Obtaining software at the University of Vienna
The University of Vienna provides all members of the university with a wide range of software solutions. Here you can find out how to obtain the licences you need and what to keep in mind when purchasing software yourself.
When ordering and obtaining software, a distinction is made between 2 device categories:
- Centrally managed PCs (managed) are set up by IT representatives. Software is usually distributed automatically via a deployment system.
- Locally managed devices (unmanaged) are managed by users or IT representatives. Software must be installed and uninstalled manually.
If you are unsure which category your device belongs to, please contact your IT representative. You can find them via u:find under your organisational unit.
Further information can be found at Software for employees.
Main software portfolio
Cost-based licences
The University of Vienna offers discounted licence models for educational institutions (higher education licences) for commercial software, such as Microsoft 365, Adobe Creative Cloud, Mathematica, SPSS and Citavi. Cost-based licenses must be ordered by users. The portfolio is continuously updated based on needs assessments and a cost-benefit analysis.
Employees must order software products that are fee-based and require a licence via the self-service portal (via Uni data network/VPN). Billing takes place quarterly via the cost centre of the relevant institute. Check the self-service portal under Catalogue to see if the software you require is available for your device.
Please note when selecting from the catalogue:
- m: (managed software) for centrally managed PCs only
- u: (unmanaged software) for locally managed devices only
To place an order, see the user guide Ordering and managing software via the self-service portal.
If the software you require is not available, you can submit a request for a software product to the Licensing & Training team via the Servicedesk form Software employees.
Students can purchase licenced and fee-based software via the AcadCloud ordering portal. Payment is made directly during the ordering process via eps instant bank transfer or credit card. Microsoft 365 for students is available free of charge.
Further information can be found under Software for students.
Provided licences
Some services are made available to employees and students as campus licences. These applications do not need to be ordered and can be used directly with the u:account:
Open-source and licence-free software
Centrally managed PCs are supplied with verified applications via a deployment system, whilst suitable alternatives can be sought independently for locally managed devices.
In both cases, the following applies: only software that is legally sound and compliant with data protection regulations may be used. These principles ensure the secure, efficient and compliant use of software within the organisation.
For centrally managed PCs, open-source and licence-free software is available alongside commercial software. The software does not need to be ordered via the self-service portal; instead, IT representatives can assign it directly via the deployment system. Please contact your IT representative for this.
All available royalty-free software products can be found under Deployment Info prefixed with |K|.
Any additional software needed can be requested by IT representatives via the Servicedesk form Request software for deployment (Matrix42 Empirum) .
In order for software products to be approved for centrally managed PCs, they must meet the following 4 criteria:
- Legal compliance: A valid licence must be in place.
- Technical compatibility: The software must be capable of being installed automatically via the existing deployment system.
- Cost-effectiveness: There must be sufficient demand to justify the technical deployment effort.
- Data protection: The application must be GDPR-compliant and approved by the Data Protection Officer.
For locally managed devices, for example, you can search AlternativeTo for alternatives to paid software.
Please note the information regarding the list of processing operations and software, including AI, that have been tested and approved by the DSBA (Data Protection Officer) before proceeding.
Individual procurement by organisational units
If a product is not available via the ZID or as a suitable open-source solution, the organisational unit may procure it itself. To do so, the business requirement must be documented in writing and an assessment must be carried out by the IT representative regarding the following points:
- Data protection and technical assessment (SaaS/Cloud): Data processing agreement, data location, access, technical and organisational measures (TOMs) and GDPR compliance (see also Cloud strategy of the University of Vienna)
- Contract and licence terms: Purpose of use, terms, renewals and audit permissions
- Licence metrics: Number of named users/devices, concurrent users, CPU/cores, server instances
- Deployment: System requirements, account management, distribution, compatibility and integration
Reimbursement by the University of Vienna is only possible if exclusively work-related use and the necessity for the fulfilment of university tasks can be demonstrated.
When procuring these items, please also refer to the Material Expenses Policy (PDF) and the Reimbursement information.
Contact
If you have any questions, please contact:
- Central software portfolio: The Licensing & Training team of the ZID via software.zid(at)univie.ac.at
- u:access and e-resources: University Library via uaccess.ub(at)univie.ac.at
- Open-source and licence-free software: Please contact your IT representative.
- Information on reimbursement of costs: Please contact your IT representative or the management of your department.