Challenges and objectives for the ERI sector 2025–2028

Switzerland is in an internationally competitive position in the ERI sector. One of the objectives formulated by the Federal Council in its 2023–2027 legislative plan is for Switzerland to remain a leader in education, research and innovation.

ERI policy for the years 2025–2028 is geared towards achieving this goal. It addresses current and future challenges faced by the ERI sector, challenges which also open up huge opportunities. They include global megatrends such as climate change, energy and resource scarcity, sustainable development, health issues, geopolitical change and digital transformation. Furthermore, in view of Switzerland's current policy of focusing on its own skilled workers rather than relying on workers from abroad, it is crucial to provide future-proof educational opportunities leading to jobs for a wide range of talents and interests. And finally, it is a question of actively shaping the global changes that are taking place, not least with innovative contributions from basic research and their marketable implementation.

Against this backdrop, the Federal Council has set targets for the various ERI areas. The ERI players' strategic multi-year plans also focus on attaining these targets.

General education, vocational and professional education and training (VPET), continuing education and training (CET):

General education, vocational and professional education and training (VPET), continuing education and training (CET)

• Swiss educational programmes remain of high quality, locally focused and internationally networked. They equip participants for the future in a dynamic environment.
• Education and training promotes individual learning, work and study skills.
• The federal government's CET policy is coordinated and developed as required.
• The Swiss education system utilises the opportunities arising from digitalisation.

Higher education sector

• The institutions of the ETH Domain ensure their excellence in teaching and research and make a significant contribution to overcoming pressing challenges for science, business, society and politics.
• Higher education institutions train enough young talent for academia, industry and society. By promoting diversity, equal opportunities and inclusion, they exploit talent potential to the maximum.
• Higher education institutions maintain their type-specific profiles and develop them further.
• Higher education institutions promote international cooperation in order to ensure the competitiveness of the Swiss ERI system as a whole and increase its resilience.

Research and innovation

• Federal funding promotes basic research, applied research and innovation of the highest quality and focuses on the opportunities arising from sustainable development and digital transformation.
• Cooperation between academia and industry is promoted long-term.
• Switzerland encourages networking among researchers and continues to improve access to international infrastructures, programmes and collaborations.
• Switzerland strengthens its cooperation with the European Space Agency (ESA) and with selected international partners in the space sector and has targeted measures to promote Switzerland as a centre of knowledge and industry long term.

The Federal Council is also pursuing the education policy objectives set in conjunction with the cantons.

Links

Strategic multi-year plans 2025-2028 of the ERI stakeholders

• ETH-Rat: Strategic Plan 2025–2028 of the ETH Board for the ETH Domain
• swissuniversities: Strategy and Planning for the Dispatch on education, research and innovation (ERI) 2025-2028
• Akademien der Wissenschaften Schweiz: Neue Mehrjahresplanung 2025-2028 für den Akademienverbund
• EHB: Strategische Mehrjahresplanung 2025–2028
• SNF: Multi-Year Programme 2021-2024
• Innosuisse: Multi-year programme 2025–2028