Publication and blocking
Publication
As a requirement for obtaining an academic degree, students must submit academic work in both printed and electronic form. The Universities Act also stipulates that the thesis must be published, which is done by placing the printed copy in the university library. In the case of dissertations, an additional copy must be submitted to the Austrian National Library.
Before submitting the printed version, the thesis must be uploaded electronically to u:space. There it is checked for text consistency. Only then is the print version submitted, which must be absolutely identical to the uploaded version.
After a positive assessment, the papers are displayed on the university publication server u:theses. Whether the full text is also published online is the voluntary decision of the student. The university publication server offers the opportunity to make theses available worldwide. Citability is ensured by a permanent and stable internet address.
In addition, graduates of the University of Vienna before 2008 have the option of uploading their theses, dissertations and habilitations to the u:thesis university publication server on a voluntary basis and publishing them in full text, provided that this does not violate any legal or statutory provisions.
Blocking
The student decides voluntarily whether the electronic full text of an academic paper is published on the Internet. However, they are obliged to publish the print version in accordance with university law.
However, it is possible to request the exclusion of the use of the submitted copies for a maximum period of five years (i.e. to "block" the work). The prerequisite for this is that the student can credibly demonstrate that important legal or economic interests are jeopardized by the release for use in the library.
If academic work is produced in cooperation with a company, for example, or if data sets from third parties are used, a contract usually exists from the outset that regulates confidentiality and the handling of possible results of the academic work. A copy of concluded contracts should be attached to the topic and supervisor registration so that the SPL is informed about the collaboration from the outset.
A copy of existing contracts should be sent to the Studienpräses with the application for suspension. This facilitates the decision of the Studienpräses and saves many queries.
A pending possible publication is generally not a reason for suspension. Cumulative dissertations must be blocked in accordance with the requirements of the respective publishers.