1

The Swiss Educational System

By Anh Tho Andres, MBA

2

Brief Country Overview

• Federal Structure with 3 political levels:– Confederation (Federal capital: Berne);– Cantonal (26 cantons);– Communal (also have own powers in

various areas).• Multi-ethnic, multilingual, multi-confessional• Not member of EU, but part of Schenghen• GDP per capita: US$ 42.600 (est. 2010) • Population: 7.785 million (50.8 F / 49.2 M)

3

Swiss Education in Brief

• Swiss System Unique• Federal Institutions• Role of Cantons• National and Regional

Competences• Swiss Edu Organigram• Education, Research &

Transfer of Technology• International Cooperation

4

Swiss Education system is unique

• No Ministry of Education at national level

• Federal level points of contact: OPET & SER

• National coordination agency is EDK

• Each canton has own education policy

5

Swiss Federal Contacts on Education

OPET / OFFTFederal Office for

Professional Education

and Technology

SER State Secretariat for

Education & Research

6

Professional Education &Technology

• OPET/OFFT is the federal competence centre– Upper-secondary level Vocational Education and

Training (VET), targets 235’000 students;– Tertiary-level Professional Education and training

(PET), targets 50’000 students;– Universities of Applied Sciences (UAS/HES) and

innovation, targets 63’000 students;

• Over 600 professional organisations.• Budget : 22 billion CHF (2008-2011)

7

Swiss Education and Research

• The State Secretariat for Education and Research SER belongs to the Federal Department of Home Affairs;

• Specialised agency for general and university education, research and space;

• 100 members of staff;

• Annual Budget 2.3 billion CHF.

8

Swiss Cantons & Education

• The main responsibility for education lies with the 26 cantons (EDK network);

• The federal government and cantons share responsibility for public post-compulsory education (matura schools, vocational training and universities);

• Due to cantonal differences – Multilingual– Multi-cultural– Multi-confessionnal

9

EDK National Competences

• CPS/WBZ – Swiss Office for In-Service

Training of Upper Secondary Teachers;

• CSFO/SDBB – Swiss Centre for

Vocational Training/Study and Career Counselling;

• CSRE/SKBF– Swiss Coordination Centre

for Research in Education;

• CSPS/SZH– Swiss Office for Special

Needs Education;

• CTIE/SFIB– Swiss Centre for

Information Technologies in Education;

• IEDS/IFES– Institute for External

Evaluation of Upper Secondary Schools;

10

EDK Regional Conferences

• Handle various tasks which require cooperation at a regional level:

• List of cantonal education departments– French & Italian Speaking Parts– German Speaking Parts

• BKZ (LU-NW-OW-SZ-UR-ZG)• EDK-OST (AI-AR-GL-GR-SG-SH-SZ-TG-ZH-FL)• NW-EDK (AG-BE-BL-BS-FR-SO-VS-ZH)

11

National Languages Spoken / Canton

• German – 17 cantons– 67.8%

• French– 4 cantons– 24.2%

• Italian– 1 canton– 11.1%

• Bilingual (F/D)– 3 cantons

12

Cultural Diversity in Switzerland

• Serb / Croat 1.4%• Albanese 1.3%• Portuguese 1.2%• Spanish 1.1%• English 3.4% • Turkish 0.6%• Tamil 0.3%• Arabic 0.2 %

• Vietnamese 0.2%• Dutch 0.2 %• Russian 0.1 %• Chinese 0.1%• Thaï 0.1%• Kurdish 0.1%• Macedonian 0.1%

13

Swiss Education Organigram

• Pre-school compulsory schooling

• Post-compulsory education

• Tertiary (Higher Education)

• Vocational Education• Continuing Education

14

Pre-school compulsory schooling

• 91% students go to local state pre-school and compulsory schooling

• 9% attend private school• Pre-school education is free (1-2 yrs)• Compulsory begins at age 6 (9 yrs)• Languages: German, French, Italian. Most

students are bi-lingual or tri-lingual.

15

Compulsory & Upper Secondary

• Compulsory school– 9 years– Include Primary &

Secondary level I– Free of Charge for ALL

(Swiss or foreign)– Total in 2007: 788’000

• Upper Secondary– Matura school (French

Baccalauréat)– Specialised Middle

School – Specialised Matura– Basic Vocational

Education and Training

16

Post-compulsory Education

• Swiss legislation (intercantonal or national) forms the basis for the type of education in the area of post-compulsory education (upper secondary level and tertiary level).

• Exceptions : The Swiss Federal Institutes of Technology are in charge of the federal authorities.

• 90% complete secondary school at age 18

17

Tertiary (Higher Education)

• For Bachelor or Master Degrees– Swiss Universities by

World Ranking– Federal Institutes of

Technology (FIT) – Universities of Teacher

Education– Universities of Applied

Sciences (HES)

• Federal Diploma / Advanced Federal Certificate – Colleges of Higher

Vocational Education and Training

18

World ranking of Swiss Universities

• 52. Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zürich• 135. Université de Genève• 138. École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne• 274. Universität Basel• 310. Universität Bern• 321. Universität Zürich• 341. Université de Lausanne• 571. Université de Fribourg • 611. Université de Neuchâtel

19

Federal Institutes of Technology

• EPFL – One of the most famous European institutions of science and technology

• Missions: Training, Research & Technology Transfer

• Over 11’000 Students, Researchers & Staff.• 13 complete Study programmes incl. Bachelors

to Masters in Engineering, Basic Sciences, ICT, Life Sciences, Construction, Architecture and Environment and Research for Ph.D.

20

Universities of Teacher Education

• The Swiss Conference of Rectors of Universities of Teacher Education (COHEP) combines all rectors of universities of teacher education, as well as the rectors of other teacher education institutions.

• 2 Objectives: Increase professionalisation of Teaching & Recognition of cantonal teaching qualifications on national level.

• Core tasks: Teaching – R&D – Counselling• 14 universities

21

Universities of Applied Sciences

• 9 UAS/HES as complementary partner to Cantonal Universities and FITs;

• Bring Academic & Business together;

• Offer 300 Bachelor & Master Degrees;

• Solid reputation on international market;

• Subjects taught : technology, business, design, health, social work and art.

22

Vocational Education Training

• VET: Vocational Education Training

• 200 VET programmes

• 400 Professional College Degree Prog.

• 400 Professional Education Training for Federal PET/Advanced PET Diploma.

• Targets 2/3 young people entering labour market.

23

• Research Programmes – Eureka in Economy-oriented development;– HFSP in Neurobiology & Molecular Biology;– ESA European Space Agency;– CERN European Nuclear Research.

• Cooperation with EU programmes – Bologna Agreement– ECTS Credit Transfer System– Socrates – Leonardo da Vinci– Erasmus

• Multilateral and Global Bilateral Contacts

Switzerland & International Network

24

More info on yourviet.blogspot.com

• To import SBC-YVE Higher Education services

YourVietnamExpert (YVE)

A division of Saigon Business Corporation Ptd Ltd - Singapore

Opportunities

Vietnam has an Increasing Need for International PR Healthcare & Wellness Tourism & Hospitality

Our Solutions A Masterplan Concept of Vietnam overall needs in

these 3 areas, suggesting over 170 projects ready

for

implementation;

Higher Education as a bridge between EducationalStructures and Industries.

Products

Higher Education Bachelor Degrees Master Degrees

Vocational Training Health Management Tourism & Hotel Management Marketing & Communication

Short Courses & Seminars for Professionals Transferrable credits on a Bachelor or Master Degree in International Relations International Business Media & Communication

The Board

YourVietnamExpert.com

Board of Directors

Executive Director - CEO Dr Christian Vincent Siodmak, MD PhD

International Marketing Director Mrs. Hoang Anh Tho Andres, MBA

Corporate Counsels Jason Mah & Associates, Singapore

Management & Governance of Institutions Advisory Services (MGI)

MJMA Group Investments Pte Ltd

Vorspann Pte Ltd

MJMA PAC

T H A N K Y O U !

Your Business Companionfor Success

YourVietnamExpertBridging Know-How & Opportunities

Dr Christian Vincent Siodmak, MD, PhD

Executive Director, CEO

Mrs Anh Tho Andres, MBA

International Marketing Director

SINGAPORE OFFICE

101B-2 Telok Ayer Street #03-02 Singapore 068574

Tel. +65 9108 1557

Fax. +65 6336 6765