Leading Houses

Leading Houses can help to consolidate VPET research in Switzerland. Each Leading House operates as a long-term competence network, affiliated with one or more academic chairs at Swiss higher education institutions. Its mandate is set out in a performance agreement with SERI.

Leading House remit:

• Focussing on research:
  Leading Houses conduct research focusing on a specific VPET-related theme. This research helps to close conceptual gaps in the field and responds to the needs of both VPET policy and practice.
• Supporting early-career researchers:
  Leading Houses develop support programmes tailored to their research focus to foster the next generation of researchers. Early-career researchers are actively involved in research projects, mentored by the Leading House and, where possible, retained to contribute to long-term VPET research.
• Building national and international networks:
  Leading Houses build and maintain national and international research networks through targeted projects that support early-career researchers and through active participation in conferences and workshops..
• Leveraging research findings:
  Leading Houses disseminate their research findings to interested VPET stakeholders in appropriate formats (e.g. conferences, workshops, publications) to facilitate the transfer of knowledge into professional practice.

SERI currently supports the following Leading Houses:

• D-VET Hub: The Digital Vocation, Education and Training Hub, led by Prof. Dr. Tanja Käser (EPFL), focuses on digitalisation and machine learning in vocational education and training. Specifically, it develops innovative models and algorithms that enable highly individualised learning tools to optimise learning success and prepare learners for lifelong learning.
• Leading House GOVPET: The Leading House for Governance in Vocational and Professional Education and Training is led by Prof. Patrick Emmenegger (University of St. Gallen) and Prof. Giuliano Bonoli (University of Lausanne). It focuses on the governance of collectively organised systems of vocational and professional education and training. Key areas of inquiry include balancing coordinated employer involvement with social fairness, adapting vocational and professional education to the demands of the knowledge economy, and integrating migrants into the education system. Its overarching aim is to deepen understanding of decentralised cooperation and to develop strategies that promote social inclusion and address structural challenges.
• Leading House VPET-ECON: The Swiss Leading House ‘VPET-ECON: A Research Center on the Economics of Education, Firm Behavior and Training Policies’ is run by Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. Uschi Backes-Gellner (University of Zurich) and Prof. Dr. Stefan C. Wolter (University of Bern). It specialises in the economics of vocational education and training and studies the interaction of three key actors within the Swiss VPET system: companies, individuals and the state. This interplay – along with that of other actors – is crucial to the success and efficiency of VET systems.