Vienna Stock Exchange Academy has been promoting financial education for 20 years

To contribute to improving financial literacy: this was the premise on which the Vienna Stock Exchange Academy was established two decades ago, arising from a cooperation between the WIFI Management Forum and Wiener Börse AG. Twenty years later, a total of around 100 course dates with approximately 1,900 participants will be held in the anniversary year. The demand for financial education in Austria remains unbroken and is growing, as various studies – such as the ‘Aktienbarometer’ – make clear. In the anniversary year, the Vienna Stock Exchange Academy is offering additional events and an special New Year’s bonus. With the launch of its TikTok channel, Wiener Börse is also bringing financial education to where young people seek it.

‘The demand for financial literacy among the population is continuously growing, especially among the younger population. With its comprehensive and up-to-date offering, the Vienna Stock Exchange Academy is positioning itself as the ideal point of contact for every Austrian – from beginners to professionals. Inadequate financial knowledge has a high price in the long term. Communicating the diverse possibilities of investing in securities remains our central claim’, explains Erwin Hof, Head of the Vienna Stock Exchange Academy.

According to the Aktienbarometer (a study by the Federation of Austrian Industries, Aktienforum and the Vienna Stock Exchange), the number of Austrians who are taking a closer look at how they build up their assets and provide for their retirement is growing. More than one in four people (27%) already hold equities and other securities, and over a million are interested in investing. There are various reasons why this often remains an interest. The most common: people feel they lack knowledge about finance and investment. The Vienna Stock Exchange Academy addresses this issue by offering a variety of courses for stock market novices as well as those who are already advanced.

20 years of the Academy: more course dates, broader range of topics

Over the years, the programme offered by the Academy has been continuously adapted and expanded to include current trends. This anniversary year, four new topics have been added: ‘Quality Investing’, ‘Stock Screening: How to Search for and Find Top Stocks’, ‘Stock Analysis with AI’ and ‘Sustainable Investing’. While the first seminar programme in 2005/2006 comprised 24 events held on 48 dates, in 2025 a total of 37 educational events – 30 seminars, three courses, one training session and three exams – will be offered on 101 dates. In particular, the online offering has been massively expanded in recent years.

‘The Vienna Stock Exchange Academy has been successfully promoting stock market and securities knowledge in Austria for 20 years now. The WIFI Management Forum would like to express its thanks for this excellent cooperation. Our offering has been continuously expanded and updated. In particular, the online formats offer maximum flexibility thanks to location-independent access and customisable content selection, which our customers appreciate very much,’ emphasises Sandra Prandtner, head of the WIFI Management Forum.

Special offers in the anniversary year

The anniversary year starts with the traditional New Year’s bonus: in keeping with the milestone birthday, a 20 per cent discount is available on almost all seminar bookings. Special events are planned throughout the rest of the year as part of the anniversary celebrations, including an evening event in May with specialist lectures at the Vienna Stock Exchange and a two-day online event at the end of October with several one-hour webinar sessions on various stock market topics. Participation in both events will be free of charge.

Vienna Stock Exchange Academy: Combined expertise for financial education

The Academy combines the expertise of both partners: the WIFI Management Forum is responsible for organisation and administration, while the Vienna Stock Exchange is responsible for content and programme. It also draws on its network of experts and nominates the trainers. Highlights of recent years include the introduction of a seminar for women on investing independently, the launch of the free ‘Börse4you’ webinar series for beginners and advanced learners, and the new ‘Private Investor’ course, which teaches practical financial knowledge and portfolio management. In addition, the Summer Academy – with seminars lasting several days – was launched at Hubertussee near Mariazell. The Vienna Stock Exchange is now launching a TikTok channel for younger people, where basic knowledge about the stock exchange and capital market is communicated in a simple and accessible way.

About the Vienna Stock Exchange

As the central infrastructure provider in the region, Wiener Börse AG opens doors to global markets. It unites the stock exchanges in Vienna and Prague. Listed companies benefit from maximum liquidity there, and as the market leader it offers investors fast and inexpensive trading. Wiener Börse collects and distributes price data and calculates the most important indices for a dozen markets in the region. Thanks to its unique know-how, the national exchanges in Budapest, Ljubljana and Zagreb also rely on the IT services of the Vienna Stock Exchange. In addition, it is involved in other energy exchanges and clearing houses in the region.

Disclaimer

This press release may contain certain forward-looking statements and projections based on assumptions current at the date of this press release. We assume no liability whatsoever that these forward-looking statements will occur. Furthermore, we expressly point out that this press release does not serve as a basis for an investment decision and constitutes neither an invitation to buy nor an investment recommendation by Wiener Börse AG. The information in this press release is provided without guarantee.