From 1960, she studied history, German language, and theater studies at the University of Vienna, earning a Ph.D. in 1966 with the work, Die politischen Aspekte der Bischofsernennungen in der Habsburgermonarchie 1867–1903 ("The political aspects of episcopal appointments in the Habsburg monarchy 1867-1903").
Saurer habilitated in 1983 with the work, Materielle Kultur und sozialer Protest in der Lombardei, Venetien, Niederösterreich und Böhmen zwischen Vormärz und Neoabsolutismus ("Material Culture and Social Protest in Lombardy, Veneto, Lower Austria and Bohemia between Vormärz and Neoabsolutismus") and was then promoted to a position as a university lecturer.
From 1993 to 2000, she served as chair of the Commission of the Inter-University Coordination Office for Women's Studies.
She was co-editor of the journal, Historische Anthropologie and Wiener Zeitschrift für die Geschichte der Neuzeit.
[2] Since 2006, Saurer led the research in re-localization of women's and gender history in the European context at the University of Vienna.