Austrian National Bank and partners award first Ready4Finance school certificates to 87 schools and set autumn 2026 submission window

The Austrian National Bank, together with the Federal Ministry of Finance, the Federal Ministry of Education and the Foundation for Economic Education, has held the first nationwide award of the new Ready4Finance school certificate, recognising 87 schools across Austria for embedding economic, financial and consumer education in lower secondary education. The certified schools comprise 64 middle schools and 23 academic secondary lower-level schools (Gymnasien/AHS-Unterstufen). Applications were assessed by an independent expert jury against six quality dimensions covering organisational development, staff development, teaching development, external communication and parent engagement, statistical reach, and evaluation and target setting. Certified schools gain access to the nationwide Ready4Finance network, an annual expert conference, exclusive webinar series, targeted teacher training offers and funding for smaller practical projects; certification is valid for three years, after which schools can reapply. Ready4Finance will run a second award round in the 2026/27 school year, with the submission phase opening in autumn 2026 via the programme’s online portal and allowing first-time applicants to include planned steps and development goals alongside measures already implemented. The annual award event will alternate between the Federal Ministry of Finance and the Austrian National Bank, with the Austrian National Bank set to host in 2027, and an expansion to primary schools and upper secondary education is being developed.