Switzerland

• Governmental membership
  Switzerland has been a Governmental Member of EQAR since May 2009.

  Map: EHEA countries by governmental membership

• General information on higher education

  The higher education sector of Switzerland is defined by the Higher Education Act (see below) and includes two types of higher education institutions with the same status but with different goals: the research 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. The Universities of Teacher Education are of the same type as the UAS. Only universities award PhDs but all higher education institutions in the tertiary sector are active in teaching, research, continuing education and training and the provision of services to third parties.

• National external quality assurance requirements

  • Programme accreditation
    voluntary, except for medical and health professions according to public health regulations

  • Institutional accreditation
    Institutional accreditation according to Swiss law, with a decision by the Swiss Accreditation Council, is mandatory for all public higher education institutions of the tertiary sector and for private higher education institutions using a protected denomination (“University”, “University of Applied Sciences”, “ University of Teacher Education“). Successful accreditation has no legal impact beyond the right to use one of the protected denominations but is a testimony to a quality assurance systems covering all processes and suited to support the higher education institution to achieve its goals.

• EHEA key commitment

  Fully aligned with the ESG

  A fully functioning quality assurance system is in operation nationwide, in which all higher education institutions are subject to regular external quality assurance by an agency that has successfully demonstrated compliance with the Standards and Guidelines for Quality Assurance in the EHEA (ESG) through registration on EQAR

  Map: implementation of the EHEA key commitment

• Cross-border quality assurance

  Recognising EQAR-registered agencies as part of the national external QA requirements

  • Eligibility requirements for foreign agencies: higher education institutions may choose an EQAR-registered agency recognised by the Swiss Accreditation Council (see below)

  • Conditions for the agencies’ work (e.g. criteria to be used): to agree to the Fee Regulations of the Accreditation Council, to align its accreditation procedures with the HEdA Accreditation Ordinance or alternatively to use the Accreditation Guide of AAQ

  • Recognition of reviews carried out by foreign agencies: the final accreditation decision is taken by the Swiss Accreditation Council.

  Map: recognition of cross-border quality assurance

• European Approach for Quality Assurance of Joint Programmes

  European Approach available to all higher education institutions

  The European Approach can be used by EQAR-registered agencies operating in the country.

  Map: availability of the European Approach for QA of Joint Programmes

• Permalink
  https://data.deqar.eu/country/167/
• Further information

  • Swiss Accreditation Council: Guidelines on the recognition of agencies

  • Swiss Accreditation Council: Recognised agencies

  • HEdA Accreditation Ordinance

  • Higher Education Act

Registered agencies operating in Switzerland