Switzerland
The Swiss university sector is composed of ten universities, each regulated by and operating in one given Swiss canton, and two federal institutes of technology (in Zurich and Lausanne), which have specific statuses. The large majority of Swiss students are registered with the cantonal universities. Higher education in Switzerland also includes universities of applied sciences and universities of teacher education. In 2011, a federal law was passed in relation to the funding and the coordination of the Swiss higher education sector. As a result, university associations were re-organised at a federal level, and political coordination was enhanced through the creation of an arena bringing together both the cantonal ministers and the federal minister responsible for higher education.
In Switzerland regulations governing the activities of universities stem from both the cantonal and the federal level, with the cantons as the primary organising authority and public funder. The federal institutes of technology are regulated at and financed by the federal level. Since each of the cantonal universities operates in a different canton, each of the ten institutions operates within a specific legal framework, making the overall picture highly diverse and challenging to cover at an aggregated level. Practices differ from one canton to the other. In addition, there is an ongoing broader ‘modernisation’ process whereby cantons review the legislation applying to higher education institutions, making the picture not only a complex, but also a developing one.
This profile focuses primarily on cantonal universities. Despite their diversity it is possible to outline frequent or common features, which have not significantly evolved since 2010.
Recent developments:
The Federal Act on the Funding and Coordination of the Higher Education Sector was passed in 2011 and implemented from 2015 onwards, including:
- a new institutional accreditation system
- financial provisions incentivising cooperation in the sector
Organisational autonomy: medium low
Despite variety in the system, the decision on the selection process of the executive head always has to be validated by an external authority and their term of office is set by law. Universities are usually able to decide on selection criteria and dismissal procedure. University boards/councils include only external members, whose appointment is confirmed by an external authority. Universities may decide on internal academic structures and may create non-for-profit legal entities.
Financial autonomy: medium high
Universities generally receive funding via annual block grants from the cantonal authorities without restrictions on internal allocation. Other financial restrictions vary significantly depending on the canton; close cooperation with the cantonal authorities is necessary to allocate any surplus or regarding real estate ownership. Borrowing is not directly accessible to universities. Universities and an external authority co-operate to set the level of tuition fees for all cycles.
Academic autonomy: medium high
Universities do not have the capacity to decide on overall student numbers nor to select students. However, they can introduce programmes without prior accreditation, choose the language of instruction and are free to select the quality assurance providers performing new mandatory institutional accreditation.
Staffing autonomy: high
Universities are able, broadly, to recruit senior academic and administrative staff, decide on their salaries and promote them autonomously, although there again cantonal specificities apply. While civil servant status has been essentially phased out, senior academic staff categories remain covered by particular regulations for dismissals.
Organisational weighted 55% unweighted 56%
0% Selection procedure for the executive head
The selection of the executive head is validated by an external authority
This applies to 11 other countries: Brandenburg, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, North Rhine-Westphalia, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden,
100% Selection criteria for the executive head
The selection criteria for the executive head are not stated in the law
This applies to 9 other countries: Austria, Wallonia, Iceland, Ireland, The Netherlands, Norway, Slovakia, Slovenia, United Kingdom
100% Dismissal of the executive head
The procedure for the dismissal of the executive head is not stated in the law
This applies to 10 other countries: Croatia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Flanders, Wallonia, Ireland, The Netherlands, Serbia, United Kingdom
0% Term of office of the executive head
The exact length is stated in the law
29% External members in university governing bodies
Universities cannot decide as they must include external members
This applies to 23 other countries: Austria, Croatia, Denmark, Finland, Flanders, France, Wallonia, Hesse, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Lithuania, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, North Rhine-Westphalia, Norway, Portugal, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden,
The appointment is completely controlled by an external authority
This applies to 5 other countries: Hungary, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, Serbia, Spain,
100% Capacity to decide on academic structures
Universities can decide on their academic structures without constraints
This applies to 19 other countries: Austria, Brandenburg, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Flanders, Wallonia, Hesse, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, The Netherlands, North Rhine-Westphalia, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom
60% Capacity to create legal entities
Universities are only allowed to create not-for-profit legal entities
This applies to one other country: Slovenia
Financial weighted 65% unweighted 62%
60% Length of public funding cycle
One year
100% Type of public funding
Block grant and there are no restrictions on the allocation of funding
This applies to 15 other countries: Brandenburg, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Flanders, Hesse, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, North Rhine-Westphalia, Norway, Spain, United Kingdom
0% Ability to borrow money
Universities cannot borrow money
100% Ability to keep surplus
Surplus can be kept without restrictions
This applies to 15 other countries: Austria, Croatia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Hesse, Italy, Latvia, The Netherlands, North Rhine-Westphalia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, United Kingdom
60% Ability to own buildings
Universities can sell their buildings with the approval of an external authority
This applies to 5 other countries: Croatia, Iceland, Luxembourg, Norway, Slovenia,
60% Tuition fees for national/EU students at Bachelor level
Universities and an external authority cooperate in setting the level of tuition fees
This does not apply to any other country.
60% Tuition fees for national/EU students at Master's level
Universities and an external authority cooperate in setting the level of tuition fees
This does not apply to any other country.
60% Tuition fees for national/EU students at doctoral level
Universities and an external authority cooperate in setting the level of tuition fees
This applies to one other country: Slovenia
60% Tuition fees for non-EU students at Bachelor level
Universities and an external authority cooperate in setting the level of tuition fees
60% Tuition fees for non-EU students at Master's level
Universities and an external authority cooperate in setting the level of tuition fees
60% Tuition fees for non-EU students at doctoral level
Staffing weighted 95% unweighted 95%
100% Recruitment procedures for senior academic staff
Recruitments are carried out freely by universities
This applies to 17 other countries: Austria, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Flanders, Hesse, Iceland, Lithuania, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, North Rhine-Westphalia, Norway, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Sweden, United Kingdom
100% Recruitment procedures for senior administrative staff
Recruitments are carried out freely by universities
This applies to 20 other countries: Austria, Brandenburg, Estonia, Finland, Flanders, Wallonia, Hesse, Hungary, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, North Rhine-Westphalia, Norway, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia, Sweden, United Kingdom
100% Salaries for senior academic staff
Universities can freely decide on staff salaries
This applies to 4 other countries: Estonia, Latvia, Luxembourg, Sweden,
100% Salaries for senior administrative staff
Universities can freely decide on staff salaries
This applies to 5 other countries: Estonia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Sweden, United Kingdom
80% Dismissal of senior academic staff
There are no sector-specific regulations concerning dismissals (national labour regulations apply)
This applies to 8 other countries: Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Sweden, United Kingdom
Dismissals are subject to other regulations specific to the sector
80% Dismissal of senior administrative staff
There are no sector-specific regulations concerning dismissals (national labour regulations apply)
This applies to 11 other countries: Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Wallonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Poland, Serbia, Sweden, United Kingdom
Dismissals are subject to other regulations specific to the sector
This applies to 5 other countries: Austria, Flanders, Ireland, The Netherlands, Slovakia,
100% Promotion procedures for senior academic staff
Universities can freely decide on promotion procedures
100% Promotion procedures for senior administrative staff
Universities can freely decide on promotion procedures
This applies to 13 other countries: Austria, Estonia, Finland, Flanders, Iceland, Latvia, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Slovakia, Sweden, United Kingdom
Academic weighted 72% unweighted 75%
0% Overall student numbers
Free admission
This applies to 5 other countries: Austria, Flanders, France, Wallonia, The Netherlands,
0% Admissions procedures at Bachelor level
Admissions are entirely regulated by an external authority
0% Admissions procedures at Master's level
Admissions are entirely regulated by an external authority
This applies to one other country: Wallonia
100% Introduction of programmes at Bachelor level
Universities can open degree programmes without prior accreditation
This applies to 7 other countries: Austria, Ireland, Luxembourg, Norway, Poland, Sweden, United Kingdom
100% Introduction of programmes at Master's level
Universities can open degree programmes without prior accreditation
This applies to 7 other countries: Austria, Ireland, Luxembourg, Norway, Poland, Sweden, United Kingdom
100% Introduction of programmes at doctoral level
Universities can open degree programmes without prior accreditation
This applies to 12 other countries: Austria, Brandenburg, Denmark, Flanders, Hesse, Ireland, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, North Rhine-Westphalia, Norway, Sweden, United Kingdom
100% Termination of degree programmes
Universities can terminate degree programmes independently
100% Language of instruction at Bachelor level
Universities can choose the language of instruction for all programmes
This applies to 19 other countries: Austria, Brandenburg, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Hesse, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, North Rhine-Westphalia, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom
100% Language of instruction at Master's level
Universities can choose the language of instruction for all programmes
This applies to 20 other countries: Austria, Brandenburg, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Hesse, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, North Rhine-Westphalia, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom
100% Selection of quality assurance mechanisms
Universities cannot select quality assurance mechanisms
100% Selection of quality assurance providers
Universities can choose the quality assurance agency freely according to their needs (including agencies from other countries)
This applies to 7 other countries: Austria, Brandenburg, Estonia, Finland, Hesse, Hungary, North Rhine-Westphalia,
100% Capacity to design content of degree programmes
Universities can freely design the content of degree programmes and courses (other than for the regulated professions)
This applies to 25 other countries: Austria, Brandenburg, Croatia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Flanders, France, Wallonia, Hesse, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, North Rhine-Westphalia, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom