"Something completely new" - The development of the Johannes Kepler University Linz from its beginning as a "new kind of university" to the present

Efforts to found an institution of higher education in Linz date back to the 16th century, but in fact it was the decision for a University of Social and Economic Sciences, which made the founding possible in 1962. Because of the lack of social sciences in Austria, the university in Linz was to fill a gap in the university system and represent a "new kind of university". However, the profile of the university soon changed. Even before the opening in 1966, the university got a Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences and the study of law, making it a university with "an unconventional mix of studies". In 1975 a Faculty of Law followed, and in 2014 a Faculty of Medicine, which allowed the University of Linz to grow further, but it also meant that it became more and more similar to other universities. The article traces the founding and development of the Johannes Kepler University Linz, focusing on the question of what should be new about this university, and how it changed over time. Central actors of the foundation, its financing, the influence of other Austrian universities and international developments in education will hereby be considered.