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State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation

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SERI at a glance

EAERFederal Department of Economic Affairs, Education and Research, to which SERI belongs.

10Divisions responsible for education, research and innovation.

2013Year SERI was founded, combining all federal ERI activities under one roof.

6,5CHF 4 billion (+2.5). Annual budget managed (+ coordinated) by SERI.

282 Employees. Plus 10 learners and 13 trainees from higher education institutions as well as 8 detached and 57 local staff abroad.

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Einsteinstrasse 2 in Bern – SERI offices.

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Welcome

Education, research and innovation (ERI) are essential el-ements in a society and economy such as Switzerland’s, whose success is based to a large extent on the creation, dissemination and use of knowledge and expertise. Education, research and innovation are therefore poli-cy areas which figure prominently among the govern-ment’s and parliament’s priorities.

The strength of an ERI system lies in the successful coop-eration between all the players involved. The Confeder-ation has adopted a strategy of providing targeted sup-port to the ERI sector and contributing to a functioning system. This strategy is compatible with Switzerland’s federalist structure and the high level of autonomy en-joyed by individual institutions. The State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation (SERI) is responsible for promoting this system in conjunction with the can-tons, the private sector, higher education institutions, grant funding institutions and other organisations. It also strives to continuously raise overall quality. SERI fo-cuses on national and international matters pertaining to vocational and professional education and training, general education, higher education, research, innova-tion and space.

SERI and its partners play a valuable role in maintaining Switzerland’s world-class education, research and inno-vation system. We look forward to continuing our suc-cessful and fruitful partnerships.

Mauro Dell‘AmbrogioState Secretary for Education, Research and Innovation

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SERI carries out its mission in close cooperation with other federal agencies, cantons, professional organ-isations, higher education institutions and bodies and grant funding institutions that support research and innovation. SERI is the Swiss contact point for national and international organisations and institu-tions and represents the Confederation in national bodies and Switzerland in international bodies.

SERI’s fields of activity

As the federal authority responsible for preparing and implementing federal ERI policy, SERI carries out the following tasks:

• It develops a strategic overview of education, research and innovation in Switzerland and handles federal performance and resource planning in these areas.

• It develops Switzerland’s international networks and ensures its place in European and global ERI.

• It provides a wide-ranging, varied and flexible system of general education and vocational education and training (VET).

• It raises the quality and appeal of vocational and professional education and training according to the changing needs of the labour market.

• It contributes to efficient and high-quality teaching and research at higher education institutions.

• It promotes research and innovation and coordinates the tasks and measures of the relevant federal fund-ing bodies.

• It fosters and coordinates Swiss activities in space re-search and applications.

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Education Fundamentals

SERI is responsible for regulation, strategy and develop-ment in the VPET system. This includes quality assurance and ensuring comparability and transparency among the range of training courses.

With the aim of achieving coherent and system-wide implementation and further development of the VPET system, SERI is working to establish evidence-based de-cision-making in response to political motions. It is also preparing the necessary indicators needed for strategic management and has launched or supervises implemen-tation of various comprehensive projects (e.g. mobility, VET and PET qualifications and changes in occupation for adults).

In addition, SERI contributes to public funding of the VPET system with a budget of nearly CHF 900 millions per year. It is responsible for paying federal lump-sum contributions to the cantons for the VPET system. Ten per cent of federal funding for the VPET system is used to support innovations and projects (e.g. to develop new VET programmes or to help young people to become integrated in VET programmes). SERI is also responsible for drafting legislation, handling complaints, providing legal guidance in the preparation of VET ordinances and examination regulations and processing requests for recognition and approvals. Finally, SERI is responsible for training VET and PET professionals as well as vocational, educational and career guidance counsellors.

Upper Secondary Education

Switzerland’s VET sector offers young people the choice of over 230 different occupations. The apprenticeships that are an inherent part of Swiss dual-track VET pro-grammes ease the transition from school to working life and paves the way for the next generation of skilled workers. VET programmes are geared to suit the needs of the labour market. Training content is therefore de-termined by the professional organisation representing the given branch. SERI offers guidance and support to professional organisations in their efforts to develop new VET programmes and revise existing ones. It also organises consultations and readings for interested parties and issues the corresponding VET ordinance for each VET programme. An average of around 20 new or revised VET ordinances have come into effect each year since 2005. SERI is responsible for strategic management, quality control and further development of Swiss upper-sec-ondary level vocational education and training (VET). SERI therefore also handles the core syllabus for lan-guage, communication and society courses within VET programmes, the core syllabus for preparatory courses for the Federal Vocational Baccalaureate examination and the core syllabus for physical education in VET pro-grammes.

Particularly talented young people in VET programmes have the option of attending a preparatory course for the Federal Vocational Baccalaureate examination, which covers more academic subjects. Those who pass this examination may enrol in a Swiss university of ap-plied sciences without having to take an entrance exam-ination. SERI works with the cantons and professional organisations to support this qualification, which helps to draw more young people to VET programmes. SERI is responsible for the Vocational Baccalaureate Ordinance

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professional colleges. Over 25,000 Federal PET Diplo-mas, Advanced Federal PET Diplomas and professional college degrees are awarded each year.

SERI is responsible for strategic management and qual-ity control for the Swiss PET sector. Working with the cantons and professional organisations, SERI tackles key issues concerning subsequent development and consolidation of professional education and training. It also works to find solutions, particularly with regards to funding, positioning and recognition of training cours-es. Major challenges for the PET sector include achieving an adequate level of subsidisation, maintaining permea-bility and creating junctures between the PET and other sectors of the Swiss education system, and ensuring that PET qualifications can be understood in other countries.SERI helps professional organisations to develop federal examinations, coordinates the merging of related pro-fessions and approves examination regulations. It also supervises the conduct of federal examinations and the work of examination boards. It is the complaints au-thority, issues the Federal PET Diploma and Advanced Federal PET Diploma, and maintains a corresponding register. As far as professional colleges are concerned, once professional organisations have drafted a core syl-labus, the Federal Commission for Professional Colleges (EKHF) will contact SERI to request approval. SERI also takes the lead in recognition procedures and recognises the degree programmes of private and public profes-sional colleges.

In addition, SERI provides financial support for the de-velopment of new examination regulations and core syllabuses, for the revision of existing ones and for the conduct of federal examinations. In the future, those who attend preparatory courses for these federal exam-inations will receive a subsidy from SERI.

and supervises its implementation. The Confederation, the cantons and professional organisations have devised a core syllabus, which is used as the basis for each VET programme. SERI evaluates and recognises each VET programme following consultation with the Federal Vo-cational Baccalaureate Commission (FVBC).

There are two ways to obtain an academic baccalaure-ate: attendance of a baccalaureate school recognised by the Confederation and the Swiss Conference of Can-tonal Ministers of Education (EDK); taking an examina-tion that has been centrally organised by the Swiss Bac-calaureate Commission (SMK). As the SMK secretariat, SERI receives over 2,000 registrations each year and or-ganises the examinations that are held twice per year in the German-, French- and Italian-speaking regions of Switzerland. It also coordinates recognition of baccalau-reates in cooperation with EDK.

At federal level, SERI pursues a consolidated national education policy for the entire upper-secondary level within the Swiss education system (i.e. VET sector and general education sector). It is main contact point for the cantons and professional organisations.

Professional Education and Training

With professional education and training (PET), Switzer-land has an effective and greatly appreciated means of enabling professionals to pursue subsequent training at tertiary-level. The Swiss PET sector builds from profes-sional experience, enables specialisation and a deepen-ing of one’s expertise and prepares professionals to take on managerial tasks. The PET sector is comprised of ex-aminations for the Federal PET Diploma and Advanced Federal PET Diploma as well as degree programmes at

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Cooperation in education

National and international cooperation in education is of great significance in Switzerland. Working together, the Confederation and the cantons fulfil their constitu-tional mandate to pursue a coherent high-quality ed-ucation system that is also optimally positioned at the international level. The Swiss Education Report provides important information for further development of the Swiss education system.

At the federal level, SERI is responsible for both national and international cooperation in education. It plays a leading role in federal and cantonal bodies whose pur-pose is to develop the Swiss education system further. SERI is also the contact point for international queries relating to education. It encourages international co-operation both within multilateral institutions (e.g. OECD, UNESCO, EU or Council of Europe) and at the bilateral level. In addition, SERI pursues various bilat-eral and multilateral initiatives, cooperation ventures and programmes such as the EU‘s Education and Youth Programmes or the OECD’s PISA study (Programme for International Student Assessment), which was co-fund-ed by the Confederation and the cantons. In so doing, SERI supports international networking in the field of education and the international positioning of the Swiss education system. In the area of international cooperation in vocational education and training (IC-VET), SERI seeks to establish networks with players in the field of VET, achieve international recognition of Swiss upper-secondary level VET and tertiary-level PET qualifications and exchange expertise to reinforce the Swiss VPET system.

Within the framework of the bilateral agreement on the free movement of persons, Switzerland works close-ly with the EU and takes part in the European system for the recognition of professional qualifications. Even third-state nationals have the possibility of having their qualifications recognised in Switzerland. As the national contact point for the recognition of professional quali-fications in Switzerland, it is the first agency to contact.

SERI is responsible for the recognition of foreign qualifi-cations for both regulated and unregulated occupations and professions. SERI also decides what compensatory measures need to be taken. Each year, it processes be-tween 5,000 and 6,000 applications.

Higher education

The Swiss higher education sector is both comprehen-sive and diverse: there are cantonal universities and federal institutes of technology, universities of applied sciences and universities of teacher education. In ad-dition to high-quality teaching, higher education insti-tutions are responsible for research and the provision of continuing education and training. By producing internationally recognised output, higher education in-stitutions contribute considerably to Swiss economic, cultural and social development. As co-sponsors of the Swiss higher education sector, the Confederation and the cantons are responsible for the regulation, funding, strategic management and supervision of higher educa-tion institutions and quality control.

SERI works with the cantons to maintain the competi-tiveness and quality of the Swiss higher education sec-tor. The Higher Education Act forms the legal basis for this. For SERI, the most important task is to monitor implementation of the federal performance mandate issued to the Federal Institutes of Technology Domain as well as providing funding for cantonal universities and universities of applied sciences. SERI has a range of support instruments for cantonal universities, provides them with federal subsidies and represents higher edu-cation policy interests at both national and international level. For the Swiss University Conference, to be presid-ed by the head of the Federal Department of Economic Affairs, Education and Research (EAER), SERI will handle secretarial functions. Through the Federal Commission for Scholarships for Foreign Students (FCS), SERI is also responsible for awarding and funding Swiss Govern-ment Excellence Scholarships for Foreign Scholars and Artists.

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National research and innovation

Switzerland is very strong in research and innovation (R&D). It produces a higher than average number of scientific papers and patents that receive considerable international attention. These results are mainly due to the high level of integration between the private sector and publically funded research expertise at Swiss higher education institutions.

The private sector contributes over two-thirds of Swiss expenditure on R&D. Public research spending is usually allocated based on the personal initiative of researchers, competition and international cooperation.

At federal level, SERI is responsible for national research and innovation policy. It therefore establishes the poli-cymaking foundation for this, develops the correspond-ing legal basis and implements the Research and Inno-vation Promotion Act (RIPA). By virtue of RIPA, SERI is responsible for setting the objectives of research and innovation funding through the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF) and the Commission for Innovation and Technology (CTI). This includes planning and coor-dination of national funding programmes (e.g. nation-al research programmes NRP and National Centres of Competence in Research (NCCRs) and funding e.g. in energy or the development of research infrastructures of national importance. SERI further supports approxi-mately 30 non-university research institutions and the Swiss Academies of Arts and Sciences. Finally, SERI coor-dinates federal sector research.

International Cooperation in Research and Innovation

International cooperation in research and innovation is becoming more important and frequent. This is because research, by its very nature, thrives from international exchange. In addition, certain large-scale projects ex-ceed the research capacities of any single country. At the same time, increased specialisation requires the in-ternational mobility of experts. International coopera-tion in the area of research and innovation is therefore of crucial importance for Switzerland. For this reason, Switzerland is a member of numerous international re-search organisations such as the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN), the European Southern Observatory (ESO) and the European Spallation Source (ESS). It is also involved in international programmes and initiatives such as the European Cooperation in Science and Technology (COST), applied research programmes such as EUREKA and the EU’s framework programmes for research and innovation (Horizon 2020, Euratom).

SERI is responsible for Swiss bilateral and multilateral ini-tiatives and cooperation ventures in the area of research and innovation and provides financial contributions for these endeavours. It prepares Swiss integration in cor-responding organisations, programmes and initiatives, leads negotiations and represents Switzerland in gov-erning bodies. It also helps research and innovation ac-tors to take part in projects. In addition, SERI provides Swiss researchers, innovation players and companies with information about opportunities offered by inter-national organisations and programmes and how to take advantage of them.

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MoscowBrussels

Rio de Janeiro

Singapore

Shanghai

Bangalore

Boston

San Francisco

Canberra

TokyoSeoulBeijing

New Delhi

Pretoria

Vienna

RomeMadrid

ParisLondon

Guangzhou

Brasilia

Buenos Aires

Santiago de Chile São Paulo

Ottawa

WahingtonNew York

International Relations and ERI Network

Foreign scientific policy is an important part of Swiss foreign policy. It has a mandate to raise Switzerland’s profile as one of the world’s most competitive locations for research, technological development and innovation and to encourage people and institutions to become more involved in international cooperation in these ar-eas.

SERI is responsible for implementation and further de-velopment of Switzerland’s international strategy in the area of education, research and innovation, particularly for bilateral cooperation with chosen partner countries. It negotiates bilateral agreements and corresponding programmes. In addition, it manages the foreign ERI network, which serves as a world showcase for Swiss ERI activities. The foreign ERI network is comprised of science and technology counsellors (STCs) at Swiss em-bassies across the globe and swissnex consular annexes in Boston (New York City), San Francisco, Singapore, Shanghai (Guangzhou), Bangalore and Rio de Janeiro (São Paolo).

Space

Space research and technology is very important to Switzerland. As a founding member of the European Space Agency (ESA), Switzerland is positioned as a com-petitive partner in the international arena. In addition to new scientific discoveries, Swiss involvement in space brings important industrial and technological innova-tions to Switzerland.

SERI supports and coordinates Swiss space policy at both the national and international level. Switzerland pursues its national interests through targeted international co-operation, namely by taking part in ESA programmes and other European and international space activities. SERI represents Switzerland within the ESA and is the contact person for research institutes and industrial companies that work in the field of space.

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SERI is headed by State Secretary Mauro Dell‘Ambrogio and Deputy Director Josef Widmer. The various divisions at SERI are responsible for different fields of activity. The Resources Division ensures the smooth running of SERI operations (Strategy and Planning, Finance, Subsidy Supervision, Human Resources and Logistics, Document Man-agement, IT and Language Services).

International Cooperation inResearch and Innovation

Direction

Education Fundamentals

Cooperation in Education

Upper-Secondary Education

Professional Educationand Training

Higher Education

National Researchand Innovation

International Relations

Communication, Affairs Coordinator

Resources

Space Office

SERI structureI

ERI Network

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Facts and figures

SERI budget

0 2 4 6 8 10

Scholarships

Swiss Academies of Arts and Sciences

EU Education Framework Programmes

ERI-related international cooperation

Research institutions outside the university sector

Innovation Promotion Agency

Space Affairs

Universities of Applied Sciences

EU Research Framework Programmes

Cantonal Universities

Vocational ecucation and training

Swiss National Science Foundation

FIT Domain9.58

3.72

3.58

3.10

2.18

2.15

0.58

0.55

0.30

0.24

0.15

0.12

0.10

Federal expenditure for ERI in 2013-2016, in CHF billion. Source: SERI

Men and women at SERI

Employees by official language

Trainees at SERI

• 10 Number of apprentices (commercial apprenticeship)• 13 Number of student interns

0 50 100 150 200

125

Men

180

Wom

en

Deutschfrançais

italiano

233

62

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Federal ERI expenditure between 2013 and 2016 is around CHF 26 billion. SERI administers about CHF 4 billion of these funds annually; the Federal Institutes of Technolo-gy Domain and other independent institutes administer their own funds within the framework of performance agreements.

Employees in Bern. Last update: 1 January 2015.

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ImpressumPublished by: State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation SERIEinsteinstrasse 2, 3003 BernEdited by: Cécile Stäger, Communication SERILayout: Désirée Kunze, Communication SERITranslated by: SERI Language Services, GS-EAER and FChPrinted by: Sonderegger Druck AG, WeinfeldenLanguages: g, e, f and iPhotos: François Schaer, University of Geneva (front page, bottom right); BFH (front page, bottom left); Susi Lindig (front page, top right, p.4), Iris Krebs (front page, centre-left, p.2, 6, 7); CERN (p.8); ESA (p.9), Monika Estermann, WSL Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research (p.11)

Contact State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation SERIEinsteinstrasse 23003 BernT +41 58 462 21 29info@sbfi.admin.chwww.sbfi.admin.ch