Vienna Stock Exchange Expands Financial Literacy Support With New Free Teaching Materials on Stock Markets, Capital Markets and Long-Term Investing

Vienna Stock Exchange Expands Financial Literacy Support With New Free Teaching Materials on Stock Markets, Capital Markets and Long-Term Investing

(IN BRIEF) Vienna Stock Exchange has launched new free teaching materials on “Stock Exchange and Capital Market” to strengthen financial literacy among Austrian students as economic and financial education prepares to take on a larger role in HAK commercial colleges and upper-secondary AHS schools from the 2027/28 academic year. The initiative forms part of the Vienna Stock Exchange’s long-running participation in Austria’s National Financial Literacy Strategy and is intended to give teachers practical resources covering investment products, long-term investing, diversification and the relationship between risk and return. The launch comes as the Aktienbarometer study shows strong concern among younger Austrians about retirement provision, with 82% of securities holders aged 16 to 29 viewing shares, funds and other securities as important for retirement, while 58% of respondents have little or no confidence that the state pension alone will be sufficient and only 27% of those currently in education believe it will meet their needs. The Vienna Stock Exchange is also expanding its educational offering through the Vienna Stock Exchange Academy, school workshops and lectures, and its “Beteilig dich” campaign, with a new seminar focused specifically on retirement provision through securities.

(PRESS RELEASE) VIENNA, 4-Sep-2026 — /EuropaWire/ — Vienna Stock Exchange has introduced a new set of free teaching materials on “Stock Exchange and Capital Market” to support financial education in Austrian schools and help students develop a stronger understanding of investing, risk, diversification and long-term financial planning.

The materials have been launched at the start of the new school year in Vienna, Lower Austria and Burgenland and are available free of charge through the Vienna Stock Exchange website.

Their introduction comes ahead of planned changes from the 2027/28 school year, when economic and financial education is expected to receive greater emphasis at commercial colleges (HAK) and in the upper secondary level of academic secondary schools (AHS).

As a partner of Austria’s National Financial Literacy Strategy, the Vienna Stock Exchange said it is seeking to give teachers practical resources that can help prepare young people to make informed financial decisions at an early stage.

Financial education positioned as investor protection

Christoph Boschan, CEO of Wiener Börse AG, said financial education plays an important role in investor protection, particularly in areas such as long-term retirement planning.

He said students who understand investment products and core principles including long-term investing, diversification and the relationship between risk and return are better prepared to make independent decisions about their financial futures.

The Vienna Stock Exchange is therefore focusing part of its education programme on providing accessible knowledge about capital markets before young people begin making significant long-term financial decisions.

Aktienbarometer highlights retirement concerns among young Austrians

The Vienna Stock Exchange pointed to findings from Austria’s Aktienbarometer study as evidence of the growing importance of financial education for younger generations.

The study, conducted by Peter Hajek on behalf of the Federation of Austrian Industries, Aktienforum and Vienna Stock Exchange, found that 82% of securities holders aged 16 to 29 consider shares, funds and other securities important for their retirement provision.

At the same time, 58% of respondents said they had little or no confidence that the state pension alone would be sufficient to meet their future retirement needs.

Among respondents who are currently in education, only 27% believe that the state pension by itself will be sufficient.

The figures underline growing concern among younger people about retirement provision and the potential role that long-term investment could play alongside public pension systems.

Vienna Stock Exchange builds on more than two decades of financial education

The Vienna Stock Exchange has been active in financial literacy initiatives for more than 20 years.

As part of the National Financial Literacy Strategy led by the Federal Ministry of Finance, it provides teachers with free learning resources, school lectures and workshops and works with universities of teacher education.

The organisation also operates the Vienna Stock Exchange Academy in cooperation with the WIFI Management Forum.

The Academy celebrated its 20th anniversary in 2025 and is now expanding its programme with a new seminar focused specifically on “Retirement Provision with Securities.”

The course is designed to explain how securities investments can be used as part of a strategy to build additional long-term retirement savings.

“Beteilig dich” campaign targets younger audiences

The Vienna Stock Exchange is also continuing its “Beteilig dich” (“Get involved”) campaign, which aims to give young people an accessible introduction to retirement provision through capital markets.

Through the combination of teaching materials, school activities, professional education programmes and public awareness initiatives, the Vienna Stock Exchange said it intends to support a broader understanding of investment and financial decision-making across Austria.

The new “Stock Exchange and Capital Market” educational materials are intended to complement these initiatives and help teachers incorporate practical capital-market knowledge into classroom learning as financial education gains a more prominent place in Austria’s school curriculum.

About the Vienna Stock Exchange

As the central infrastructure provider in the region, Wiener Börse AG opens doors to global markets. It unites the stock exchanges in Vienna and Prague. Listed companies benefit from maximum liquidity there, and as the market leader it offers investors fast and inexpensive trading. Wiener Börse collects and distributes price data and calculates the most important indices for a dozen markets in the region. Thanks to its unique know-how, the national exchanges in Budapest, Ljubljana and Zagreb also rely on the IT services of the Vienna Stock Exchange. In addition, it is involved in other energy exchanges and clearing houses in the region.

Disclaimer

This press release may contain certain forward-looking statements and projections based on assumptions current at the date of this press release. We assume no liability whatsoever that these forward-looking statements will occur. Furthermore, we expressly point out that this press release does not serve as a basis for an investment decision and constitutes neither an invitation to buy nor an investment recommendation by Wiener Börse AG. The information in this press release is provided without guarantee.

Media Contacts:

Julia Resch
Head of Corporate Communications & Marketing, Spokesperson
julia.resch​(a)​​wienerboerse.at
+43 1 531 65-186

Alexander Wastl
Corporate Communications & Marketing
alexander.wastl​(a)​wienerboerse.at
+43 1 531 65-153

SOURCE: Wiener Börse AG