The Theresan Military Academy is the oldest Military Academy of the world, founded in 1752 with a simple order issued by Empress Maria Theresa: “make out of them fine officers and righteous men”.
EUAFA
EUROPEAN AIR FORCE ACADEMIES
AUSTRIA
THERESAN MILITARY ACADEMY
The basic education and training of the officers of the Austrian armed forces, including the air component, is also nowadays the role of the Theresan Military Academy. The Institute for Basic Officer Education at the Military Academy, for candidates of both direct and internal recruitments, is recognised as fully integrated in the European Higher Education Area and, like any other Austrian university, provides a higher education curriculum. In order to be commissioned as officers, the Austrian cadets must obtain the Bachelor of Arts in Military Leadership from the Academy, after three years of academic studies, which include a training period, similar to a stage, in units of foreign armed forces. An additional Bachelor study programme in the field of information and communication technology will start in 2022.
The academic aspect of the basic education of an Austrian officer, therefore, is necessarily the product of an international cooperation or, in some cases, of the cooperation between the Academy and civilian universities. Every cadet spends one international semester abroad as well as an internship (International Training on the Job) in the course of his/her education.
The vocational training also is the product of cooperation between the Military Academy and the operational units of the armed forces themselves, since the national conscript service contributes also to the acquisition of basic military skills.
Since Austria has no Air Force Academy, all candidates foreseen for the air component have to undergo the education at the Theresan Military Academy. Because of long lasting education for e.g. pilots, they have to undergo the training before they begin their studies at the Military Academy. This education is done at the Air & Air Defence School of the Austrian Armed Forces.
Commander
COMMANDER
Major Gen. Mag.
Karl PRONHAGL
Educational and Professional Background:
- Graduated from High School Zwettl in 1980;
- Joined the Austrian Armed Forces voluntarily the same year;
- Entered the Theresan Military Academy in 1981;
- Commissioned as a Second Lieutenant of the infantry corps in 1984;
- First posting with the Infantry Training Regiment 33 as a platoon leader, training and executive officer, and deputy company commander;
- From 1985 to 1991 training officer at the Theresan Military Academy and deputy company commander with one border surveillance operation at the southern border in 1991 as ADC to the Task Force Cdr;
- From 1991 to 1994 studying at the National Defence Academy’s General Staff Course;
- From 1994 to 1995 Desk Officer in the MoD’s C2 Division, responsible for the Anti-Tank Concept and for the int’l CPX TRIMIGRANT;
- From 1995 to 1998 Chief of Staff 3rd Mechanized Infantry Brigade;
- From September 1998 to June 2000 General Staff Training at the Bundeswehr Command and Staff College (BwCSC) in Hamburg;
- From 1 October 2000 to end-2002 Head of Section “Directing Staff” in the General Staff;
- From 1 January 2003 to 18 September 2008 Commanding General of 3rd Mechanized Infantry Brigade, interrupted by a tour of duty with EUFOR Althea as Cdr MNTF North (from November 2005 to May 2006);
- From mid-2008 to end-2012 Assistant Chief of Staff (ACOS) Support of the Operations Command in ULM, Germany, coordinating J1, J4, J6, J8, and JMed;
- From 1 January 2013 to 31 July 2016 Training Director in the MoD’s Training Directorate;
- Since 1 August 2016 Commandant (44th) of the Theresan Military Academy.
International Experience:
- General Staff Training at the Bundeswehr Command and Staff College (BwCSC) in Hamburg (from September 1998 to June 2000);
- Tour of duty with EUFOR Althea as Cdr MNTF North (from November 2005 to May 2006);
- Assistant Chief of Staff (ACOS) Support of the Operations Command in Ulm, Germany (from mid-2008 to end-2012).
Special Qualifications:
- Austrian Armed Forces Alpine Specialist, Class III;
- Austrian Armed Forces Parachutist.
Marital Status:
- Married to Michaela (since 1987) with two daughters (Julia, 1987 and Nina, 1992).
Hobbies:
- Sports (especially jogging);
- Music;
- History
Structure
The Theresan Military consists of the following institutes and departments:
- Headquarters & Headquarters Company;
- Institute for Basic Officer Education & Cadets’ Battalion (responsible for the entire academic and non-academic basic officer education);
- Institute for Advanced Officer Training (responsible for the education of professional Officers, reserve Officers and civilians – up to Brigade Staff level);
- Department for Research & Development (supports the institutes & operates simulation systems);
- School for Leadership & Security (educated pupils from 14-19 years).
Contact
Address
- Theresianische Militärakademie
- Burgplatz 1
- 2700 Wiener Neustadt
Phone numbers,Fax, Email
- Fax. +40 268 422 004
- Email: gabcmd@academiafa.edu.pt
Web Page
Images from Academy
Commandant’s Conference
In 1993 the European Air Chiefs Conference (EURAC) was established with the main objective finding new methods of study and co-operation among European Air Forces – within and out of NATO. In this context a considerable importance has been given for a common vision in the ways of education and formation of future officers
Consequently the European Air Force Academies (EUAFA) Commanders’ Conference has been established as a forum of experts in order to exchange information, co-operate and identify areas of common interest to carry out activities, with the largest possible participation of all the member nations, in the field of officer education and training.
EUAFA mission is to encourage mutual education through the sharing of information on officer training by promoting academic and military exchanges concerning cadet and instructor training.
The (EUAFA) Commandants’ Conference comprises of the Commandants of the Air Force Academies of the following European countries:
AUSTRIA, BELGIUM, CZECH REPUBLIK, DENMARK, FINLAND, FRANCE, GERMANY, GREECE, HUNGARY, IRELAND, ITALY, NETHERLANDS, NORWAY, POLAND, PORTUGAL, ROMANIA, SPAIN, SWEDEN, SWITZERLAND, TURKEY, UNITED KINGDOM.
The members of the conference annually elect a Chairman, who is responsible for the preparation of the meetings and who acts as Point of Contact (POC) for all members.
The Chairman, who is appointed for one year for the period between two Commandants’ Conferences, is the Commandant (or his representative) of the Academy that is designated to host the conference at the end of his term.
Experts’ Working Group
In order to find common elements within the syllabi of the EUAFAs a Working Group was established in 1998. The ultimate goal was to identify portions of the individual training and education programs that might be suitable for common training and/or mutual exchanges
The EUAFA Working Group is responsible for the following tasks: view the member nations syllabi and focus on common fields within which to provide a basis for future co-operation in training and cadet exchanges; gather, update and disseminate the Databank (available at the website, and updated by the appropriate Working Group member) containing:
- An overview of educational systems.
- The structure organisational diagram of each participating country.
- The educational syllabus of each academy.
- The pilot education, training and timeframes in each academy.
In order to achieve a better understanding regarding main areas of training in each country’s officer training syllabus and from which common areas of interest could be found:
- Discuss and prepare agenda items for the following EUAFA Commandants’ Conference
- Present the findings of the Working Group Meeting including proposals for future activities to the following EUAFA Commandants’ Conference