Higher and in Photos: Innosuisse (p. 4); Switzerland Global Enterprise (p. 5); TWIICE (p. 6); Jungfrauregion (p. 8); UNO Genève (p. 9); Parlamentsdienste (p. 9, p. 29); EPFL, Alain Herzog (p. 15); Iris Krebs (p. 17, p. 23); HES-SO -Wallis (p. 20); of Applied and Arts (p. 20); yves-andre.ch, University of Neuchâtel (p. 21); ESA (p. 24); Empa (p. 26); Eawag (p. 27); CSEM (p. 28); CERN (p. 30); Aleksan- dar Cikota, ESO (p. 31); Béatrice Devènes (p. 32); Ralph Eichenberger, iHomeLab (p. 33); India (p. 34); Frank Brüderli, University of (p. 36); Alain Herzog, EPFL (p. 38); University of (p. 39); University of (p. 41); University of (p. 42); Alain Herzog, UNIL (p. 43); University of Neuchâtel (p. 45); University of St Gallen (p. 46); USI (p. 47); (p. 48); Lucerne Uni- versity of Applied Sciences and Arts (p. 50); HES-SO (p. 54).

Cover: Switzerland is one of the leading countries in the development and application of digital technologies. For example, the ETH Zurich develops algorithms used in self-steering drones. The cover photo was commended in the Scientific Image Competition held by the Swiss National Foundation in 2017. Photo: Mirjam Frei / Paul Beuchat (ETH Zurich), SNSF Scientific Image Competition Content

At a glance 4

Portrait of Switzerland 7

Higher education and research in Switzerland compared to other countries 10

Higher 18

From fundamental research to market-ready innovation 25

Overview of Swiss higher education institutions 37

Additional information 57

Swiss education system 58

3 At a glance

Swiss higher education sector – a Research – international networks diverse range of high-quality options

The Swiss higher education landscape is comprised of a The traditional distribution of private and public sector diverse and comprehensive range of high-quality can- roles has meant that fundamental research has mainly tonal , federal institutes of technology, uni- been the preserve of federal institutes of technology and versities of applied sciences and universities of teacher cantonal universities. In contrast, applied research as well education. It follows the tiered study model of Bache- as the development of research findings into marketa- lor’s and Master’s degrees. In addition, the cantonal uni- ble innovations have mainly been driven by the private versities and federal institutes of technology also award sector and the universities of applied sciences. PhDs. PhDs combine both teaching and research and prepare for research-oriented activities in a uni- Public expenditure for research is mainly the result of versity or non-university field. All higher education in- personal initiatives on the part of researchers. Research stitutions are active in teaching, research, continuing funding is awarded on a competitive basis, according to education and training and the provision of services to qualitative assessment criteria. The Confederation is re- third parties. sponsible for promoting research and innovation. It does so by funding the Swiss National Science Foundation Swiss higher education institutions have demonstrated (SNSF), Innosuisse and the science . internationally recognised performance and have made significant contributions to the economic, cultural and social development of our country. Key strong points in- clude: ƒƒ A diverse range of high-quality study options in all disciplines and fields of study. ƒƒ The majority of tier-one universities figure promi- nently in international university rankings. ƒƒ The open access to higher education: enrolment is possible for anyone who has recognised upper- secondary level qualifications; ƒƒ High employment rates of university graduates; ƒƒ High level of internationally recognised research performance. ƒƒ Strong international appeal. Around a fifth of all students gained the qualifications necessary to study Cutting bones with a laser instead of a saw: a joint project at tertiary level in another country. About half of all between the and the company AOT AG and funded by Innosuisse opens up new opportunities in bone researchers at Swiss higher education institutions surgery. Thanks to innovative robotic technology using a laser have a foreign passport. source, cuts are more precise, heal more rapidly and cause less trauma to patients.

4 The SwissFel X-ray laser is the latest large-scale research facility at the Institute. The facility can generate very short pulses of X-ray light which have the properties of a laser (the picture shows part of the accelerator). This will allow researchers to identify extremely rapid processes such as the creation of new molecules in chemical reactions, to see the detailed structure of essential proteins or to understand the exact composition of materials.

It also co-funds the cantonal universities and the univer- A leading innovative and competitive sities of applied sciences (providing basic contributions). position – worldwide It also funds the institutions in the ETH Domain, around 30 non-university research institutes of national impor- Switzerland is among the world’s most competitive coun- tance for Switzerland and the Swiss Innovation Park. tries. It regularly appears near or at the top of the list in First, it enables our country to take part in numerous in- prominent international comparisons such as the Global ternational research organisations such as CERN, which Competitiveness Report, the Global Innovation Index and is itself based in Switzerland, as well as in multi-year re- the Innovation Union Scoreboard. search programmes such as the EU’s research framework programmes. In addition, it allows Switzerland to pur- Among other reasons, these achievements are the result sue bilateral research cooperation with selected priority of productive interactions between the private sector and countries. publically funded research conducted within the ETH Do- main, as well as in cantonal universities and universities In terms of the volume of published scientific articles per of applied sciences. The guiding principles for Swiss high- inhabitant, Switzerland tops rankings in international er education institutions are autonomy and openness to comparison. In addition, Swiss research publications the rest of the world, together with the exchange of new receive above-average recognition within the interna- ideas and people. General conditions for the private sec- tional research community. Participation to date in the tor are favourable, which is one of the reasons why about EU’s competitive research framework programmes has two-thirds of all research in Switzerland is funded by the also been successful. private sector (2015: Total CHF 22.1 billion; Private sec- tor CHF 14 billion (63.5%)).

Key Figures for Switzerland

Surface area: 41,300 km2

Population: 8.24 mio. inhabitants

National languages: German, French, Italian and Romansh

Gross domestic product (GDP): USD 527 billion (2016)

Per capita GDP: 62,900 USD (2016)

Annual GDP growth: 0.9% (2016) 5 The SNSF-funded National Centre of Competence in Research (NCCR) in brings together scientists from five research institutes (EPF6 , ETH Zurich, University of Zurich, University of and the Istituto Dalle Molle di Studi sull’Intelligenza Artificiale at the University of Applied Sciences of Southern Switzerland (SUPSI)). They develop new robotics technologies to increase people’s quality of life. For example, TWIICE, a spin-off of the NCCR, constructs mobility aids for paraplegics who have suffered spinal damage. Portrait of Switzerland

Switzerland is a small country with great diversity: languages, cultures, economic branches, and different landscapes all co-exist in this tiny area. At the same time, however, Switzerland is a country that is open to the rest of the world: around 25% of the population holds a foreign passport, the Swiss economy is heavily export-driven and several international organisations are based here. The standard of living is high.

Around 25% of Switzerland’s over 8 million inhabitants As a result, Switzerland is very diverse from a cultural hold a foreign passport. Covering a surface area of standpoint. This diversity can be seen in Switzerland’s 41,300 km2, Switzerland is one of Europe’s smallest four official languages German, French, Italian and Ro- states. Thanks to its outstanding natural beauty, Swit- mansh; around 63% of the Swiss population speak Ger- zerland has also developed an excellent reputation as a man and just under 23% speak French, making these tourist destination. two languages the most prevalent languages spoken.

In the heart of Europe – cultural diversity As in many other countries, considerable importance is Located in the middle of Western Europe, Switzerland given to English in Switzerland, where it is mainly used shares borders with , , , Liechten- as a language of communication in business, higher ed- stein and . ucation and research settings.

Basel Zurich Bern Lausanne Geneva

7 The iconic Bernese Oberland threesome: Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau.

Mountainous region and highly populated areas the services sector. Around 20% work in the manufac- Switzerland is an important communication and trans- turing sector, and about 3% earn their living from agri- port hub between Northern and Southern Europe. The culture. natural and cultural space is strongly influenced by the Alps, which stretch across the country from the West to Thanks to Switzerland’s highly educated population and the East and include mountains as high as 4,600 metres. strong innovative capacities of the private sector, the un- Flat areas such as Central Switzerland are densely employment rate in Switzerland rarely exceeds 4%, even populated and are home to more than 75% of the coun- during global economic downturns. try’s total population. With over one million inhabitants, Zurich is the largest metropolitan area in Switzerland, The Swiss economy derives its strength from its many followed by Basel and Geneva, each of which has just small and medium-sized enterprises, which account for under half a million inhabitants. 99% of all Swiss companies and provide two-thirds of the country’s jobs. We should not forget, however, that Best quality of living Switzerland is also the home and decision-making cen- The quality of life in Switzerland is high. In Mercer’s tre of many large Swiss and foreign multinationals. Mul- Quality of Living Survey (2018), an international com- tinationals that originated in Switzerland include the food parison of 200 cities, Zurich is in second place. Geneva products group Nestlé, the world’s largest watch-mak- is ranked eighth and Basel tenth. The study considered ing company Swatch, the reinsurance company Swiss Re a number of different criteria, including political, eco- or the pharmaceutical or chemical concerns and nomic and social life, as well as public services relating Roche. Many foreign or Swiss multinationals manage to the environment, personal safety, health, education their worldwide or European activities from their head- and transport. quarters in Switzerland.

An innovative and competitive economy The largest source of employment in the manufacturing Switzerland’s economy is internationally competitive, sector can be found in the mechanical , elec- highly specialised and clearly service oriented. Over trical engineering and metalworking industries. The 75% of the country’s working population are active in high-tech industry also plays a key role in the Swiss econ- omy. Significant economic branches include biotechnol- ogy, medical technology and environmental techno- Rank City Country logy. Switzerland’s healthcare sector also enjoys a solid 1 Austria reputation. 2 Zurich Switzerland 3 Auckland New Zealand Switzerland’s economy is very export-oriented. One in 3 Munich Germany every two Swiss francs is earned abroad, mainly as a result of exports to EU member states. Chemical, me- 5 Vancouver Canada chanical and products account for 6 Dusseldorf Germany over half of Switzerland’s export revenue. 7 Frankfurt Germany 8 Geneva Switzerland 9 Copenhagen 10 Basel Switzerland

Source: Mercer Survey, 2018 8 Parliament Building in Bern.

Significant expenditure in research and develop- for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE). Switzer- ment land’s image is also the result of its humanitarian com- Compared to other countries, Switzerland has an ex- mitments and the fact that it is home to a large number tremely innovative and competitive economy. One of of international organisations, such as the International the reasons for this is the fact that great importance is Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), which is also based given to education and research in Switzerland: educa- in Geneva. In addition, a number of sporting associa- tion expenditure accounts for about 5% of Swiss GDP. tions are based in Switzerland: the International Olym- Research and development (R&D) activities account for pic Committee (IOC) and the International Federation of a further 3.4% of Swiss GDP. Privately-owned compa- Volleyball (FIVB). nies in particular invest heavily in R&D: currently around CHF 14 billion each year (2015). In conjunction with Cooperation with the European Union public research expenditure, which is mainly intended Political relations between Switzerland and the EU are to promote fundamental research, the effect achieved based on a series of bilateral agreements which have by private R&D expenditure has had a very visible im- progressively been expanded to encompass a wide pact: on an international level, Switzerland enjoys an range of policy areas. In the area of education and re- extraordinarily solid reputation as a location for knowl- search, the focus is on participation in EU framework edge and innovation. programmes and mobility and exchange programmes.

Political stability The Agreement on the Free Movement of Persons is a Founded in 1848, Switzerland is democratic republic bilateral agreement signed and gradually introduced by with a long tradition. As a country, it is the very epito- Switzerland and the EU. It establishes the basic rules me of stability and safety. The reason for this lies in its enabling Swiss and EU nationals to live and work in any political and economic systems, which are characterised of the signatory countries. The mutual recognition of by political balance and decentralised power. Built on professional qualifications as well as the coordination of federal principles, Switzerland is comprised of 26 can- social insurance systems in signatory countries facilita- tons. Each canton has its own constitution, parliament, tes mobility even further. government and court system. The cantons enjoy con- siderable autonomy over matters relating to education, health, spatial planning, public safety and the adminis- tration of justice.

For its part, the Federal Administration (also referred to as the Confederation) is responsible for national de- fence, foreign policy, the financial system, the postal system, the railways and the national road network. Parliament, the Federal Council and most of the Federal Administration can be found in the capital Bern.

Switzerland’s foreign policy is based on the principle of neutrality. This does not prevent the country from playing an active role on an international level, such as within the context of the UN, which maintains one of its headquarters in Geneva, or within the Organization Palais des Nations, European seat of the UN in Geneva. 9 Higher education and research in Switzerland compared to other countries

The quality of its education system and the creativity of its researchers are the main reasons for Swit- zerland’s high level of innovation and commercial competitiveness. Moreover, the public authorities and the private sector continue to devote substantial financial resources towards maintaining and expanding Swiss education and research activities, which are internationally competitive in so many different areas.

Education expenditure Education expenditure as a percentage of GDP According to the OECD, Switzerland’s total education expenditure corresponds to 4.7% of its gross domestic UK 6.6% product, which is just under the average for OECD coun- New Zealand 6.4% tries (5.2%). Countries that spend more on education in- South Korea 6.3% clude the UK (6.6%), New Zealand (6.4%), South Korea 6.2% (6.3%), the USA (6.2%). Countries that spend less on ed- USA 6.2% ucation than Switzerland include Germany (4.3%) and Canada 6.2% the Czech Republic (3.9%). Iceland 6.0% Israel 5.8% Portugal 5.8% 5.8% Australia 5.8% Finland 5.7% 5.4% 5.4% Mexico 5.4% France 5.3% Chile 5.2% OECD average 5.2% 5.0% Austria 4.9% Turkey 4.9% Ireland 4.8% Switzerland 4.7% 4.7% 4.6% Japan 4.4% Germany 4.3% Czech Republic 3.9% * nur öffentliche Ausgaben Source: OECD, Education at a Glance 2017

10 Quite a different picture emerges, however, if we relate R&D expenditure national education expenditure to the total number of According to the OECD, Switzerland’s total R&D expend- people undergoing education and training in the coun- iture corresponds to 3.4% of its gross domestic product. try in question: Switzerland has the second highest lev- This is partly due to the significant R&D expenditure of el of expenditure on education and training each year Swiss companies, which is above the OECD average of worldwide at around USD 17,500 per capita, behind Lux- 2.4%. The corresponding figure achieved by major in- embourg (USD 24,045). It is followed by the USA and dustrialised nations such as Germany (2.9%), the USA Norway at around USD 16,000 per year. The OECD av- (2.7%) or France (2.3%) is lower than that of Switzer- erage is USD 10,800. land. South Korea and Israel are the only two countries in the world which devote a higher percentage of their GDP to R&D than Switzerland (each 4.2%).

Education expenditure per capita in USD R&D expenditure as a percentage of GDP

Luxembourg 24 045 Israel 4.2% Switzerland 17 436 South Korea 4.2% USA 16 268 Switzerland (2015) 3.4% 15 510 Norway Sweden 3.3% Austria 14 549 Japan 3.1% UK 13 906 Austria 3.1% Sweden 13 219 Germany 2.9% Belgium 12 796 Netherlands 12 495 Denmark 2.9% Germany 12 063 Finland 2.8% Japan 11 654 USA 2.7% Finland 11 381 Belgium 2.5% France 11 184 OECD average 2.4% Australia 11 149 France 2.3% Iceland 10 782 Iceland 2.1% OECD average 10 759 Norway 2.0% New Zealand 10 205 Netherlands 2.0% Ireland 10 030 Slovenia 2.0% South Korea 9 873 Australia (2015) 1.9% Slovenia 9 698 1.7% Italy 9 317 UK Spain 8 752 Czech Republic 1.7% Portugal 8 516 Estonia 8 389 Quelle: OECD, Main Science and Technology Indicators Data- Israel 7 758 base, 2017/2 Czech Republic 7 751 Poland 7 374 Slovakia 7 279 Hungary 6 126 Chile 5 135 Turkey 4 259 Mexico 3 703

Source: OECD, Education at a glance 2017

11 Scientific papers Swiss researchers produce roughly 1.1% of all scientific Switzerland also compares extremely well international- papers published worldwide. If we compare the abso- ly in terms of the number of citations of scientific papers lute number of scientific papers produced in Switzerland (i.e. scientific impact of national research output). Scien- to the country’s total population, we find that Switzer- tific papers from Switzerland are highly regarded within land heads the international rankings, followed by Den- the research community. mark.

Scientific papers per year and per mio. inhabitants, Impact (relative citations index for 2011–2015) 2011–2015

Switzerland 4286 USA 124 Denmark 4041 UK 119 Iceland 3906 Switzerland 118 Australia 3775 Singapore 118 Finland 3696 Denmark 113 Netherlands 3611 Australia 111 Norway 3610 Canada 110 Sweden 3524 Finland 108 Canada 2869 Sweden 108 Singapore 2772 Netherlands 108 Belgium 2528 Norway 107 Taiwan 2490 Germany 106 New Zealand 2375 Belgium 105 Slovenia 2362 France 104 UK 2318 Iceland 104 Israel 2291 Ireland 103 USA 2230 New Zealand 102 Ireland 2156 Austria 102 France 2132 Greece 98 Austria 2054 Italy 92

Sources: SERI 2017. Scientific Publications in Switzerland 2006–2015

12 If the scientific impact of national research output is bro- Countries that partnered with Swiss researchers in ken down into specific fields, in the discipline Agricul- 2011–2015 in percentage of total cooperation initiatives ture, Biology and Environmental Sciences Switzerland lies in second place. Switzerland achieves third place in Tech- USA 16.2 nical Sciences and Engineering, Information Technology Switzerland 16.1 and in Life Sciences. It lies in fourth place in Physical, Italy 10.9 Chemical and Earth Sciences, fifth in Social and Behav- Germany 7.2 ioural Sciences and sixth place in Clinical . France 6.0 UK 5.3 Spain 2.8 An important indicator for the scientific performance of Japan 2.5 individual countries is the extent to which their institu- 2.3 tions and researchers take part in international networks. Turkey 2.1 In the case of Switzerland, the available data reveal a Canada 2.1 sharply rising trend. In 2011–2015, the average propor- Netherlands 1.7 tion had already risen to almost 84%. Swiss scientists China 1.6 most frequently co-author publications with colleagues Belgium 1.2 from institutions in the USA. Three neighbouring coun- Brazil 1.2 tries (Germany, France and Italy) form the second larg- Australia 1.1 est group of partner countries in Switzerland’s dense in- Sweden 1.1 ternational research network. India 1.0 South Korea 0.9 Poland 0.9

Source: SERI 2017, Scientific Publications in Switzerland 2006–2015

Top-ten countries measured in terms of scientific impact in various fields 2011–2015

Technical Physics, Agriculture, Life Sciences Clinical Social and Sciences and Chemistry, Biology and Medicine Behavioural and Arts Engineering, Earth Sciences Environmental Sciences Information Sciences Technology Singapore Singapore USA USA USA USA Australia Australia USA Switzerland UK Finland UK UK Switzerland UK UK Switzerland Sweden Denmark Netherlands USA Switzerland Denmark Finland UK Netherlands USA UK Australia Australia Australia Denmark Switzerland Canada Denmark Germany Ireland Singapore Switzerland Sweden China Greece Ireland France Ireland Norway Canada Belgium Canada Denmark Norway Germany Canada Norway Germany Belgium Greece Germany Canada Australia Belgium Italy France France Canada Denmark Netherlands Singapore France

Source: SERI 2017, Scientific Publications in Switzerland 2006–2015

13 Patents Triadic patents per million inhabitants, 2013 Swiss R&D activities ultimately give rise to patents. Here too, while the absolute figures relating to Switzerland’s Switzerland 148 patent activities are relatively modest when measured in Japan 125 terms of the population size of the countries compared, Germany 68 the results are excellent. Switzerland has the largest num- Sweden 67 ber (148) of triadic patents per million inhabitants (i.e. Denmark 65 patents held simultaneously at the European Patent Of- South Korea 63 fice, the US Patent & Trademark Office and the Japan Austria 59 Patent Office), thereby occupying first place worldwide, Netherlands 54 Israel 51 followed by Japan, Germany, Sweden and Denmark, USA 46 whose results also clearly exceed the OECD average. Finland 44 Belgium 42 OECD average 40 France 39 37 UK 28

Source: OECD, Factbook 2015–2016

14 International ranking of Swiss universities The quality of the Swiss higher education sector is re- flected, among other things, in international univer- sity ranking lists. Swiss universities (i.e. cantonal uni- versities and Switzerland’s two federal institutes of technology: ETH Zurich and EPF Lausanne) hold strong to very strong positions in these international ranking lists.

Position of Swiss universities in international ranking list

EPFL ETHZ Basel Bern Fribourg Genève Lausanne Neuchâtel St. Gallen Zürich

Shanghai Ranking 76 19 95 101-150 401-500 60 151-200 601-700 58 2017 (Top 500) QS Ranking 2018 12 10 149 167 501-550 98 146 372 73 (Top 500) Times Ranking 2018 38 10 95 105 201-250 130 152 401-500 401-500 136 (Top 980) Leiden Ranking 2017 18 20 53 176 63 83 60 (Top 842)

Source: SERI, 2017 (only universities which appear in at least one of the rankings are shown).

The Rolex Learning Center at the EPF Lausanne is a place of learning and exchange of knowledge. It houses a library with over 500,000 printed works, one of the largest collections of scientific literature in Europe.

15 laureates , who was a Swiss citizen from 1901 on- tists, beginning with (who won the wards and who worked in Switzerland for many years, is Nobel Prize in Medicine in 1909). So far, twenty-one one of the most famous thinkers of all time. He devel- scientists holding Swiss citizenship have been awarded a oped the theory of relativity and wrote revolutionary Nobel Prize in natural sciences. There are also quite a few academic papers. In 1921, he was awarded the Nobel Nobel Prize laureates for literature and peace. Prize in Physics, joining the ranks of many Swiss scien-

Swiss Nobel Prize laureates* in natural sciences and medicine

Year Name of laureate Location Citizenship Nobel Prize 1909 Emil Theodor Kocher Switzerland Medicine 1913 University of Zurich Switzerland Chemistry Charles-Edouard Guillaume Bureau international des Poids et Switzerland Physics 1920 Mesures / France 1921 Albert Einstein Kaiser-Wilhelm-Institut für Physics / Germany / Switzerland Physics Germany since 1901 / USA 1937 University of Zurich Switzerland Chemistry 1939 Leopold Ruzicka ETH Zürich Switzerland since 1917 Chemistry 1948 Paul Hermann Müller Laboratorium der Farben-Fabriken Switzerland Medicine J.R. Geigy AG Basel 1949 University of Zurich Switzerland Medicine 1950 Tadeus Reichstein University of Basel Switzerland since 1914 Medicine Max Theiler Rockefeller Foundation / USA Switzerland / South Africa Medicine 1951 / USA 1952 Felix Bloch / USA Switzerland / USA Physics 1957 Daniel Bovet Istituto Superiore di Sanità / Italy Switzerland / Italy Medicine 1975 ETH Zurich Switzerland since 1959 Chemistry 1978 University of Basel Switzerland Medicine 1986 Heinrich Rohrer IBM Research Laboratory Rüschlikon Switzerland Physics 1987 Karl Alexander Müller IBM Research Laboratory Rüschlikon Switzerland Physics 1991 Richard Robert Ernst ETH Zurich Switzerland Chemistry 1992 Edmond Henri Fischer / USA Switzerland Medicine 1996 Rolf Zinkernagel University of Zurich Switzerland Medicine 2002 Kurt Wüthrich ETH Zurich Switzerland Chemistry

2017 Switzerland Chemistry

* Nobel Prize laureates who, at the time of receiving the prize, held Swiss citizenship 16 Studies at higher education institutions in Switzerland are based on the international three-tiered Bachelor, 17 Master and Doctoral structure. Higher education in Switzerland

The Swiss higher education sector offers a complete and diverse range of study options at cantonal uni- versities and federal institutes of technology, universities of applied sciences (UAS) and universities of (UTEs). Studies are based on the tiered Bachelor and Master structure. The cantonal universities and federal institutes of technology also award PhDs. All higher education institutions are required to pursue teaching and research as well as offer and training courses and provide services to third parties.

University education has a centuries-long tradition in Most cantonal universities offer degree programmes in Switzerland. The first university was founded in Basel in a full range of disciplines. Students may attend courses 1460. Today, Switzerland has a highly varied and perme- in , , , science, as well as in able higher education system with internationally recog- a range of arts subjects. Only a few universities have a nised achievements in both teaching and research. This more specific profile and concentrate on selected areas. higher education sector makes significant contributions This would be the case, for instance, for the University to Switzerland’s economic, cultural and social develop- of St. Gallen, which is one of Europe’s leading universi- ment. ties for business.

Tertiary level A institutions Switzerland and almost fifty other countries are integrat- ‘Tertiary level A institutions’ comprise Switzerland’s two ed in the process, which led to the creation of federal institutes of technology (ETH Zurich and EPF Lau- a European Higher Education Area. As part of this pro- sanne) and its ten cantonal universities. The federal gov- cess, the participating countries introduced the ‘Ang- ernment funds both federal institutes of technology and lo-Saxon’ model, which consists of a Bachelor’s degree sets their strategic objectives. The cantonal universities (generally three years of full-time study) and a Master’s are funded by the cantons, and receive secondary fed- degree (a further one and a half to two years of full-time eral funding. study). At the same time, participating countries are also developing the European Credit Transfer System (ECTS), Around 149,000 people study at these twelve institu- which enables students to obtain credit for comparable tions (2016/2017). Of these, around 50% are women study undertaken in another member state. PhDs com- and around 25% obtained the qualifications required to bine both teaching and research, and are intended to study at tertiary level abroad. The higher the level of develop a range of scientific, methodological and trans- studies, the greater the proportion of foreign nationals versal skills. The last, but no less important, effect of the (PhD students: almost 55%). is that universities are increasingly ori- enting their courses, particularly from Master’s level, to The main courses and research activities at federal insti- internationally mobile students who have an adequate tutes of technology relate to science, engineering, mastery of English. mathematics and . While it is possible to at- tend courses in science, mathematics and architecture Universities of applied sciences (UAS) at a number of cantonal universities, the two federal in- The seven regional public universities of applied sci- stitutes of technology are the only tier-one universities ences were set up in the mid-1990s. A private UAS has in Switzerland that offer courses in engineering. also been operating since 2005. The most commonly 18 held qualification held by prospective UAS students is a Proportion of students at tier-one universities by nationality and educational background

Source: Swiss Federal Statistical Office 2015

Share of students at universities of applied sciences by nationality and educational background

Source: Swiss Federal Statistical Office 2015 19 vocational baccalaureate. UAS students develop the abil- more advanced professional qualification. Because UASs ity to apply scientific knowledge and methodologies and, are geared to the needs of the labour market, they also in some cases, make use of artistic abilities. Unlike ter- offer a wide range of continuing education and training tiary level A universities, which mainly conduct funda- courses, including advanced studies programmes mental research, UASs focus on applied research and de- leading to the Certificate of Advanced Studies (CAS), velopment. At the crossroads between practical training Diploma of Advanced Studies (DAS) or Master of Ad- and academic knowledge, UASs play an important role vanced Studies (MAS). as drivers of innovation. Today, research activities ac- count for around 25% of the total UAS operating costs. In 2016/2017 around 75,000 students were enrolled at a Swiss UAS, just under 19% of whom came from Although not all UASs offer the full range of courses, abroad. Around 46% were women. the courses on offer include: engineering, information technology, architecture, construction and planning, Universities of teacher education (UTEs) chemistry, life sciences, agriculture and forestry, business Universities of teacher education were created in 2001 and services, design, health, social work, , theatre from former teacher training . They are based and other artistic disciplines, applied , applied on the same principle as UASs: the syllabus places em- linguistics and . phasis on both practical training and applied research. UTEs also offer continuing education and training cours- The UASs primarily offer Bachelor degrees. They gener- es and provide services to third-parties. UTEs are fund- ally require three years of full-time study or four to five ed by the cantons. years of part-time study. Around 15% of those who ob- tain a Bachelor’s degree go on to take a Master’s, which The vast majority of teachers working in compulsory and generally takes about three semesters. Master’s degree post- receive their training at UTEs. programmes at UASs focus on research and lead to a In Switzerland there are 14 autonomous universities of teacher education and two which are integrated into uni- versities of applied sciences. The qualifications offered by all of these institutions are recognised by the Swiss Conference of Cantonal Ministers of Education. There are further institutions offering teacher training which are part of other higher education institutions. There are around 20,500 people training to be teachers at univer- sities of teacher education (2016/2017), of which over 73% are women.

Bern UAS – of Architecture, Wood and 20 in Biel. The Swiss higher education institutions have many attractive sites for teaching and research. One such is the 21 UniMail building at the University of Neuchâtel, home to the of Natural Sciences. Federal and cantonal agencies and bodies responsible for higher educa- tion and research policies

State Secretariat for Education, Research and Swiss University Conference (SUC) Innovation (SERI) The Swiss University Conference SUC is Switzerland’s Among other things, the State Secretariat for Educa- highest body with responsibility for higher education tion, Research and Innovation (SERI) is the federal agen- policy and ensures the national coordination of feder- cy responsible for higher education, science, research al and cantonal activities in higher education. The Con- and space affairs. Its remit includes the following: pro- ference has regulatory competences and can issue re- moting high-quality teaching and research at Swiss tier- commendations and position papers. It is also respon- one universities and universities of applied sciences; in- sible for the coordination and allocation of tasks in creasing the international competitiveness of Swiss particularly cost-intensive fields. The Confederation higher education and research; helping Swiss higher holds the presidency of the SUC and is responsible for education institutions to join European and internati- its management and operation. onal cooperation networks; and coordinating Switzerland’s space policy on a national and internati- www.shk.ch onal level. swissuniversities www.seri.admin.ch The Swiss Conference of Rectors of Higher Education Institutions (swissuniversities) is comprised of rectors Swiss Conference of Cantonal Ministers of Edu- and presidents of Swiss cantonal universities, federal cation (EDK) institutes of technology, universities of applied scien- The EDK enables the cantons, which are generally re- ces and universities of teacher education. It works to sponsible for matters, to find natio- strengthen and enhance collaboration among Swiss nal solutions to important issues. Typical examples of higher education institutions and represent the Swiss policy matters handled by the EDK include a national higher education area with a common voice. agreement on key education indicators (structures, ob- jectives), on exchange programmes or on the recogni- www.swissuniversities.ch tion of qualifications. In the area of higher education, the EDK pursues intercantonal agreements on funding Swiss Accreditation Council and mobility to ensure equal access to higher educa- The third body established under the HEdA is the Swiss tion throughout Switzerland and a sharing of the fi- Accreditation Council. It consists of an expert commit- nancial burden among the cantons. tee tasked with accrediting all Swiss higher education institutions using a uniform procedure. Since 1 Janua- www.edk.ch ry 2015 the relevant accreditation procedures have been run by the Swiss Agency of Accreditation and Swiss higher education system – Quality Assurance AAQ. three joint federal-cantonal bodies The HEdA requires the higher education institutions to With the entry into force of the Federal Act on the Fun- set up quality assurance systems and to undertake in- ding and Coordination of the Higher Education Sector stitutional accreditation. Private providers are also re- (HEdA) on 1 January 2015 three new joint federal-can- quired to go through the same accreditation process tonal bodies are responsible for coordinating if they wish to use the nationally protected titles of Switzerland’s higher education policy. ‘university’, ‘university of applied sciences’ or ‘univer- sity of teacher education’ or titles derived from them. For public universities and universities of applied sci- ences, institutional accreditation is a prerequisite for being eligible to receive funding.

www.aaq.ch http://akkreditierungsrat.ch/en/

22 Professional education – part of Swiss

Professional education is also part of Swiss tertiary education. It allows broader swathes of the population to obtain specific professional skills that suit their own needs as well as those of the labour market. The professional education sector therefore indirectly strengthens the higher edu- cation sector, which focuses mainly on academics and research. The professional education sector also helps to ensure that employers are able to find qualified workers with an ideal blend of dif- ferent types of skills.

Highly relevant for professions This allows them to acquire highly developed profes- There are around 400 different federal examinations sional skills (e.g. in the area of fiduciary services and fi- and 57 courses in over 40 different core curricula to nance) as a complement to their original academic choose from at the professional education and training studies. colleges. All lead to tertiary-level professional qualifi- cations. The key features of the professional education Shared commitment from both the private and sector are the strong correlation with the needs of the public sector labour market and the close combination of theory and The Confederation, the Cantons and professional or- practice. Trade associations and other professional or- ganisations work together to ensure high-quality with- ganisations are involved in organising examinations in the upper-secondary level VET sector, the ter- and developing core syllabuses for study programmes. tiary-level professional education sector as well as the It is this involvement that allows new competence re- VPET system as a whole. The heavy involvement of pro- quirements to be quickly met. It also ensures a fast fessional organisations in this endeavour is a key pre- pace of innovation and prevents training courses from requisite ensuring that all training programmes and ex- being maintained when the economy no longer has a aminations reflect the realities of the labour market. In need for them. addition to preparatory courses for federal examina- tions, there are also study programmes. In both cases, Various options training can be found at either a private and public ed- Professional education is tailored to suit the specific ucation institution. Both the private and public sector learning circumstances, learning curves and needs of contribute funding for the professional education sec- professionals. Regardless of the person’s age, it is pos- tor. sible to obtain a tertiary-level qualification. Several years of recognised work experience in the given field Additional information about the Swiss are generally required. For holders of the upper-sec- VPET system: ondary level Federal VET Diploma (or equivalent quali- www.sbfi.admin.ch/berufsbildung_en fication), the professional education sector offers fur- ther development and higher-level training. This flexi- Yearly publication on the Swiss VPET system: bility has the effect of enhancing the overall appeal of www.sbfi.admin.ch/pubbb the Swiss VPET system. Even holders of higher educa- tion qualifications may prepare for a federal examina- tion. 23 An Ariane-5 rocket is launched in Kourou, French Guyana. Switzerland is involved in various international research programmes and organisations, such as the ESA. From fundamental research to market-ready innovation

The traditional distribution of private and public sector roles has meant that fundamental research has mainly been the preserve of tier-one universities. Applied research as well as the development of re- search findings into marketable products and services (collectively referred to as R&D) has mainly been driven by the private sector and the universities of applied sciences.

Public expenditure for research is mainly the result of per- R&D expenditure in 2015 sonal initiatives on the part of researchers. Research fund- ing is competitively awarded on the basis of qualitative in CHF m in % assessment criteria. The Confederation is responsible for providing research funding through two federal agen- Public sector 5375 24,4 cies: the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF) and Innosuisse. The Confederation also provides funding to - Confederation 3103 14,1 affiliated research institutes within the FIT Domain, the Swiss Innovation Park as well as to around thirty other - Cantons 2272 10,3 non-university research institutions. For their part, the cantons are responsible for managing and co-funding Private sector 14 002 63,5 cantonal universities and universities of applied sciences. Other national sources 429 1,9 International research cooperation is very important for Switzerland. First of all, it enables our country to play a Abroad 2253 10,2 part in numerous multilateral research organisations. These include CERN, the European Space Agency ESA, Total 22 059 100 the Europe-wide network for cross-border cooperation in market-driven industrial research and development EU- REKA, and the COST initiative for European cooperation R&D activities in 2015 in science and technology. Switzerland also participates in the EU’s multi-year research framework programmes in CHF m in % (FPs) and pursues bilateral research cooperation with se- lected priority countries beyond Europe. Private sector 15 660 71,0

Public sector 194 0,9

Higher education 5885 26,7 institutions

Private 320 1,4 (non-profit)

Total 22 059 100

Source: Federal Statistical Office 25 Researchers at Empa are developing soft sensors for smart textiles: the fibres woven into the cloth contain sensors that can measure the wearer’s heart rate. They can even withstand a disinfection cycle in the washing machine and are there- fore particularly valuable for use in hospitals.

Higher education institutions Most publicly-funded fundamental research is carried eral Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology (Eawag). out by cantonal universities and the FIT Domain. The lat- Universities of applied sciences focus mainly on applied ter is comprised of Switzerland’s two federal institutes research and development to serve the needs of the pri- of technology (ETH Zurich and EPF Lausanne) and four vate sector, culture and the public sector. They enable affiliated research institutes: the the transfer of knowledge between research laborato- (PSI), the Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and ries and the market. In so doing, they form an important Landscape Research (WSL), the Swiss Institute for Mate- link in the innovation chain. rials Science and Technology (Empa) and the Swiss Fed-

Affiliated research institutes within the FIT Domain

Paul Scherrer Institute PSI Based in , the Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI) is the largest research facility for natural scienc- es and engineering in Switzerland. Its research activities are concentrated in three main areas: matter and material, energy and the environment, people and health. The PSI develops and op- erates complex research facilities. Each year, over 2,400 scientists from all over the world con- duct experiments at these unique facilities. The Swiss Spallation Neutron Source (SINQ), Swiss Light Source (SLS), Swiss Muon Source (SμS) and the X-ray free-electron laser SwissFEL are re- search infrastructures at the PSI offering extraordinary glimpses into the inner workings of dif- ferent substances and materials. These installations are unique in Switzerland, and some can- not be found anywhere in the world other than at the PSI.

Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research WSL The Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research (WSL) is a research facili- ty devoted to the use, management and protection of natural and urban habitats. It also serves as a bridge between scientists and practitioners. It prepares presentations and solutions on the careful and responsible use of landscapes and forests as well as on the handling of natural haz- ards, particularly in mountainous regions. The WSL is internationally recognised as a leading re- search institute in these areas. Its findings also serve as the basis for Switzerland’s sustainable environmental policies. The WSL also works with partners from the research community, civil society and the private sector to devise strategies aimed at addressing socially relevant issues.

26 Samples of algae from Alpine lakes are tested at Eawag, the Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology. The findings show that the composition of the algae is becoming more uniform as a result of climate change, which results in a reduction in biodiversity.

Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology Empa As an interdisciplinary research institute of the ETH Domain based in Dübendorf, St Gallen and , Empa, the Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology, conducts cut- ting-edge materials and technology research. Empa’s R&D activities focus on meeting the re- quirements of industry and the needs of society, and thus link applications-oriented research to the practical implementation of new ideas in the areas of nanostructured, smart materials and surfaces, environmental, energy and sustainable building technologies as well as biotechnolo- gy and medical technology. As a result, Empa is capable of providing its partners with custom- ised solutions that not only enhance their innovative edge and competitiveness, but also help to improve the quality of life for the public at large. As part of the ETH Domain, Empa is com- mitted to excellence in all its activities.

Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology Eawag Based in Dübendorf, the Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology (Eawag) works with concepts and technologies designed to ensure the sustainable use of water resourc- es and treatment of water and wastewater. In collaboration with universities, research institutes, the public and private sectors and non-governmental organisations, Eawag helps reconcile en- vironmental, economic and social interests in relation to water resources and wastewater. In this respect, it serves as a bridge between scientific knowledge and practice. Eawag’s research is fo- cused on three main areas: water for human welfare, water for ecosystem function and strate- gies for human versus ecosystem water use conflicts.

Swiss National Science Foundation SNSF ƒƒ NRPs focus on major issues of relevance to society. In The SNSF is the main federal funding body for scientific the field of the environment, energy and technology, research in all disciplines. The SNSF spends half of its sustainable land use and the energy revolution are budget on promoting research projects selected in a topics currently being addressed. In the field of medi- competitive process according to the highest internation- cine, antimicrobial resistance, health systems and the al quality criteria. It also has instruments to promote the opportunities and risks presented by nanomaterials careers of outstanding researchers, in particular the are topics of research. In the IT field, where there is younger generation. huge potential for innovation, big data, digitalisation and the technological and societal challenges it poses Besides promoting projects and people, the SNSF is also are the main topics being addressed. mandated by the Federal Council to implement the na- ƒƒ National centres of competence in research (NCCRs) tional research programmes (NRPs) and the national cen- are institutionally supported research initiatives with tres of competence in research (NCCRs): a nationwide scope. Funding is only provided to the 27 Activities at the Swiss Centre for Electronics and Microtechnology (CSEM) include research into renewable energies. The centre, which receives federal funding, is currently researching the production of illustrated solar panels in its Kaleo Solar project. Ope- ning up new horizons in solar energy, the panels can be used in a wide range of areas such as architecture and advertising.

highest quality research networks that place special entific actors and society. The purpose of the umbrella emphasis on interdisciplinary approaches and/or new organisation is to coordinate the competences and re- and innovative issues within a given discipline. NCCRs sources of the various academies. As such, it performs also play an active role in fostering the development three core tasks: early recognition and announcement of of young researchers and women and facilitating socially relevant developments in education, research and knowledge transfer. Each NCCR consists of a lead innovation, together with an explanation of the impact competence centre and a network of national and of these developments; showing a commitment to ethi- international partners from universities and research cal principles in relation to scientific discoveries and their institutions. Around sixteen NCCRs currently receive practical applications; maintaining a collaborative dia- research funding through this instrument set up in logue between science and society. This umbrella organ- 2000. isation, together with individual member academies, re- ceives public funding for services rendered to the Innosuisse – Swiss Innovation Agency Confederation. As the federal innovation agency, Innosuisse’s mandate is to promote science-based innovation in the interests Research institutions of national importance of the economy and society, so that marketable, new The Confederation provides some start-up funding for products and services can be created. Innosuisse pro- selected research institutions outside the higher educa- motes innovation projects conducted jointly by business- tion sector. Examples of this include the Centre Suisse es and private or public institutions and research insti- d’électronique et de micro-technique (CSEM) in Neuchâ- tutes. tel, the Swiss Institute for Allergy and Asthma Research in , the decentralised Swiss Institute of Bioinfor- Innosuisse promotes entrepreneurial thinking among the matics (Geneva, Lausanne, Bern, Basel, Zurich), the Swiss next generation in science and business. It offers profes- Tropical and Public Health Institute (Swiss TPH) in Basel sional support to young entrepreneurs in the form of or the Swiss Foundation for Social Sciences Research training and coaching programmes, helping them to suc- (FORS) in Lausanne. The Confederation expects the cessfully turn a business idea into a new company. The around 30 institutions to provide a valuable scientific main focus is on science-based start-ups with consider- boost in areas such as the humanities and social scienc- able market potential. es, medicine and biology, as well as in a variety of scien- tific and technical disciplines. The national thematic networks (NTNs) help to form links between companies and research institutions. Special- International research cooperation ised thematic events bring together representatives of Because Switzerland is such a small country, it places the industry and science. highest priority on ensuring the closest possible ties with global knowledge networks. EU member states are Swiss Academies of Arts and Sciences among Switzerland’s main partners for international co- The Swiss Academies of Arts and Sciences is an umbrel- operation in education, research and innovation. How- la organisation for the following institutions: the Swiss ever, Switzerland also has ties – some of which are of Natural Sciences (SCNAT), the Swiss Acade- long-standing – with several non-European countries. my of Humanities and Social Sciences (SAHS), the Swiss Academy of Medical Sciences (SAMS), the Swiss Acade- In line with their autonomous role, individual higher ed- my of Engineering Sciences (SATW), the Centre of Excel- ucation institutions in Switzerland maintain their own in- lence for Technology Assessment TA-Swiss and Science ternational cooperation strategies. The Confederation 28 et Cité, a foundation to promote dialogue between sci- also provides support for this, by attempting to create As a centre of science and innovation, Switzerland can draw on its long-term collaborations with international partners like the EU.

the best possible conditions for the internationalisation 2014 to 2020, Horizon 2020 is the EU’s eighth genera- of university activities. Swiss foreign research policy is in- tion of research framework programmes. From 2014 to tended to promote the appeal of Switzerland and its in- 2016, Switzerland had partial associated status in Hori- stitutions in the area of science and innovation and en- zon 2020, and has again enjoyed full associated status hance competiveness. This particular policy is highly since 2017. Researchers in Switzerland are therefore ful- bottom-up in its approach. If the Swiss scientific commu- ly entitled to take part in all calls for proposals in the pro- nity concludes that an international research organisa- gramme, also in those for coveted European Research tion or a supranational research programme can help Council grants, and if successful, receive funding contri- Switzerland to make significant scientific and technolog- butions from the European Union. ical progress, then the Confederation can enter into in- ternational agreements to ensure the participation of For Swiss researchers, the EU’s framework programmes Swiss researchers. are the most important source of public funding, second only to the Swiss National Science Foundation. Swiss participation in international research programmes and organisations Switzerland plays an active role in various international research programmes and organisations. The interna- tional realm is important to Swiss researchers in that it enables them to gain access to otherwise cost-prohibi- tive infrastructures that would be required for such fields as aerospace, astronomy, high energy physics, or parti- cle physics. In today’s increasingly globalised world, in- ternational cooperation is also a means of overcoming obstacles and sharing information in areas that spill be- yond national borders and that can only be effectively addressed through international programmes and joint cooperation projects. In both cases, international re- search cooperation strengthens national scientific and economic capacities through a more efficient usage of resources, which also makes the country more compet- itive.

Swiss participation in EU multi-year framework pro- grammes is particularly important as such programmes are the EU’s main instrument for support in the areas of research, technological development and demonstration as well as for implementation of pan-European strate- gies, such as those of the European Research Area. Re- searchers from Swiss higher education institutions and the private sector have been participating in the frame- work programmes since 1987. Swiss researchers were among the most successful in securing EU funding in FP7 calls for project proposals (2007–2013). Running from 29 CERN is the largest research centre for nuclear and particle physics in the world. The activities of the physicists and engineers at CERN include research into the fundamental structure of the universe. The CLOUD experiment, for example, investigates the possible link between galactic cosmic rays and cloud formation.

International programmes, infrastructures and organisations with Swiss participation

Name Purpose Multilateral research and innovation programmes (participation under an international treaty) FP, Horizon 2020: European Union The European Union’s main instrument for implementing its common Framework Programmes for Research science and technology policy. The 8th programme generation runs and Innovation, Brussels (Belgium) from 2014 to 2020 under the title of Horizon 2020. Swiss participation in the FPs and EURATOM are regulated in the same international agree- ment. EURATOM, European Atomic Energy Coordinates national research activities for the peaceful use of nucle- Community , fusion research programme, ar energy across national borders. Brussels (Belgium) International research organisations (participation under an international treaty) CERN, European Organization for Nuclear Provides facilities for European countries cooperating in nuclear and Research, Geneva (Switzerland) particle physics research for exclusively peaceful purposes. Through its accelerator facilities, CERN promotes advanced research in the fields of high-energy physics. EMBC, European Molecular Biology Promotion of research in molecular biology in Europe. The EMBC sup- Conference, Heidelberg (Germany) ports training programmes and the exchange of information between European researchers. EMBL, European Molecular Biology Promotes European collaboration in fundamental research in molecu- Laboratory, Heidelberg (Germany) lar biology, provides the necessary infrastructures and contributes to the ongoing development of state-of-the-art instrumentation for mod- ern biology. ESA, European Space Agency, Paris Promotes collaboration between European countries in the area of (France) space research and technology for the purpose of advancing scientif- ic knowledge and developing practical applications such as navigation systems and weather satellites. ESO, the European Southern Observatory, Builds, equips and operates astronomical observatories in the southern Garching (Germany) and various loca- hemisphere and promotes and organises European collaboration ini- tions in Chile tiatives in the field of astronomy research. ESRF, European Synchrotron Radiation Provides X-rays with hitherto unattained energy, intensity and preci- Facility, Grenoble (France) sion. Such X-rays are required for structural analyses in solid-state physics, molecular biology, material sciences, for medical diagnoses and therapies as well as for special experiments in radio biology, fun- damental physics and physiochemistry. ILL, Institut – It serves as a reliable neutron source for research and studies in the Paul Langevin, Grenoble (France) fields of material sciences, solid-state physics, chemistry, crystallogra- phy, molecular biology as well as nuclear and fundamental physics. 30 The European Southern Observatory (ESO) maintains several telescopes to observe the universe at three locations in the Atacama Desert in Chile. One of these is La Silla, a mountain 2,400 metres high, and lying 600 kilometres north of Santiago de Chile.

Name Purpose International research organisations (participation under an international treaty) HFSP, Human Frontier Science Program, International programme promoting innovative basic research around Strasbourg (France) the world with a focus on the complex mechanisms of living organisms. It addresses life sciences topics ranging from molecular biology to cognitive neuroscience. The ITER Organization, Cadarache The ITER Organization is building the world’s largest experimental (France) / Fusion for Energy, Barcelona nuclear fusion reactor, intended to be the final step towards achieving (Spain) nuclear fusion energy. It is scheduled for completion by 2025. Swit- zerland is an indirect participant in ITER and is represented by the EU. However, it is a full member of the European undertaking Fusion for Energy, which prepares, processes and delivers the European financial and in-kind contributions to the ITER Organization. European XFEL, European X-Ray The facility generates short high-intensity X-ray laser flashes by accel- Free Electron Laser Facility, Hamburg erating electrons to high energies. This will allow scientists to map the (Germany) atomic details of viruses, decipher the molecular composition of cells, take images of the nanoworld and film physical-chemical and biolog- ical reactions. ESS, European Spallation Source ERIC, European research infrastructure, which is building the world’s most Lund (Sweden) powerful neutron source. Switzerland has been involved from the outset in the planning and construction of the ESS and will also be involved in operating the facility.

31 COST (European Cooperation in Science and Technology) is a cooperation programme to coordinate research activities between the countries in Europe. The programme promotes the networking of nationally funded research activities and has over 30 member states, including Switzerland. Nicolas Gisin from the also took part in the COST activities.

Name Purpose Intergovernmental research and innovation programmes COST, European Cooperation in Science It enables researchers from various research institutes, universities and and Technology, Brussels (Belgium) companies to work together at the European level in pursuit of a broad range of R&D activities. COST complements the FPs and EUREKA. Partners in a COST network frequently later become partners in an FP project. EUREKA, initiative for European technolo- Instrument designed to enhance European competitiveness. Through gical research cooperation, Brussels EUREKA, R&D projects with clear market potential are devised and (Belgium) carried out according to the bottom-up principle. Cooperation be- tween companies, research centres and universities in transnational projects makes it possible to bring innovative products, processes and services to market. The initiative is particularly important for SMEs, which today constitute half of its partners. EUREKA complements the FP and COST.

32 The iHomeLab team of the Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts conducts research on smart building technology. iHomeLab also presents projects funded by the ‘Active and Assisted Living (AAL) Programme’. As part of the AAL programme, researchers and companies work together to develop ground-breaking technological innovations that help to improve the quality of life, health and self-sufficiency of elderly people.

Name Purpose European P2P (public-to-public) initiatives (legal form according to Art. 185 TFEU, co-funded through Horizon 2020) AAL, Active and Assisted Living, collabo- The European funding programme AAL aims to develop innovative, ration programme with the EU, Brussels marketable solutions designed to enable older adults to maintain their (Belgium) customary quality of life and autonomy in their own home environ- ments for as long as possible. Eurostars, Brussels (Belgium) Support for research-intensive small and medium-sized enterprises (SME): SMEs can work with European research teams through Euros- tars and improve their competitive capacity in the field of knowledge and innovation. Eurostars is part of the EUREKA framework. The EU- REKA Secretariat in Brussels is responsible for evaluating and monitor- ing projects. EMPIR, European Metrology Programme The European Association of National Metrology Institutes (EURAMET) for innovation and Research, Brunswick and the EU Commission have jointly developed the European Metrol- (Germany) ogy Research Programme (EMRP) and its successor programme, the European Metrology Programme for Innovation and Research. The goal of these programmes is to improve the international coordination of research conducted by the national metrology institutes and to strengthen their collaboration.

33 Bangalore, India, is one of the five swissnex locations linking Switzerland with the world in the field of education, research and innova- tion.

Bilateral research cooperation with priority coun- tries outside of Europe Switzerland has broadened the scope of its foreign sci- would pursue broader and deeper scientific policy rela- ence policy beyond its traditional Eurocentric focus. It is tions. Corresponding bilateral research cooperation agree- now actively working to develop bilateral research coop- ments have served as the basis for the elaboration of joint eration ties with countries outside Europe. In order to pro- research programmes aimed at deepening scientific co- vide the best possible general conditions to encourage operation between Switzerland and the partner country the international research cooperation efforts of research- in research fields of mutual strategic interest. These joint ers and their institutions, Switzerland has entered into bi- research programmes are also intended to encourage in- lateral agreements with various countries (e.g. USA, Bra- ternational networking activities among Swiss higher ed- zil, Russia, India, China and South Africa). This has helped ucation and research institutions and raise their profile. to foster cooperation and exchange in the area of scien- Cooperation is based on the principles of scientific excel- tific and technological research. lence, mutual interest and reciprocity (matching funds). Since 2013, pilot projects have received funding for the In 2007, a list was drawn up in consultation with the uni- purpose of assessing the potential of cooperation with versities of priority countries with which Switzerland new countries.

34 The swissnex network – links Switzerland with the world in education, research and innovation

In the area of education, research and innovation, Swit- The main objective of each swissnex consular annex is zerland maintains an official presence in two forms: to help Swiss higher education and research institu- through Swiss science counsellors, who work from tions and start-ups involved in research to develop their Swiss embassies in specific countries, and swissnex international activities. They therefore establish exten- consular annexes. sive networks of contacts with local universities, re- search institutes and companies in the host region and Swiss science counsellors and the staff of swissnex con- exploit these to facilitate contacts with interested Swiss sular annexes are either specialists from the State Sec- partners. retariat for Education, Research and Innovation (SERI) or employees of the Federal Department of Foreign Af- In order to enhance Switzerland’s profile as a location fairs (FDFA). They currently work in 30 different loca- for higher education and research, swissnex consular tions and in 22 different countries. annexes organise scientific and cultural events intend- ed for a specific public. This opens the door for new Swiss science counsellors and swissnex consular annex- cooperation opportunities and reinforcing the global es serve as liaisons among research institutions in Swit- visibility of the Swiss ERI landscape. zerland and corresponding institutions in the host country. They facilitate bilateral relations among edu- swissnex can be found at the following five locations: cation and research institutions, administrations and ƒƒ Boston, USA (opened in 2000); on education, research and innovation policy. They ob- ƒƒ San Francisco, USA (2003); serve science, technology, innovation and education ƒƒ , China (2008); policy developments in the host region and submit cor- ƒƒ Bangalore, India (2011); responding reports to interested parties in Switzerland. ƒƒ Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (2013) Another important task that they perform is to estab- lish and maintain personal and institutional networks that may be of use to Swiss researchers, higher educa- tion institutions and businesses.

The swissnex network

Brussels Moscow London Ottawa Berlin Paris Vienna Boston Beijing Washington Madrid Seoul New York Rome San Francisco New Delhi Tel Aviv Shanghai Guangzhou

Bangalore Singapore

Brasilia Jakarta

Rio de Janeiro Santiago de Chile São Paulo Pretoria Canberra Buenos Aires

swissnex Locations and Outposts Science Counsellor Locations 35 Infrastructure36 at Swiss higher education institutions, such as here at the library of the Faculty of Law of the University of Zurich offer ideal conditions for learning and research. ETH Zurich (Swiss Federal Zurich)

Consistently ranked the top university in continental Key Figures (2016) Europe, ETH Zurich is renowned for its excellent educa- tion, ground-breaking fundamental research and for put- Nobel laureates 21 ting its research results directly into practice. Number of students* 19,800

ETH Zurich teaches the fundamental principles required Female students 31.1% to tackle current and future issues in the natural and en- gineering sciences, mathematics, and architecture and it Foreign students 38.2% inspires enthusiasm for these subjects in its students. As Annual tuition fees for Swiss CHF 1,298 all degree programmes are closely linked to current re- and non-Swiss students search, and ETH Zurich’s faculty maintain close ties to in- dustry, ETH graduates are ideally equipped for a career * incl. PhD students in a global environment – be it in academia, business and industry, or as entrepreneurs. Whereas Bachelor pro- grammes are taught in German, English is the language Teaching and Research Areas in the international setting of the Master’s and doctoral ƒƒ Architecture and Construction Sciences programmes. Two-thirds of the have been re- ƒƒ Engineering Sciences cruited from abroad. ƒƒ Natural Sciences and Mathematics ƒƒ System-oriented Natural Sciences Students at ETH Zurich enjoy a rich university life with ƒƒ Management and Social Sciences state-of-the art infrastructure, IT and library services , ex- cellent sport facilities and a great number of events. A www.ethz.ch diverse urban setting, countless nearby re-creational ar- www.admission.ethz.ch eas, an extensive range of cultural offerings and a vibrant nightlife, all make Zurich a cosmopolitan city which of- fers the highest quality of living. The greater Zurich area being the economic centre of Switzerland and home to numerous international companies, adds to the attrac- tiveness, opening a wide range of career opportunities.

37 EPFL (Ecole polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne)

EPFL is one of Europe’s leading science and technology Key Figures universities. It was founded in 1853 and is one of two federal institutes of technology in Switzerland. Number of students 10,890

EPFL is located in Lausanne, on the shores of Lake Gene- Female students 28% va – one of Europe’s most beautiful lakes – and at the foot of the Alps, not far from Mont Blanc. The school’s Foreign students 53% picturesque main campus is home to nearly 15,000 stu- dents, researchers and employees. With some 120 na- Annual tuition fees CHF 1,266 tionalities represented at the university and over 60% of the teaching staff from abroad, EPFL fosters a climate of openness and interaction. The students form a dynamic Teaching and research fields and culturally rich community united by a strong sense ƒƒ Mathematics, physics, chemistry and chemical of intellectual curiosity. engineering ƒƒ Architecture, civil engineering, Environmental The EPFL offers Bachelor’s and Master’s degree pro- sciences and engineering grammes in engineering, basic sciences, computer sci- ƒƒ Electrical and electronic engineering, mechanical ence and communications, and life sciences, as well as engineering, materials science and engineering, in construction, architecture and environmental scienc- microengineering es. The academic courses are enhanced by exchange pro- ƒƒ , communication systems grammes with other leading universities throughout the ƒƒ Life sciences and technologies world and by company internships, which allow students ƒƒ Management, technology and entrepreneurship to gain insights into the workings of industry. ƒƒ Financial engineering

EPFL attracts top researchers from around the world for www.epfl.ch a number of reasons. First, with more than 350 laborato- [email protected] ries and research groups on campus and a focus on com- bining basic research and engineering, EPFL is among the most innovative and productive technical universities in the world. It also regularly ranks among the top three tech- nical universities in Europe and the top 20 worldwide. Fi- nally, the high-tech equipment and infrastructure on cam- pus provide the school’s almost 4,000 researchers with the resources they need to cultivate new ideas and devel- op new partnerships.

EPFL’s campus boasts the Rolex Learning Center, which houses the school’s library, and the new ArtLab building. EPFL Innovation Park, which is just a few steps away, is home to more than 150 startups and cutting-edge cor- 38 porate research centres. University of Basel

The University of Basel, founded in 1460, is Switzer- Key Figures land’s oldest university. Situated in the border area be- tween Switzerland, Germany and France it forms the Nobel Laureates 2 heart of Basel’s scientific and research area. Number of students 12,852 The University of Basel is a modern research university with a strong output in terms of scientific publications Female students 55% and partnerships. It is regularly placed among the world’s 100 best universities and is among the top ten Foreign students 24% German-speaking universities. Annual tuition fees CHF 1,700 The University of Basel offers an attractive range of out- standing degree programmes at Bachelor’s, Master’s and PhD level. Many of the degree programmes are in- terdisciplinary in nature and aligned with the universi- Teaching and research fields ty’s focal areas. Basel places great emphasis on encour- ƒƒ aging talented young researchers. ƒƒ Law ƒƒ Medicine As a comprehensive university the University of Basel ƒƒ Humanities offers a wide range of disciplines in teaching and re- ƒƒ Natural sciences search. There is a particular focus on the five thematic ƒƒ Business and focal areas of life sciences, visual studies, nanosciences, ƒƒ Psychology and energy research, as well as European and global studies. Focal areas ƒƒ Life sciences ƒƒ Visual studies ƒƒ Nanosciences ƒƒ Sustainability and energy research ƒƒ European and Global Studies

www.unibas.ch [email protected] [email protected]

39 University of Bern

The University of Bern offers top quality across the board. Key Figures It earns special recognition in cutting-edge disciplines, is reputed for the excellent quality of its teaching, offers a Nobel Laureates 1 delightful setting, and a campus environment intimately Number of students 17,514 linked to the social, economic and political life of the city. Female students 56% The University of Bern’s comprehensive offering includes 39 bachelor, 72 master and 64 PhD programmes in all dis- Foreign students 13% ciplines, 10 graduate and 72 continuing education Annual tuition fees CHF 1,568 and training programmes. The University encompasses the full range of classical disciplines: theology, business, eco- nomic and social sciences, medicine, veterinary medicine Teaching and Research Areas humanities, human sciences, law, and natural sciences. ƒƒ Human sciences ƒƒ Humanities The historic roots of the University of Bern go back to ƒƒ Business, economics and social sciences 1528 and most of its over 150 institutes are still within ƒƒ Medicine walking distance of the historic main building. With ƒƒ Natural sciences 17,514 students, Bern is Switzerland’s third largest uni- ƒƒ Law versity. Nevertheless, it retains a human dimension and ƒƒ Veterinary medicine a warm and friendly atmosphere. ƒƒ Theology

The University of Bern stands out through its five priori- Core areas ty fields of sustainability, health and medicine, matter and ƒƒ Fundamental physics the universe, intercultural knowledge and politics and ad- ƒƒ Development and environment ministration. It prides itself on its inter- and transdiscipli- ƒƒ Climate change nary approach, exemplified by its Strategic Research Cen- ƒƒ International trade regulation tres and its five National Centres of Competence in ƒƒ Medical technology Research (NCCR): Trade Regulation, TransCure, MUST (ex- ƒƒ Cognition, learning and memory perimental physics), RNA & Disease, and PlanetS. ƒƒ Space research ƒƒ Public management The University of Bern is an international leader in cli- ƒƒ Regional economic development mate research and actively participates in a wide range of European and worldwide research projects, notably www.unibe.ch in the field of space research. The University of Bern’s [email protected] Physics Institute was involved in the first lunar expedi- tion and regularly supplies research instruments and ex- perimental results to NASA and ESA missions, including the current Rosetta mission.

The University is superbly located near Bern’s old town, 40 a world UNESCO heritage site.

As an institution of higher education and research, as an Key Figures employer and event planner, the University of Fribourg is a place of innovation and an important driver of eco- Number of students 10,600 nomic and cultural life in the region. Since it was foun- Female students 60% ded in 1889, it has drawn students and researchers from all over Switzerland and all parts of the world. This Foreign students 17% has had an impact on the daily life of the bilingual Town Annual tuition fees of Fribourg. With over 10,000 students for a total of CHF 1,670 for Swiss students 40,000 inhabitants, it is not surprising that the Univer- sity of Fribourg shapes local community life more than Annual tuition fees CHF 1,970 in any other Swiss town. Its relatively small size enables for non-Swiss students an optimal professor-student ratio and students can choose from a wide selection of study programmes at the university’s five faculties.

Most of the study programmes are taught in French, Ger- Teaching and research areas man or in both languages. Many internationally orien- ƒƒ Law ted study programmes may also be taught in English, ƒƒ Humanities including all Master of Science programmes. The possi- ƒƒ Science and Medicine bility of obtaining a bilingual university degree is unique ƒƒ Economics and Social Sciences in Switzerland and Europe. Apart from gaining exposu- ƒƒ Theology re to another culture, students at the University of Fri- bourg are making a long-term investment in their future. www.unifr.ch The five faculties of the University of Fribourg offer over [email protected] 50 study, teaching and research programmes. In additi- on, the university has numerous interdisciplinary institu- tes and competence centres, including a National Cen- tre of Competence in Research (NCCR) and several interdisciplinary research centres.

The University of Fribourg offers an international envi- ronment in a medieval setting; it acts as a bridge bet- ween two linguistic cultures. The very favourable profes- sor-student ratio enables top-notch teaching quality.

41 University of Geneva

The University of Geneva was founded in 1559, at the in- Key Figures (without IHEID) itiative of Jean Calvin and Theodore de Beze. It is nestled in the heart of a city of great international renown and Number of students 16,935 intellectual heritage, and defines itself as a place of re- Female students 61% flection, teaching, and dialogue. Foreign students 37% With a student body from 151 different countries, the University of Geneva is the fourth largest university in Annual tuition fees CHF 1,000 Switzerland, and also hosts the largest number of female students. Just like the city of Geneva itself, the universi- ty enjoys a strong international reputation, both for the Teaching and research Areas quality of its research (it is one of the top institutions ƒƒ Sciences among the League of European Research Universities) ƒƒ Medicine and the excellence of its teaching. This acclaim has been ƒƒ Humanities won thanks to its strong ties to many national and inter- ƒƒ Economics and management national Geneva-based organisations, such as the World ƒƒ Social sciences Health Organization, the International Telecommunica- ƒƒ Law tions Union, the International Committee of the Red ƒƒ Protestant theology Cross, and the European Organization for Nuclear Re- ƒƒ Psychology and educational sciences search (CERN). ƒƒ Translation and interpretation

The University of Geneva is the only generalist universi- Independent partner institute of the University of ty in the French-speaking region of Switzerland. It offers Geneva: Graduate Institute of International Develop- a wide range of programmes, from Bachelor’s to PhD lev- ment Studies (IHEID) el. Its fields of excellence in research include life scienc- es (molecular biology, bioinformatics), physics of elemen- www.unige.ch tary particles, mathematics and astrophysics. Furthermore, [email protected] the University of Geneva boasts one of the oldest and most renowned translation and interpreting schools in the world, the FTI (formerly ETI).

42 University of Lausanne

Founded in 1537, the University of Lausanne now has Key Figures seven faculties with some 14,500 students and 4,900 members of staff. The focus is on an interdisciplinary ap- Nobel Laureates 1 proach; cooperation is strong between students and Number of students 14,500 teaching staff. Female students 55% The University of Lausanne is spread over three sites, the largest of which is in Dorigny on the shores of Lake Ge- Foreign students 26 % neva. The peaceful green landscape with views of the Annual tuition fees CHF 1,160 Alps and the lake provides an ideal setting for study and research. A wide variety of disciplines are covered, rang- ing from Greek Numismatics to Cyber-Marketing or De- velopmental Biology, and three faculties are unique in Teaching and research Areas Switzerland: Law, Criminal Justice and Public Adminis- ƒƒ Arts tration, Biology and Medicine, and Geosciences and En- ƒƒ Biology vironment. ƒƒ Business and Economics ƒƒ Public Administration Lying at the heart of the French-speaking part of Swit- ƒƒ Criminal Justice zerland, the University of Lausanne has flourishing links ƒƒ French as a Foreign Language at both local and international level. More than 35% of ƒƒ Geosciences and Environment its teaching staff and 20% of its students come from ƒƒ Law abroad. ƒƒ Medicine ƒƒ Political Sciences Up-to-date, well-equipped, and at the forefront of the ƒƒ Protestant Theology latest technological developments, the University of Lau- ƒƒ Psychology sanne is an ideal centre for the exchange of ideas that ƒƒ Social Sciences lead to intellectual, scientific, and economic progress. ƒƒ Sport Science ƒƒ Study of Religions

www.unil.ch [email protected]

43

Founded in the year 2000, the University of Lucerne is Key Figures Switzerland’s youngest university but originated as a Jes- uit back in 1574. With study programmes in the Number of students 2,900 area of humanities and social sciences, law, economics Female students 58% health and theology, the University of Lucerne offers a broad range of forward-looking study programmes de- Foreign students 12% signed to meet social needs. Annual tuition fees CHF 1,620 The friendly atmosphere and direct contact to teaching for Swiss students staff creates an optimum learning and working environ- ment for the 2,900 or so students at the University of Lu- Annual tuition fees CHF 2,220 cerne. All classes are taught in the university building di- for non-Swiss students rectly overlooking Lake Lucerne, which makes for a unique location right next to Lucerne’s main railway sta- tion and behind the Lucerne Culture and Congress Cen- Teaching and Research Areas tre (KKL). The famed old town of Lucerne is just a few ƒƒ Law minutes away on foot. ƒƒ Humanities and Social Sciences ƒƒ Economics and Management The University of Lucerne places great emphasis on ƒƒ Theology networking: it builds bridges between different confes- ƒƒ Health sions and religions, between different generations and cultures as well as between , politics, law and www.unilu.ch economics. [email protected]

The University of Lucerne also has a strong international network. The university has links with over 70 European universities via the Swiss-European Mobility Programme, and has partnerships with 30 universities outside of Eu- rope, giving students plenty of opportunities to spend a semester abroad.

Graduates of the University of Lucerne have good em- ployment prospects. Alumni from Switzerland’s young- est university now hold managerial positions in the pri- vate sector, the public sector and in non-profit organisations.

44 University of Neuchâtel

Located in an idyllic setting between the lake and the Key Figures mountains, the University of Neuchâtel (UniNE) compris- es four faculties (humanities, science, law, economics Number of students 4,284 and business) covering around thirty different disciplines. Female students 60%

The ‘Académie de Neuchâtel’, originally established Foreign students 22 % in 1838, became a university in 1909. Today it has Annual tuition fees for 4,284 students, of whom 612 are doctoral candidates, CHF 1,030 Swiss students all supported by a teaching staff with an impressive in- ternational reputation. Annual tuition fees for CHF 1,580 non-Swiss students Featuring among the world’s top twenty small univer- stites (Times Higher Education), its students, researchers and staff from all fields work alongside one another on Teaching and research Areas a daily basis. The university intentionally adopts an inter- ƒƒ Humanities: archaeology, civilizations and lan- disciplinary and inter-faculty approach, which encourag- guages of Antiquity and the Middle Ages, es students to develop a broad sense of perspective, as ethnology, geography, history, art history, muse- exemplified by the Master of Innovation. um studies, literature, speech therapy, migration and citizenship, philosophy, linguistics, infor- While most courses are taught in French, the University mation and communication sciences, sociology, of Neuchâtel also offers multilingual courses. Certain ethnomusicology, innovation and society. Master’s courses are even taught exclusively in English, ƒƒ Science: biology, hydrogeology, geothermics, IT, such as the Master of Finance, the Master of Applied mathematics, work and organisational psychol- Economics, the Master of Computer Science, the Mas- ogy, sports science, statistics, cognitive sciences, ter of Statistics or the interfaculty Master of Cognitive public opinion and survey methodology Sciences. ƒƒ Law: health law and biotechnology, sports law, social law, business law and innovation, interna- The Institute of and culture (ILCF), es- tional and European law tablished in 1892, specializes in the teaching of French ƒƒ Economics and business: financial analysis, as a foreign language. It also organises summer schools journalism, international business development, in the month of July. The Language Centre enables stu- information systems, R&D management dents to perfect their language skills in English, German, Italian and Spanish. www.unine.ch [email protected]

45 University of St Gallen (HSG)

The University of St Gallen (HSG), based in the Ger- Key Figures man-speaking part of Switzerland, was founded as a “Busi- ness Academy” in 1898. The HSG pursues the goal of pro- Number of students 8,300 viding its over 8,000 students with a practice-oriented Female students 34% education, guided by an integrative view of management, economics, law, social sciences and international affairs. Foreign students 25 % With success: the HSG has constantly been ranked among Annual tuition fees for Swiss the top business universities in Europe. The HSG tops the students: Financial Times world rankings with its Master in Strategy – Bachelor’s level CHF 1,226 and International Management, while its Master in Bank- – Master’s level CHF 1,426 ing and Finance holds tenth place. Accreditations by EQ- UIS and AACSB International underline its commitment to Annual tuition fees for a holistic curriculum that meets the highest academic non-Swiss students standards. – Bachelor’s level CHF 3,126 – Master’s level CHF 3,326

The HSG is a bilingual university (German and English) and offers degrees at different levels: The Bachelor’s courses Teaching and Research Areas for undergraduates are taught in German and in English. ƒƒ Business Administration Eight of the thirteen subsequent Master’s programmes ƒƒ Economics (post-graduate programmes) are taught entirely in English. ƒƒ Law Furthermore, the HSG offers most of the PhD programmes ƒƒ International Affairs in English. The Executive School of Management, Technol- ogy and Law (ES-HSG) provides several courses, e.g. a full- www.unisg.ch time MBA. [email protected]

It has a network of around 200 partner universities, and students can study abroad for a semester or obtain a dou- ble degree from two universities. The HSG is also a mem- ber of the CEMS, PIM, APSIA and GBSN networks. 25% of the student body is foreign, with their origins in over 80 different countries throughout the world.

The HSG has strong placement results among the Swiss business universities. Graduates receive support from the Career and Corporate Services in their search for employ- ment.

46 USI Università della Svizzera italiana

USI is organised into five faculties and is active in sever- Key Figures al study and research areas: architecture, communica- tion sciences, computational science, data science, eco- Number of students 2,822 nomics, health studies, humanities, informatics, law, Female students 48% medicine and biomedicine. It also includes two affiliat- ed units: the Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB) Foreign students 65 % and the Institute of Oncology Research (IOR), both locat- Annual tuition fees for ed in . CHF 4,000 Swiss students

USI is a young and lively university, a hub of opportuni- Annual tuition fees for CHF 8,000 ty open to the world where students are offered a qual- non-Swiss students ity interdisciplinary education in which they can be engaged and take centre stage, and where researchers can count on having the space to freely pursue their in- Teaching and research areas itiative. Around 2,800 students and about 800 profes- ƒƒ Architecture sors and researchers, hailing from over 100 countries, ƒƒ Communication Sciences convene every day on the three campuses in Lugano, ƒƒ Information Technology and Bellinzona. The relatively small size of the ƒƒ Computational Science campuses encourages the free flow and open exchange ƒƒ Economics of ideas within the academic community. ƒƒ Health Sciences ƒƒ Social sciences and humanities USI encourages faculty, students and researchers to de- ƒƒ EDV velop their potential, and appreciates their curiosity and ƒƒ Law willingness to experiment with new ways of teaching, ƒƒ Medicine thinking, and working. Established in 1996, USI is in con- ƒƒ Biomedicine stant evolution, always taking on new challenges while remaining true to its three guiding principles: quality, www.usi.ch openness and responsibility. [email protected]

47 University of Zurich

With over 25,000 students, the University of Zurich (UZH) Key Figures is Switzerland’s largest university. Made up of seven fac- ulties covering more than 100 subject areas, the univer- Nobel laureates 12 sity offers a comprehensive academic programme at Number of students 25,672 Bachelor’s, Master’s, and doctoral level. UZH places great emphasis on developing junior academics as well as on Female students 57% fostering an interdisciplinary and international approach. In addition to partnering with teaching and research or- Foreign students 20% ganisations, the University of Zurich has academic ex- Annual tuition fee CHF 1,548 change programmes with more than 500 institutions in for Swiss students Switzerland and abroad. Annual tuition fee for Bachelor: CHF 2,548 UZH is ranked among the world’s top universities. Nu- non-Swiss students Master: CHF 1,748 merous distinctions – including twelve Nobel Prizes – highlight the University’s international renown in the Teaching and research Areas fields of medicine, immunology, neuroscience, life scienc- ƒƒ Theology es, social sciences, and business and economics. As a ƒƒ Law member of the global network of research universities ƒƒ Economics, Business Administration, Banking and and of the League of European Research Finance and Information Technology Universities (LERU), UZH is one of Europe’s leading re- ƒƒ Medicine search institutions. Various centres of competence and ƒƒ Veterinary Medicine research priorities offer challenging academic projects, ƒƒ Arts and Social Sciences including on topics such as financial market regulation, ƒƒ Mathematics and Natural Sciences digital society, citizen science, ethics, precision medicine, and biodiversity. www.uzh.ch [email protected] As one of the most innovative universities in Europe, UZH spawns new start-ups each year. Up-and-coming busi- nesses in the fields of biotech, medical technology, and ICT make use of the expertise of UZH researchers. State- of-the-art infrastructure and the university’s location in the flourishing cultural and economic hub of the city of Zurich ensure that it offers an attractive and stimulating environment for studying and working. Professors and students alike enjoy taking advantage of the high qual- ity of life that Zurich offers with its lake and nearby mountains.

48 Bern University of Applied Sciences (BFH)

The , including the Swiss capital of the Key Figures same name, is home to a million inhabitants. Bern, Biel, and Burgdorf are medieval cities which not only have Number of students 6,864 beautiful surroundings, but also offer a wide variety of Female students 47% cultural events and institutions. Foreign students 10% The BFH is an application-oriented university. It is prac- tice-oriented, interdisciplinary in an international con- BFH centres text, offering 30 bachelor degree courses, 22 master de- ƒƒ Arts in Context gree programmes, research opportunities, services and ƒƒ Digital Society a wide range of continuing education courses. The eight ƒƒ Energy Storage faculties are spread over locations in Bern, Biel, Burgdorf, ƒƒ Wood – Resource and Material Magglingen and . ƒƒ Food Systems ƒƒ Social Security The seven BFH centres bring together the skills of estab- ƒƒ Technologies in Sport and Medicine lished research groups and institutes, addressing the an- swers to current and future issues in society and indus- Teaching and research areas try. ƒƒ Agricultural, Forest and Food Sciences ƒƒ Architecture, Wood and Civil Engineering The BFH welcomes students from all around the globe ƒƒ Health Professions and provides student services which help students with ƒƒ Art their curricula, accommodations, career plans, cultural ƒƒ Social Work and sports activities. Some of the schools maintain ex- ƒƒ Sport change programmes with international partner institu- ƒƒ Engineering and Information Technology tions and encourage their students to study abroad. ƒƒ Business

www.bfh.ch [email protected]

49 Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts

The Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Art is Key Figures funded by the six Central Swiss cantons of Lucerne, Uri, , , and . It comprises the Number of students 6,200 Lucerne Schools of Engineering and Architecture, Busi- Female students 45% ness, Information Technology, Social Work, Art and De- sign, and Music. Foreign students 5%

Lucerne UAS has 6,200 students enrolled in its bachelor Schools and master degree programmes, which equip them with ƒƒ School of Engineering and Architecture the necessary knowledge and skills to deal with the de- ƒƒ School of Business mands of working life. To foster national and interna- ƒƒ School of Information Technology tional mobility and networking, the University collabo- ƒƒ School of Social Work rates with other higher education institutions at home ƒƒ School of Art and Design and abroad, offers study programmes in English and en- ƒƒ School of Music courages extracurricular activities.

Almost 4,600 professionals are enrolled in the universi- Teaching and research Areas ty’s continuing and executive education courses. Course ƒƒ Technology and Architecture content draws on the latest research and has a strong ƒƒ Economics practical focus. All are designed as flexible learning mod- ƒƒ Information Technology ules. ƒƒ Social Work ƒƒ Art and Design Lucerne UAS is also involved in research and develop- ƒƒ Music ment. Its R&D partners and clients include local and na- ƒƒ Tourism and tional firms, non-profit organisations, municipal coun- (interdisciplinary focus area) cils, cantons, as well as the federal offices and EU ƒƒ Cooperation in Building and Planning institutions. The University is also a third-party service (interdisciplinary focus area) provider, assisting businesses, the public authorities, fed- ƒƒ Data Worlds (interdisciplinary focus area) erations, associations and the like with product testing, expert opinions, conceptual work and coaching. www.hslu.ch Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Art is the [email protected] largest education provider in Central Switzerland and employs more than 1,600 people.

50 University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland FHNW

Northwestern Switzerland is the country’s second strong- Key Figures est economic region. It is known for its innovative busi- nesses and services. The backbone of this economic suc- Number of students 12,235 cess is the professionally trained workforce. The Female students 50% University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland FHNW makes an important contribution in Foreign students 9% that respect.

Diverse, practice and market oriented – these are just a Schools few of the catchwords that sum up what it means to study ƒƒ FHNW School of Applied Psychology at the FHNW. There are currently 12,235 students at the ƒƒ FHNW School of Architecture, Civil Engineering and FHNW. The range of study programmes covers 29 Bach- Geomatics elor’s and 18 Master’s degrees as well as a host of con- ƒƒ FHNW School of Art and Design tinuing education courses. Students can opt to study full ƒƒ FHNW Academy of Music time, part time or a combination of the two. Thanks to ƒƒ FHNW School of Education the practice-oriented training, FHNW graduates are ƒƒ FHNW School for Life Sciences sought after in the labour market both at home and ƒƒ FHNW School of Social Work abroad. ƒƒ FHNW School of Engineering ƒƒ FHNW School of Business The nine FHNW schools offer a range of subject areas: applied psychology, architecture, civil engineering and ge- omatics, art and design, music, life sciences, teacher ed- Teaching and research Areas ucation, social work, technology and business. ƒƒ Applied Psychology ƒƒ Architecture, Construction Engineering, Geoma- The FHNW offers students a highly modern infrastructure tics with good public transport links, the practice-oriented fo- ƒƒ Art and Design cus on specialist knowledge and interdisciplinary meth- ƒƒ Life Sciences odological skills, which will be in increasing demand in ƒƒ Music the future. ƒƒ Teacher Training ƒƒ Social Work At the FHNW application-oriented R&D have a high pri- ƒƒ Technology ority, with the focus on finding answers to ever more com- ƒƒ Economics plex issues in science, business, culture, politics and soci- ety. For example, the FHNW is involved in many projects with businesses, non-profit organisations, cultural institu- www.fhnw.ch tions, public authorities and other higher education insti- tutions. It also participates in European research pro- grammes.

51 University of Applied Sciences of Eastern Switzerland FHO

The University of Applied Sciences of Eastern Switzer- Key Figures land is a well-respected higher education institution in Number of students 7,200 the border region of Switzerland, Germany and Austria offering degree programmes at Bachelor’s and Master’s Female students 38% level, as well as continuing education and training. Stud- ying at the University of Applied Sciences of Eastern Swit- Foreign students 11% zerland provides you with the skills and know-how you need to excel in your profession. Modular courses allow Affiliated Universities students to tailor their curriculum to their personal needs ƒƒ Unversity of Applied Sciences St.Gallen (FHS) while studying full time or by opting to combine part- ƒƒ University of Applied Sciences Rapperswil (HSR) time study and work. ƒƒ University of Applied Sciences (HTW) ƒƒ Interstate University of Applied Sciences Buchs (NTB) As a UAS which places emphasis on research, the FHO maintains close partnerships with technology-based firms and businesses, public and social institutions. 36 research Areas of teaching and research institutes devise innovative approaches to technological, ƒƒ Architecture, construction, planning economic and social issues. Thanks to the close ties be- ƒƒ Technology, engineering, IT tween research and teaching students benefit from new ƒƒ Energy, environment findings. They obtain solid knowledge and experience in ƒƒ Multimedia, Information science developing solutions to practical problems giving them ƒƒ Tourism an advantage in the labour market thanks to their attrac- ƒƒ Business, finance, management tive profile. ƒƒ Social work ƒƒ Health The University of Applied Sciences of Eastern Switzerland offers an excellent learning environment: small campus- www.fho.ch es, a familiar atmosphere, excellent learning infrastruc- [email protected] ture, well equipped labs, small classes and highly quali- fied teaching staff. International exchange programmes for students and teaching staff enable fruitful coopera- tion with higher education institutions in North Ameri- ca, Europe and Asia. St Gallen with its long-standing tra- dition in book making and textiles is a UNESCO world heritage site. Eastern Switzerland offers a high quality of life with a wealth of sporting activities, rich and varied cultural offerings and good job opportunities.

52 University of Applied Sciences and Arts of Southern Switzerland (SUPSI)

The University of Applied Sciences and Arts of Southern Key Figures Switzerland (SUPSI) is the only Italian-language Univer- sity of Applied Sciences in Switzerland. Since its found- Number of students 4,988 ing in 1997, the University of Applied Sciences and Arts Female students 45% of Southern Switzerland has been a fundamental part of the Italian-speaking university system in Switzerland in Foreign students 32% the marvelous Lugano region. In addition to its region- al orientation, it also has a national and international Partner schools strategy through its affiliation with the Fernfachhoch- ƒƒ Scuola universitaria di Musica del Conservatorio schule Schweiz (the swiss distance university of applied della Svizzera italiana sciences) and encouraging the mobility of students and ƒƒ Fernfachhochschule Schweiz (FFHS) staff. ƒƒ Accademia Teatro Dimitri The University offers a wide range of study programs, with 20 Bachelor’s and 13 Master’s degree programmes, Areas of Instruction and Research together with Continuing Education courses conducted ƒƒ Architecture and Construction: Architecture, by qualified university teachers, professors and teacher Civil Engineering researchers. The courses can be attended full time but ƒƒ Design: , Visual Communication, also allow students to balance their study commitments Conservation and Restoration with professional working activity. SUPSI is also very ac- ƒƒ Business Management: Business Administration tive in applied research and service provision, in collab- ƒƒ Teacher Training: Pre-, oration with companies and institutions within the re- Primary Education, Lower-, gion. The great number of applied research projects Lower-Secondary Education (for UAS Engineers), conducted, allows SUPSI to contribute directly to the eco- Lower-Secondary Education II nomic and social development of the region. ƒƒ Social Work ƒƒ Music and Theatre: Music, Music and Movement, Music Performance, Music , Music Composition and Theory, Specialised Music Performance, Artistic research, Theatre ƒƒ Health: Nursing, Occupational Therapy, Physio- therapy ƒƒ Engineering and IT: Electrical Engineering, Engineering and Management, Computer Science, Mechanical Engineering

www..ch [email protected]

53 HES-SO University of Applied Sciences and Arts Western Switzerland

The HES-SO – University of Applied Sciences and Arts Key Figures Western Switzerland – provides high quality teaching and conducts research projects which are very much Number of students 21,000 rooted regionally. The Rectorate of the HES-SO is locat- Female students 52% ed in Delémont. Its schools are spread out across the sev- en cantons of the HES-SO. The university offers 47 bach- Foreign students 27% elor and 22 master programmes in six faculties of study. Other paths towards professional excellence are offered through its Master of Advanced Studies (MAS) courses Affiliated schools and continuing education and training programmes. ƒƒ HES-SO Arc ƒƒ HES-SO Fribourg The institutes of the HES-SO schools are responsible for ƒƒ HES-SO Genève applied research and technology transfer. The teams of ƒƒ HES-SO Valais-Wallis researchers are in direct contact with businesses and ƒƒ 6 Schools in the canton of both public and private institutions, and respond to their ƒƒ 3 Schools with convention agreement needs. This proximity allows for strengthened coopera- ƒƒ HES-SO Master tion between the different schools which form the so- cio-economic and artistic fabric of Western Switzerland. Faculties The HES-SO is involved in fifty European and internation- ƒƒ Art & Design al research projects. It has a large network of coopera- ƒƒ Business Management and Services tion agreements with higher education institutions ƒƒ Engineering & Architecture around the world. ƒƒ Health Sciences ƒƒ Music and Performing Arts ƒƒ Social Work

www.hes-so.ch [email protected]

54 Zurich Universities of Applied Sciences and Arts

Key Figures Zurich is a city of global importance in terms of science and higher education. In addition to its higher education Number of students 21,310 institutions, which are renowned both nationally and in- ternationally, private sector businesses, some of which Female students 52 % have a great deal of scientific potential, also contribute to Zurich’s excellent reputation. As a strong economic Foreign students 7% hub Zurich has one of the world’s highest standards of living with a lively cultural scene and a wide range of the- atres, museums and cinemas. Universities ƒƒ Zurich University of Applied Sciences ZHAW In this environment, the Zurich Universities of Applied ƒƒ Zurich University of the Arts ZHdK Sciences and Arts (Zürcher ZFH) offer a ƒƒ Zurich University of Teacher Education PHZH broad range of study programmes, including Bachelor’s ƒƒ University of Applied Sciences in Business and Master’s degree programmes, Master of Advanced Administration Zurich HWZ Studies (MAS) programmes and other tertiary-level con- tinuing education and training courses (CAS, DAS). Areas of Instruction and Research The ZFH comprises three state higher education institu- ƒƒ Architecture and Civil Engineering tions: Zurich University of Applied Sciences ZHAW, Zu- ƒƒ Technology and Information Technology rich University of the Arts ZHdK and the Zurich Univer- ƒƒ Chemistry and Life Sciences sity of Teacher Education PHZH. The private University ƒƒ Business and Management of Applied Sciences in Business Administration Zurich is ƒƒ Design and Art affiliated to the ZFH, one of the largest universities of ƒƒ Music, Theatre and Film applied sciences in Switzerland. ƒƒ Applied Linguistics ƒƒ Social Work The Zurich Universities of Applied Sciences and Arts ZFH ƒƒ Applied Psychology conduct research – both disciplinary and interdisciplinary ƒƒ Health – that serves practical purposes. It is an innovative part- ƒƒ Teacher Education ner and works closely with business, cultural, social and state institutions. The many projects it conducts in con- www.zfh.ch junction with other higher education institutions and the [email protected] private sector ensures knowledge and technology trans- fer to industry and business. The ZFH encourages stu- dents and staff to make use of mobility programmes and participates in various national and international research networks.

55 Kalaidos University of Applied Sciences

Kalaidos is a federally accredited and supervised univer- Key Figures sity of applied sciences under Swiss law.It has around 2,700 students pursuing one of over fifty available bach- Number of students 2,690 elor and master degrees in four departments: Depart- Female students 40% ment of Business and Management, Department of Law, Department of Health Science and Department of Mu- Foreign students 13% sic. All degree programmes combine practical training with academic content. Current issues affecting day-to- day work are an important focus of the initial and con- Departments tinuing training offered. Courses are taught by experi- ƒƒ University of Applied Sciences Economics enced professionals who discuss the various challenges ƒƒ University of Applied Sciences Law in light of the the most recent findings. ƒƒ University of Applied Sciences Health ƒƒ University of Applied Sciences Music As a higher education institution catering to employed persons, Kalaidos has an extensive network of compa- Teaching and research fields nies whose employees study here. This network also in- ƒƒ Economics cludes trade associations and professional bodies. This ƒƒ Law enables it to build a bridge between applied research ƒƒ Health and daily practice. As the only private university of ap- ƒƒ Music plied sciences in Switzerland, Kalaidos is a member of the umbrella organisation swissuniversities. www.kalaidos-fh.ch

56 Additional information

Education, Research and Innovation in Switzerland

ƒƒ State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation (SERI): www.seri.admin.ch

ƒƒ Swiss Conference of Cantonal Ministers of Education (EDK): www.edk.ch

ƒƒ Swiss University Conference: www.shk.ch

ƒƒ swissuniversities (Swiss Conference of Rectors of Higher Education Institutions): www.swissuniversities.ch

ƒƒ Swiss Agency for Accreditation and Quality Assurance (AAQ): www.aaq.ch

ƒƒ ETH Domain: www.ethrat.ch

ƒƒ Swiss participation in international research programmes and organisations: www.sbfi.admin.ch/ch_int_forschung_e

ƒƒ Foreign network with ERI mandate: www.swissnex.org

ƒƒ Federal Statistical Office (FSO): www.bfs.admin.ch

ƒƒ Swiss Coordination Office for Research in Education (SKBF): www.skbf-csre.ch

Study and research in Switzerland

ƒƒ Studying in Switzerland (student visa, permits, student exchange programmes, cost of living, accommodation, etc.): www.swissuniversity.ch

ƒƒ Swiss government excellence scholarships – Federal Commission for Scholarships for Foreign Students: www.sbfi.admin.ch/scholarships_eng

ƒƒ Exchange and mobility: www.movetia.ch/en

ƒƒ Website for research and innovation: www.myscience.ch

ƒƒ Information net Euresearch: www.euresearch.ch

ƒƒ Information for researchers: www.euraxess.ch

ƒƒ Ranking Forum of Swiss Universities: www.universityrankings.ch 57 Swiss education system

PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION UNIVERSITIES PhD/ Advanced Federal Diploma Advanced Federal Diploma Master's degree Master's degree Master's degree of Higher Education of Higher Education Bachelor's degree Bachelor's degree Bachelor's degree Federal Diploma of Higher Education TERTIARY LEVEL UNIVERSITIES COLLEGES OF UNIVERSITIES OF UNIVERSITIES OF FEDERAL INSTITUTES OF FEDERAL EXAMINATIONS HIGHER EDUCATION APPLIED SCIENCES TEACHER EDUCATION TECHNOLOGY TION AND TRAINING TION AND TRAINING

Federal Vocational Specialised Baccalaureate Baccalaureate Baccalaureate TED CONTINUING EDUC A TED CONTINUING EDUC A

Federal Diploma of and Training Specialised School Certificate

JOB-REL A Federal Certificate of JOB-REL A Vocational Education and ARY LEVEL Training

HOST COMPANIES, VOCATIONAL SCHOOLS, HOST COMPANIES, VOCATIONAL SCHOOLS, SPECIALISED BACCALAUREATE

BRANCH COURSES BRANCH COURSES SCHOOLS SCHOOLS UPPER-SECON D

VOCATIONAL EDUCATION AND TRAINING GENERAL EDUCATION SCHOOLS

TRANSITIONAL OPTIONS

COMPULSORY EDUCATION

Usual pathway Possible pathway

58 Impressum

Publisher: State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation SERI Einsteinstrasse 2, CH-3003 Bern [email protected] www.seri.admin.ch Editing: Jasmin Odermatt, Dani Duttweiler, Martin Fischer, Communication SERI Layout: Désirée Goetschi, Communication SERI Language versions: g/f/e, SERI Language Service and Federal Chancellery Printed by: Neidhart + Schön AG, Zurich Language versions: g/f/e Distribution: in cooperation with Presence Switzerland

Download this publication: www.sbfi.admin.ch/campus-switzerland-e © 2018 State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation SERI

59 Contact State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation SERI © 2018 Einsteinstrasse 2, CH-3003 Bern Phone: +41 58 462 21 29, [email protected] www.sbfi.admin.ch