Swiss Review 1/2018

Swiss Review / January 2018 / No.1 24 OSA news educationsuisse – the Swiss education system Switzerland offers an extremely wide range of educational courses and training opportunities. Dual-track vocational training combin- ing practice and theory is a special feature of the system. This basic vocational training can take place in a host company – whether a pri- vate company or a public body – combined with one or two days of school a week. There is also sometimes the opportunity to attend classes on a full-time basis (apprentice workshops or commercial schools). Lessons are also combined with hands-on training at ter- tiary level in higher vocational education. Two thirds of all young peo- ple undertake basic vocational training (apprenticeships) after com- pulsory education. Many of them also obtain their vocational school-leaving qualifications alongside their apprenticeship enabling them to study at universities of applied sciences later on. Switzerland’s universities provide a wide range of outstanding courses. There are ten traditional universities which are public insti- tutions (Geneva, Lausanne, Fribourg, Neuchâtel, Berne, Basel, Lucerne, Zurich, St. Gallen and Svizzera Italiana) and two federal institutes of technology in Zurich and Lausanne. Many public universities of ap- plied sciences also provide vocational courses at university level. The teacher training colleges train young people as qualified teachers to work at the various levels of the school system. Please contact our staff via email, by telephone or make an appoint- ment to visit in person (see contact details below or at www.educa- tionsuisse.ch) if you have any questions about the Swiss education system or any general questions regarding education in Switzerland for young Swiss people abroad or concerning educationsuisse’s advi- sory services. Our employees speak German, French, English, Italian and Spanish. educationsuisse Tel .+41 31 356 61 04 Fax+41 31 356 61 01 info@educationsuisse.ch www.educationsuisse.ch Organisation of the Swiss Abroad (OSA) Alpenstrasse 26 CH-3006 Berne Tel. +41 31 356 61 00 Fax +41 31 356 61 01 info@aso.ch www.aso.ch www.revue.ch www.swisscommunity.org Our partners: Foundation for Young Swiss Abroad Tel .+41 31 356 6116 Fax+41 31 356 61 01 info@sjas www.sjas.ch Tertiary level Upper secondary level Secondary level Primary level Kindergarten Universities General education (High school) Higher vocational education Vocational education and training (apprenticeship) Compulsory school University of Applied Sciences Master Bachelor Swiss Advanced Federal PET Diploma Swiss Federal PET Diploma VET with professional Matura Federal Ability Diploma (VET) or Certificate Teacher training University Master Bachelor Technical College Diploma University / ETH-EPF PhD/Doctorate Master Bachelor Specialised Matura Specialised Middle Schools Federal Matura Matura Schools Swiss Educational System (simplified schema) The Swiss education system is renowned for its high degree of freedom to choose educational paths. There are various ways of gaining a place on, switching or catching up on training or educational courses. Anyone holding the qualifications required can generally embark on the course of their choice.