Effective immediately, WU's IT-SERVICES offer a shortQR application for the following uses:

• Generating QR codes

• Shortening long URLs

Click here to go to the shortQR application!

What are QR codes?

Quick Response codes - or QR codes for short - are two-dimensional barcodes that can be printed on paper or other surfaces. The easily recognizable square black-and-white patterns contain coded data that can be scanned and decoded by smartphones. Most QR codes are linked to web addresses (URLs) which can be accessed by the phone, but they can also contain other information such as virtual business cards, appointments, or text, like in the following example:

Scanning QR codes with a smartphone

Numerous applications for decoding QR codes are available in the app store for your particular operating system (i.e. the Apple App Store or the Android Market for Google's Android-based models). Although not all applications are free, there are plenty of apps available free of charge (the paid versions are usually just free of advertising or offer additional functions).

Applying QR codes at WU

QR codes are oriented by the solid black squares in the corners. Your QR code is positioned correctly if there is a solid black square in all corners except for the lower, right-hand corner.

Please remember that QR codes are intended to simplify typing in URLs. Since not everyone owns a modern smartphone, please be sure to include the URL in addition to the QR code.

On printed matter such as letters or flyers, your QR code should measure at least 3x3 cm. Posters should have a larger QR code area. It's a good idea to scan your code and make sure it works.
Rule of thumb: The older the smartphone you test it with, the more sure you can be that it will work for the broadest possible target group.

Shortening URLs

A shortened URL is automatically generated at the same time as the QR code, available under

short.wu.ac.at/[four-figure code which is easy to remember]

WU offers you this service for use in publications, on posters, etc. After generation of your URL, you will be given access to a statistics tool which counts the number of "hits" your URL gets. This gives you an easy way to assess the effectiveness of your advertising measures.