Anti-Corruption

Raising corruption awareness: training for prospective secondary school graduates

Since 2016, the Federal Bureau of Anti-Corruption (BAK) has cooperated with schools to hold workshops to prepare students for their future careers shortly before graduation (Matura). Raising students' awareness and passing on knowledge are the main focus of "the BAK’s school visits".

The Federal Bureau of Anti-Corruption (BAK) and the Bundeshandelsakademie Wien 10 (BHAK10), a secondary school with a focus on business and commerce in the 10th district of Vienna, invited the A-level classes to a joint anti-corruption workshop on 5 December 2022. Experts from the BAK shed light on the numerous facets and consequences of corruption in direct discussions with around 150 high school students about to graduate.

The BAK has been running this form of anti-corruption training several times a year in various upper secondary institutions since 2016. After a COVID-related break, this was the first such workshop again since 2019.

Contents of the workshop

At eight stations on various topics (including "IT forensics", "BAK investigative work every day"), the Matura classes were able to discuss with BAK experts. The students looked into corruption offences relevant under criminal law, practised taking over leadership responsibility, slipped into the profession of a corruption investigator and got the opportunity to find out about the different manifestations of corruption.

With this special offer, BHAK10 Director Jörg Hopfgartner and BAK Director Otto Kerbl made it possible that students of upper secondary level were made aware of acts of corruption and their consequences in an age-appropriate way.

Hopfgartner: "A professional workshop of this kind for all Matura students at the BHAK in Vienna’s 10th district is corruption prevention in action." The aim was to prevent possible misconduct and to promote integrity.

Kerbl: "With this offer, the BAK has been implementing training at educational institutions throughout Austria since 2016. It is a matter of concern for us to create awareness of situations at risk of corruption and provide adequate solutions as early as possible."

Early prevention is key

It is important to the BAK that special competences in the perception and prevention of corruption are acquired already in adolescence and that young people develop an awareness of the dangers of corruption. This should prevent possible misconduct and sustainably promote behaviour with integrity. The BAK's student events are part of the National Anti-Corruption Strategy and contribute to preventing and fighting corruption.