Gender-inclusive language

The Affirmative Action Plan for the Advancement of Women and Equal Opportunities of the University of Vienna states (§ 2) that

all institutions and members of staff (academic and non-academic) are to use discrimination-free and gender-inclusive language in all communications directed at members of the University or at the public.
general statements like "women are included in masculine forms" are not acceptable.
neither the University nor third parties are allowed to distribute materials on university grounds that don't comply with the principles of anti-discrimination and equality or that use discriminating stereotypes.

Common practice

The University of Vienna is committed to the use of gender-inclusive language. What form of gender-inclusive language should be used is open at the University of Vienna, though the use of the asterisk in German is recommended. It is the basic principle of gender-inclusive language to mention the gender/genders that is/are meant. In some cases, it may also be appropriate to use gender-neutral terms (e.g. in German: Studierende or Lehrende) for reasons of simplicity.

It is not sufficient to merely point out at the beginning or at the end of a text that the masculine form is used but that the female form is also always intended.

Guidelines and Recommendations

The University of Vienna has a guideline and recommendation for the use of gender-inclusive language in the administration of the University of Vienna (2019).

For further information, the Culture and Equality unit recommends the following guidelines and recommendations:

"Empfehlungen der Task Force Gender and Diversity zur Umsetzung von Geschlechtervielfalt an österreichischen Universitäten" (Recommendations of the Task Force Gender and Diversity for Putting Gender Diversity into Practice at Austrian Universities) (uniko, 2022)
"Geschlechtersensible Sprache - Dialog auf Augenhöhe" (Gender Sensitive Language - Dialogue on Equal Footing) (Gleichbehandlungsanwaltschaft, 2021)
trans. inter*. non-binary. Gender-Consciously Organizing Teaching and Study Spaces (Academy of Fine Arts, 2019)
"Inter* und Trans* an der Hochschule. Informationen zum kompetenten Umgang mit Inter*- und Trans*studierenden für Entscheidungsträger*innen an Hochschulen"(in German)(Inter* and Trans* at University. Information on the Competent Treatment of Inter* and Trans* Students for Decision Makers at University)(AG trans*emanzipatorische Hochschulpolitik, 2018)
"Positionspapier der österreichischen Hochschüler_innenschaft zum Umgang mit Geschlechtseintrag und Namen von inter* und trans Personen an Hochschulen"(in German)(Position Paper of the Austrian National Union of Students on the Treatment of Registered Name and Gender of Inter* and Trans* Persons at University)(Austrian National Union of Students, 2016)
"Fair und inklusiv in Sprache und Bild. Leitfaden für die WU"(in German)(Fair and Inclusive in Language and Images. Guideline for the WU)(Vienna University of Economics and Business, 2015)
"Geschlechtergerechter Sprachgebrauch. Empfehlungen und Tipps"(in German)(Use of Gender-Sensitive Language. Recommendations and Tips)(Federal Ministry of Education, 2014)
"Geschlechtergerechte Sprache" (Explanatory video with sign language)(in German) (FUMA Fachstelle Gender & Diversität NRW, 2016):

Academic Degrees

According to section 88 of the 2002 Universities Act (in German), academic degree certificates may be used with a gender-specific suffix ("a", "in" or "x"). The suffix "a" resp. "in" is reserved for people whose gender is officially female. The suffix "x" is reserved for people whose official gender is neither male nor female. According to section 87 of the 2002 Universities Act (in German), degrees are still awarded in the binary form.

Examples:

After the title Magister or Magistra has been awarded, people who are officially female can choose whether they want to use Mag. or Mag.^a in official documents. People whose official gender is neither male nor female can choose whether they want to use Mag. or Mag.^x.
After the title Doktor or Doktorin has been awarded, people who are officially female can choose whether they want to use Dr. or Dr.ⁱⁿ in official documents. People whose official gender is neither male nor female can choose whether they want to use Dr. or Dr.^x.
After the title Bakkalaur or Bakkalaurea has been awarded, people who are officially female can choose whether they want to use Bakk. or Bakk.^a in official documents. People whose official gender is neither male nor female can choose whether they want to use Bakk. or Bakk.^x.

A non-abbreviated form of the title with the suffix "x" is not officially considered.

For academic degrees in English language there are no gender-specific forms:

Bachelor of Arts (BA)
Master of Arts (MA)
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)