Higher Education Systems - Switzerland

Three distinctive properties set the Swiss system of higher education apart from the situation in many neighbouring countries:

• The Swiss government does not wish to increase the share of the population going to Universities. In fact, the minister of education explicitly stated in 2012 that it was already too high [SW4].
• This view follows from a general policy of dividing education into tracks at different levels, including a strong emphasis on apprenticeship and the presence of UAS (Fachhochschulen, Écoles des Hautes Études, Scuola Universitaria Professionale) alongside Universities. Where France, for example, awards the Baccalauréat (high-school degree) to 88.1% of students (80% of a generation) [FR13] the corresponding Maturität figure in Switzerland is only about 20% [SW4]. The avowed purpose is to avoid channel too many students into tracks where they have little chance of succeeding. On the other the hand, the tracks are designed to allow for horizontal mobility between them at any stage. This means that, for example, outstanding students in the apprenticeship or professional track may decide to move later to a university.
• As in other aspects of Swiss life, local devolution plays an important role. Most Swiss Universities are cantonal: University of Basel, Bern, Fribourg, Geneva, Lausanne, Lucerne, Lugano, Neuchatel, St. Gallen, Zurich. Only two Universities are under the responsibility of the Federal Government, the two Federal Institutes of Technology, ETH Zurich and EPF Lausanne. Cantonal Universities receive financial support from the Confederation and from those cantons which do not have their own University.

Since 2001, Swiss Universities have been rapidly adjusting their curricula to comply with the Bologna Declaration. Today, all degree courses have been adapted to the Bologna system. Under the Bologna system the Bachelor's degree is the first step in scientific formation, allowing students to acquire a methodological and scientific approach to their education. In the Bologna system, one academic year corresponds to 60 ECTS, which are equivalent to 1,500-1,800 hours of study. This includes contact hours (lectures, seminars, practical work, etc.), as well as independent study at home or in a library. Attainment of the Bachelor's degree requires three years of full-time study (180 ECTS). The Bachelor's degree is a pre-requisite for enrolment in a Master's program. It can in some cases lead directly to a Master of Advanced Studies (MAS). However, a Bachelor's degree is not sufficient for enrolment in a doctoral program, which requires the attainment of a Master's degree as well.

All Bachelor’s programs are open to students in possession of a valid secondary school diploma, a Swiss school-leaving certificate, or a foreign degree that has been deemed equivalent. The prerequisite for access to a Master's program is a successfully completed Bachelor's program. Each University makes its own decisions as to whether a Bachelor's degree obtained in a foreign country gives its holder access to Master's programs - with or without entrance examinations, under certain conditions, with further requirements, or no access at all. The University may set additional requirements, equally applicable to all candidates, for admission to specialized Master's programs.

In the second cycle of studies, students will further advance their knowledge and specialize in a particular field, or acquire an interdisciplinary formation. This program is completed with the writing of a Master's thesis. In the Bologna system, a Master's program lasts three to four semesters (depending on the field of study) and awards 90 to 120 ECTS.

Doctoral degrees are generally awarded after 3-5 years of postgraduate research and study, and submission of a thesis. A Master's degree and a high-grade average during the Master's studies are the main pre-requisites for admittance to a doctoral program. In Switzerland, only the twelve state-run university institutions of academic learning (10 cantonal Universities, plus 2 Federal Institutes of Technology) are allowed to award doctoral degrees.

Application to a doctoral program is subject to specific conditions, the most important of which are the acceptance of the thesis proposal by the Faculty and a professor willing to be the supervisor. The doctoral candidate must perform original research for the thesis and defend the thesis content before a committee of professors. In some universities, depending on the Faculty or the field of research, the student must also complete an advanced course of study, and pass comprehensive examinations on the subject, or/and attend specific doctoral seminars offered by the University. PhD Candidates in Switzerland are usually employed by the Universities, having temporary contracts as research assistants. Their tasks include research, teaching and supervision of undergraduate students. For admission to the PhD examination, a Master’s degree (or equivalent) is required. PhD Candidates submit a thesis, which is examined by a (usually small, e.g., three members) ‘manuscript committee’. After approval there is a public defence in front of a bigger committee including the manuscript committee.