The Institutes of Higher Education
Switzerland offers a wide and varied range of higher education programmes.
The institutes of higher education can be separated into two types having the same status but with different educational goals: the traditional universities and the universities of applied sciences (UAS). The main task of the universities is to carry out basic research and teaching while the universities of applied sciences place a greater emphasis on practically oriented studies and on applied research and development.
Both types of institute make up a dense network of education outlets in Switzerland, offering Swiss and non-Swiss students alike high quality tertiary education opportunities.
Links and documentation
Federal universities
Der Bund ist Träger des ETH-Bereichs, der Eidgenössischen Hochschule für Berufsbildung EHB und der Eidgenössischen Hochschule für Sport Magglingen.
Coordination of higher education sector
The federal government has funded cantonal universities since 1968 and universities of applied sciences since 1995. The Higher Education Act (HEdA) provides a common basis for the funding and coordination of the Swiss higher education sector.