Facilities @ Management

2.6 The Austrian Success Model of Excellent Facility Management Education and Proactive Work by Professional Associations

Thomas Madritsch

Introduction

The Austrian Facility Management Industry and the Role of Professional Associations

The Austrian facility management industry provides jobs for around 200,000 people and contributes an added value of almost EUR 20 billion to the country’s gross domestic product. Together, the industry’s businesses ensure the well-being of more than 2.5 million clients, customers, and users. The two professional associations Facility Management Austria (FMA) and International Facility Management Association Austria (IFMA) aim to bolster the spread and adoption of professional facility management services in the country. A significant contribution to achieving this goal is made by the 16 training and higher education institutions in Austria that offer a comprehensive range of programs in the field, from practical on-the-job facility management training courses to full-fledged academic degree programs. Jointly with the training and higher education institutions, the professional associations aim to support their members in the pivotal task of educating a future cadre of facility management professionals. In addition, the associations see themselves as an essential forum for communication between facility management professionals, clients, and customers domestically and internationally.

The Industry Association Facility Management Austria

The ...