A European university where theory and practice move hand-in-hand

 

Sigmund Freud University is a private international university whose main headquarter are in Vienna. It also has a network of departments in Milan, Berlin, Linz, Ljubljana and Paris.

First established in 2005 through an international development programme, it is now acknowledged as Austria’s leading institute for education, research, and clinical work in the field of psychology. Approximately 5000 students are currently enrolled at Sigmund Freud University, where teaching is supplemented with practical work in clinics for adults, children and migrants that are attended by a total of approximately 2500 people-a-year. SFU’s main campus is in Prater Park, close to the Economics Department of Vienna University.

Bringing together Vienna’s traditional expertise in psychology and a team of highly qualified Italian researchers, psychologists and psychotherapists, SFU Milan, the Italian branch of Sigmund Freud University, was founded in 2014.

SFU Milano offers a bachelor’s degree in psychology (Bachelorstudium Psychologie) and a master’s degree in psychology (Masterstudium Psychologie) with three different majors in clinical psychology. After completing their university education and training, graduates will be awarded an Austrian degree that is also legally recognised in Italy.

From Vienna to Milan: a ground-breaking teaching programme

Sigmund Freud University offers a ground-breaking international degree course based on a rigorously scientific approach to education, which, at the same time, is professionally-oriented to train versatile and confident psychologists.

Students study in a European environment thanks to close ties and constant interaction between the universities in Italy and Austria. The course also includes a period of study in Vienna for Italian students, where they will be expected to take a number of courses. During this study period, they will take intensive courses in selected subjects on the year’s curriculum and take part in research sessions and workshops.

SFU Governance

According to the official bylaws, the main bodies in charge of all educational activities at Sigmund Freud Sigmund Freud Privatuniversität (Sigmund Freud University) are the Rectorate, Academic Council and Academic Senate.

Rectorate

The Rectorate runs the university and is in charge of all the other administration offices. It has the final word when it comes to making decisions about changes to the bylaws and education/organisation plans. The Rectorate appoints faculty members, stipulates faculty goals and sets up new faculties. It also appoints associate and visiting professors and can award full professorships.

The Rectorate is also in charge of handling accreditation requests for degree courses and setting budgets for faculties and other organisational bodies; it also appoints all the clinic’s board members.

All university organisations answer to the Rectorate.

Members of the Rectorate

Stefan Hampl

Vice-rettore per la Didattica della Sigmund Freud Privat Universität Vienna, Ricercatore in Psicologia Sociale e dei Media

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Academic Council

The Academic Council is responsible for deliberating study programmes, organisational plans and the annual protocol drawn up by the Rectorate.

The Council approves alterations to the bylaws proposed by the Academic Senate and appoints the Rector. The Academic Council has five members, who hold, or have previously held, important positions in the fields of research, culture and economics. Their expertise and experience help the university attain its goals. More specifically, the Academic Council has two members appointed by the University Administration Board, two members appointed by the Academic Senate and one member selected by the other four members. The members of the Academic Council have no other professional dealings with the University and remain in office for five years.

Members of The Academic Council

Günther Ogris

Presidente del Consiglio Accademico, Managing Director e Direttore Scientifico del SORA Institute for Social Research and Analysis

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Gertrude Brinek

Membro del Consiglio Accademico, Legal Ombudsman, Assistant professor at the Institute of Educational Studies/Faculty of Philosophy and Educational Studies, Vienna University (on leave)

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Academic Senate

The Academic Senate plays an important role in deliberating alterations to bylaws and development /organisational plans. It can convene members of the Academic Council and the Rector and also has the authority to remove the latter from office; it appoints vice-rectors, ratifies teaching and examination rules and staff appointments, approves degree courses and can decide to set up new faculties. All faculties are represented in the Academic Senate by a full professor, a member of staff, or a researcher who is neither a full professor nor a student. The Academic Senate also includes two people from the administration staff and a member of the University Psychotherapy Clinic. A substitute is appointed for each member of the Academic Senate.

Members of the Academic Senate

Professors
  • Univ.-Prof. Mag. Dr. Gerhard Benetka | chairman
  • Univ.-Prof. Dr. Konrad Lachmayer
  • Univ. Prof. DDr. Christian Kratzik
  • Univ.-Prof. DDr. Kurt Greiner
Members of the Scientific Staff
  • Ass.-Prof. Dr.in Katharina Hametner
  • Dr. MMag. Florian Heindler
  • Dr.in Erzsebet Toth
  • Ass.-Prof. Mag. Dr. Erich Eder
Outpatient Clinic
  • Mag.a Eva Pritz
Students’ Representation (ÖH)
  • Philipp d’Aron
  • Alexander Lahner
  • Johanna Pieber
  • Daniel Zeymer von Metniz
Administration
  • Renate Kammerhofer
  • Mag. Peter Lasinger
  • Bettina Pfitzner

Offices and Organisation

Sigmund Freud University is composed of:

Governance Bodies

  • Rectorate
  • Academic Council
  • Academic Senate

Scientific Units

  • Faculty of Psychology
  • Faculty of Psychotherapy
  • Faculty of Medicine
  • Faculty of Law
  • Departments, Institutes and Centres

Overseas branches

Milan Branch

Sigmund Freud PrivatUniversität Wien Gmbh’s Italian branch is officially located at no.77, Ripa di Porta Ticinese, and is authorised to operate as a “Subsidiary of a foreign university in Italy” in accordance with art.2, law no.4 of 14th January 1999, issued by the Ministry for University Education and Research: Decree issued on 19th January 2016. “Authorisation for activities carried out by Sigmund Freud PrivatUniversität Wien’s subsidiary in Milan. (16A01199) (Italian Official Gazette no.39 published on 17th February 2016). The branch of the university in Milan is intended to provide facilities and resources for the Milan Department of Psychology in Milan and the university’s clinical services, so that teaching and research work can be carried out as effectively as possible.
Fabrizio Saltini (engineer) is the current head of the branch and was directly appointed by the Rectorate of Sigmund Freud PrivatUniversität. . It is governed by its own internal rules and regulations.

Faculty of Psychology

The Faculty of Psychology is based in Vienna and has a subsidiary Department of Psychology in Milan. Other subsidiary branches to the main Faculty of Psychology are the Departments of Psychology in Berlin, Linz and Ljubljana, and the Institutes of Statistics, Psychology and Managing the Future, XXXXXXX, Counseling and Behavioural Management, Preventive Medicine and Research for Health Care Services.

Department of Psychology in Milan

The department in Milan is part of the Faculty of Psychology and offers a bachelor’s degree in Psychology (Bachelorstudium Psychologie, equivalent to an L-24 degree according to Italian law) and a master’s degree in Psychology (Masterstudium Psychologie, equivalent to an LM-51 degree according to Italian law). As well as teaching, department staff and other assistants are involved in research work with scholars and other experts in their field. It has its own internal departmental rules and regulations.

Departmental Governance

Sandra Sassaroli

Honorary Professor, Director of the Department of Psychology in Milan, Director of the school of specialization 'Studi Cognitivi', Specialist in Psychiatry, Cognitive-behavioral psychotherapist

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Gabriele Caselli

Vicedirettore per la Didattica del Dipartimento di Psicologia di Milano della Sigmund Freud University, PhD in Psicologia Clinica, Psicologo psicoterapeuta

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Simona Scaini

Vicedirettore del Dipartimento di Psicologia di Milano della Sigmund Freud University, PhD in Psicopatologia dello sviluppo, Psicologa psicoterapeuta, Direttore Scientifico Cliniche Italiane Psicoterapia-Età Evolutiva-Gruppo Studi Cognitivi

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Francesco Rovetto

Direttore corso di Laurea magistrale in Psicologia, già Professore ordinario di Psicologia clinica dell'Università di Pavia, Medico specialista in Psichiatria e Psicologia clinica

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Giovanni M. Ruggiero

Full Professor in Cultural Psychology and Psychotherapy alla Sigmund Freud University Vienna/Milano, Direttore della Ricerca presso SFU Milano , Direttore della scuola di Specializzazione ‘Psicoterapia Cognitiva e Ricerca’, Docente presso la scuola di specializzazione 'Studi Cognitivi', Medico specialista in Psichiatria, Psicoterapeuta cognitivo

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Barbara Forresi

Vicedirettore del corso di Laurea magistrale in Psicologia della Sigmund Freud University Milano, Ph.D in Psicobiologia, Psicologa e Psicoterapeuta

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Mattia Ferro

Laureato in Neuroscienze Cognitive, Ph.D in Fisiologia, Psicoterapeuta, Docente del Corso di Laurea triennale presso SFU Milano

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Accreditation and Authorisation

The Milan branch operates as a “Branch of a foreign university in Italy” by authorisation of the Ministry of Education, Universities and Research, MIUR Decree– Official Gazette no.39 of 17/02/2016).

SFU Milano’s degree course are expressly accredited for Italy by the Austrian Agency for Quality Assurance and Accreditation (AQ Austria – Agentur für Qualitätssicherung und Akkreditierung Austria, resolution of 27/11/2013 – GZ I/A06/01-12/2013 Wien, am 6/12/2013).

The Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology, Bachelorstudium Psychologie, corresponds to Italy’s L-24 degree in Psychological Sciences and Techniques.

The Master’s Degree in Psychology, Masterstudium Psychologie, corresponds to Italy’s LM-51 degree in Psychological Sciences and Techniques.

After completing their studies, students will be awarded an Austrian degree that is also valid in Italy: the degree awarded by the Austrian education system is also legally recognised in Italy  (law 322/2000) in accordance with an agreement arranged between the Italian Republic and Austrian Republic (“Exchange of Notes”). There is a simple administration procedure for official ratification purposes.

Confidential Counsellor         

The Confidential Counsellor provides guidance and support to anybody claiming to be the victim of discrimination, mobbing or sexual, moral and psychological molestation.

The Confidential Counsellor is an impartial and fully independent professional from outside the university, whose duties include prevention, lending an attentive ear, and providing information and training aimed at promoting a place of work and study focused around well-being and suitably organised to guarantee equal dignity and freedom for university teaching staff, technical-administration staff and students.

Every individual requiring the confidential counsellor’s help or support will be treated with the utmost attention, seriousness, and confidentiality.

SFU’s Confidential Counsellor is Dr. Alessia Minniti, a psychologist and psychotherapist.

A meeting with the Confidential Counsellor can be arranged by sending an email to consigliera.fiducia@milano-sfu.it.