After a long period of stagnation, Austria's research and higher education sector became the object of reform due to the pressure of international organizations and by isomorphic adaptations of changes happening elsewhere in the West. From 1966 onwards it became possible to study sociology at two universities for the first time. To satisfy student demand the federal ministry assigned new professorships to the universities. About ten new professors were appointed during these early days of institutionalizing sociology in Austria. Their selection followed less than meritocratic criteria, but they belonged to the subculture of the Roman Catholics.