into an internationally renowned institution for teaching and research. Suggestions for further development, as well as clarifications and additions in specific areas, will be implemented insofar as these have not already been initiated or are in preparation.

From the many positive assessments by the reviewers regarding the DPU programmes – particularly the diploma programme in Dentistry leading to the degree Dr. med. dent. – we would like to quote here the evaluation highlighted in the report under point 3 “Strengths of the DPU”:“Establishment of a degree programme (meaning Dentistry) based on a coherent concept of study models and training methods, which should guarantee graduation (first expected by the end of 2015) and ensure the competencies required for subsequent professional practice as a dentist.”

We also consider important the statement in the AQ Austria report regarding the orientation of the programme towards the principles of “comprehensive problem-oriented and evidence-based dentistry.” The comments under the heading “Standards” (page 12 of the report) represent another significant positive evaluation for the extension of accreditation, stating: “In summary, it can be noted that the structure of teaching, the didactic design of the curriculum, the continuing education modules, as well as the examination regulations, workload, and duration of studies, certainly meet or even exceed international standards. The required learning objectives and qualifications can be achieved, and the intended academic degree is internationally comparable.”

Below, we publish the officially required documents for the extension of accreditation.

The Danube Private University (DPU) was granted, by decision dated 12 July 2017 from the Agency for Quality Assurance and Accreditation Austria (AQ Austria) and the Federal Ministry of Science, accreditation for an academic doctoral programme in Dentistry leading to the PhD degree, comprising six semesters and 180 ECTS credits, as well as the right to confer the Privatdozent title (habilitation), with the corresponding Habilitation Regulations coming into force at the DPU.

In the extensive accreditation procedure conducted by AQ Austria, a total of 30 assessment criteria relating to the degree programme and programme management, academic staff, quality assurance, funding and infrastructure, research and development, and national and international cooperation were evaluated by the reviewers in relation to the DPU application and found to be fulfilled.

In the “Summary and Final Assessment” of the AQ Austria expert report on the accreditation procedure, it states:“ Central requirements for a doctoral programme, such as a positive research environment, are fully met through the availability of adequate technical resources and the large number of research topics already available and in progress. The same applies to the qualifications of the supervising staff, the majority of whom have already gained extensive experience in leading research projects and supervising doctoral candidates in previous positions at German or Dutch universities. This is also reflected in numerous proven publications, most of them in high-ranking journals.” “Overall,” according to AQ Austria, “it can be stated that the infrastructure and staff at the DPU are very well suited to successfully offering a doctoral programme at the DPU!”

The AQ Austria report explicitly concludes: “In the overall assessment, the accreditation application of DPU Krems for the doctoral programme in Dentistry is to be considered innovative and pioneering.”

The accreditation of the doctoral programme “implicitly” entails that all requirements for the right to confer habilitations at the DPU are met. As the AQ Austria report states: “In this respect, with the accreditation of the doctoral programme, the Habilitation Regulations also come into force.”

2024 – The Board of AQ Austria approved the application for accreditation of the Master’s degree programme in Human Medicine (6 semesters, 180 ECTS credits, Doctor medicinae universae, abbreviated “Dr. med. univ.”, full-time mode of study) to be offered in Wiener Neustadt in cooperation with the clinical partner institutions in Wiener Neustadt, Neunkirchen and Hochegg.

2020 – At its 59th meeting on 26 February 2020, the Board of AQ Austria discussed the application of the Danube Private University to amend the accredited Master’s degree programme in Human Medicine (6 semesters, 180 ECTS credits, Doctor medicinae universae, abbreviated “Dr. med. univ.”, full-time mode of study, location of delivery Krems-Stein in cooperation with the clinical partner Klinikum Wels-Grieskirchen GmbH in Wels-Grieskirchen). The change concerned the location of delivery of the Master’s programme through the addition of further cooperation partners. In future, in addition to the existing cooperation partners, the programme is also to be delivered in clinical cooperation with the hospitals of KRAGES (Burgenland) and the SLK Lung Clinic Löwenstein (Germany). The Board of AQ Austria decided to approve the application for amendment.

In its decision of 17 September 2025, the Board of AQ Austria decided to approve the application by Danube Private University GmbH for accreditation of the doctoral programme in Precision and Personalised Medicine, subject to certain conditions.

Master of Science in Periodontology and Implantology (MSc)
Bachelor Dental Hygiene (BA)