About the Academy
Humans, animals and nature united
Knowledge, expertise, love for animals, sustainability and the transmission of values
The Gut Aiderbichl Academy is a place where knowledge, expertise, love for animals, sustainability and values are bundled and passed on in the interests of the animals. The aim is to create a future in which animals are respected as fellow creatures and part of our society. This benefits people, animals and nature in equal measure. The aim of the Gut Aiderbichl Academy is therefore to build bridges between animals and humans by imparting knowledge in order to promote a mindful and competent approach to animals and a harmonious human-animal relationship based on appreciation and trust.
The Academy is a platform for the development of innovative solutions to animal welfare challenges. We explain the background in order to sensitise people to new findings and thus stimulate reflection and rethinking. Educational programs for children, young people and adults focus in particular on animal husbandry, care, psychology and ethics. Gut Aiderbichl is the ideal educational centre for practice-oriented, sustainable development for all generations thanks to the many animal fates.
We see graduates of the Gut Aiderbichl Academy as ambassadors of the animals and multipliers of our philosophy. As an educational centre, we therefore attach great importance to successful learning. Graduates should experience a gain in competences and education of the heart regardless of their previous experiences. Regular evaluation guarantees and continuously improves the positive learning outcome.
Cooperation partners in the education sector
The Animal Care School at the Vetmeduni Vienna
Since November 2018, Gut Aiderbichl and the animal care school at Vetmeduni Vienna have been working together on a new educational partnership.
A groundbreaking meeting between Aiderbichl CEO Dieter Ehrengruber and Professor Dr Yves Moens, Director of the Vetmeduni Vienna’s School of Veterinary Nursing, took place at the beginning of August 2018. One reason for Prof Moens’ visit was that the animal care school has developed a new curriculum in which animal welfare and the human-animal relationship are important focal points.
During the day they spent together, after intensive discussions and a highly interesting guided tour by animal keeper Martina Neureiter, they both realised that Gut Aiderbichl and the animal care school have a lot in common. Prof Moens was impressed by the professional animal care. Prof Moens: “In particular, the attentive effort that Gut Aiderbichl puts into caring for old and chronically ill animals sets an example for other animal facilities. This can help us to find new evaluation criteria for assessing the quality of life of animals in human care!”
It quickly became clear that Gut Aiderbichl and the animal care school have many common concerns and that both organisations are committed to the welfare and protection of our animal fellow creatures. Aiderbichl Managing Director Dieter Ehrengruber: “Gut Aiderbichl has already rescued many thousands of animals from extreme distress and is recognised and respected as an expert in animal welfare. We explain the background and make our knowledge available. We believe this is the only way to bring about lasting change in favour of animals and to make people think and rethink the way they treat the weak.”
Gut Aiderbichl Managing Director Dieter Ehrengruber and Prof Moens agreed to pull together in the future when it comes to animal welfare and education. The aim is to strengthen and deepen awareness of animal welfare in our society and, in particular, to make animal welfare a central educational objective in animal care training.
As part of the new educational co-operation, animal carers from Gut Aiderbichl will take part in lectures, workshops and seminars by experts from the animal care school and selected students from the animal care school will do their practical training on the Gut Aiderbichl estates. Gut Aiderbichl will also support future educational projects of the animal care school.
The co-operation with the Gut Aiderbichl Academy is very important. For example, together with the academy, an annual prize is awarded to graduates of the animal care school for outstanding achievements in animal welfare.
The co-operation between Gut Aiderbichl and the animal care school is a further step towards passing on our values and visions to people and maintaining what we have achieved so far in the long term.
The Animal Care School at the Vetmeduni Vienna
The Animal Care School is a three-year, general education public school with public access for young people aged 15 and over. It is the only training institution in Austria to offer a modular curriculum as an all-day school, enabling students to specialise in a particular subject. From the third year onwards, the young future animal keepers can choose between three specialisation modules (zoo/research/animal clinic) in their preferred professional field and thus optimally prepare themselves for a career in animal care. Animal welfare and the respectful treatment of animals are important elements of the training concept.
Contact
Animal care school at the Vetmeduni Vienna
Veterinärplatz 1, 1210 Vienna
Phone: +43 1 25077 3750
Email: tierpflegeschule@vetmeduni.ac.at
www.vetmeduni.ac.at/de/tierpflegeschule/
