Switzerland has an excellent education system. This is due to the fact that it is very permeable. It is therefore possible to adapt the educational pathways to one’s own development at any time. Students can start with an apprenticeship and still, if they subsequently complete a vocational Matura, end up studying at a university. The low rate of Matura graduates in Switzerland compared to other countries strengthens the acceptance of the different educational paths and ensures that students with a Matura are well prepared for high-quality studies at a university. The success of the Swiss higher education system rests on three pillars. The first is international openness. Swiss universities aim to attract the best minds worldwide, be they students, doctoral candidates or professors. The second is a high level of operational autonomy. Universities act autonomously from politics and administration and manage their own affairs. This independence, especially from politics, is crucial for their success. The third important pillar is solid, stable funding. Universities in Switzerland are mainly financed by the federal government and the cantons. This enables consistent planning because the funding is steady and reliable. The coronavirus crisis has dramatically demonstrated the great financial risk that universities carry when they depend too heavily on tuition fees or third-party money. Ensuring continued social and political support for all three pillars will be necessary to secure the attractiveness and strength of the Swiss higher education system also in the future. https://www.ethrat.ch/en/members-eth-board/michael-hengartner

https://www.ethrat.ch/en/members-eth-board/michael-hengartner