The Vienna Stock Exchange Academy, which is run in collaboration with the WIFI Management Forum, can look back on very successful year: in its anniversary year 2025 – the Academy celebrated its 20th anniversary – a new record was set with over 2,600 participants attending 123 seminars. The figures underscore the continuing high demand for financial education in Austria – across all levels of experience, from stock market beginners to experienced investors. At the start of the new year, the programme will be further expanded and a New Year's bonus will provide an additional incentive for further training.
"The broad and continuously evolving range of courses offered by the Vienna Stock Exchange Academy is in tune with the zeitgeist. While fundamental questions about wealth accumulation and investment continue to be in high demand, interest in specialised topics and new technologies is also growing. The Academy’s clear positioning as a practice-oriented hub for financial education across various levels of depth is a key strength," says Erwin Hof, Head of the Vienna Stock Exchange Academy.
Demand for financial education remains high in Austria
The high demand for financial knowledge is also reflected by the “Aktienbarometer” – a study conducted by Peter Hajek on securities ownership in Austria: around 1.4 million people in Austria who have not yet invested yet are interested in purchasing securities. However, many of them see uncertainties in their own financial knowledge as a key obstacle to getting started. Accordingly, the introductory seminar "1x1 of Securities" was in high demand last year. The seminar "Investing in Securities" aimed at women was also very popular. Among experienced investors, "Stock Analysis with AI" was the number one choice.
New course, additional seminars and New Year's bonus
The Vienna Stock Exchange Academy's range of courses has been expanded once again in 2026. For experienced investors, the current programme offers additional in-depth courses on the topic of stock strategies. Due to the high demand for the basic seminar "Investing in Securities", the seminar "Stock Strategies for Long-Term Investment Success" is now also being offered exclusively for women. The seminar "Equity Strategies Compact" is also open to all interested parties. New to the programme is the "Personal Finance" course, which covers the most important topics in financial life: the stock market and wealth accumulation, money and the economy, loans, insurance, real estate, investor and consumer protection, as well as pensions and retirement planning.
To support New Year's resolutions relating to personal development in the financial sector, the Vienna Stock Exchange Academy is offering a New Year's bonus: until 19 January 2026, a 20 per cent discount applies to almost all seminars.
