Tertiary education in Switzerland

Professional education falls into two categories. On the one hand, the Universities of Applied Sciences offer professional training at university level; on the other hand, the higher technical schools provide professional or occupational qualifications. Most of the latter type are supported by the relevant professional trade associations, which are responsible for setting and validating the examinations.

General education: Universities

There are 5 universities in the German-speaking part of Switzerland (Basel, Bern, Zurich, Lucerne, St Gallen), and 3 in the French-speaking part (Geneva, Lausanne, Neuchâtel). Fribourg University is bilingual in German and French. Since 1996 there has been a university in Italian-speaking Ticino, with its main base in Lugano.

The Federal Institutes of Technology are in Zurich (ETHZ) and Lausanne (EPFL).

At the universities and institutes of technology, women made up 48% of the students overall in 2003-4, although the figure varied considerably between institutions.

The central government regulates the Institutes of Technology, while the traditional universities are regulated at the level of the relevant canton.

Professional education: Universities of Applied Sciences

The system of Universities of Applied Sciences (UAS) was established in 1993 to specialise in higher level vocational training. They continue to grow in popularity as the range of subjects covered is expanded.

They provide a university-level education which includes practical job-experience. The 15 teacher training insitutes are also UASs.

The UAS option is significantly more popular with men than with women, although as teacher training, health and social work have been added to the list of UAS subjects, the number of women has risen sharply. Overall in 2003-4 39% of UAS students were women. But in technology, construction and life sciences, women accounted for only 10% of UAS students.

Most of the UASs are regulated at federal level.

Professional education: Higher Technical Schools

Vocational training at higher technical schools is also part of tertiary level education. There are more than 100 such schools recognised at federal level.

These schools are regulated by the central government and their exams are set by the relevant professional body. Qualifications can be gained for more than 150 professions. Graduates are expected to have the skills to become middle-level management.

Further education

Many people continue to refresh and improve their professional skills after completing their formal education. Courses are offered mainly by private institutions, whether or not for profit. Non-profit making courses are run for example by trade unions and professional organisations. Universities and other institutes of higher education also provide some further education.

Further education may take the form of courses or of home study with text books, or audio-visual or computer-aided programmes. (swissworld.org)