Educational policy system background
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The education system reflects the way Switzerland is organised politically. In accordance with Switzerland's federal structure, the tasks of the education system are shared between 3 political levels (Confederation, cantons and municipalities) which work together in their respective areas of responsibility to ensure high quality in the education system.
Characteristics of the Swiss education system
Here, the principle of subsidiarity plays a key role: the superior level only passes regulations or undertakes corresponding tasks if the subordinate level is not in a position to do so. The education system is characterised by a high degree of anchoring in local areas, cantons and linguistic regions. The main responsibility for education lies with the cantons. There is no ministry of education on a nationwide level. The tasks of the Confederation in education are performed by the Federal Department for Home Affairs (EDI) (via the State Secretariat for Education and Research [SER]) and by the Federal Department for Economics (via the Federal Office for Professional Education and Technology [OPET]). Important key parameters in education are uniformly regulated, either on a nationwide or inter-cantonal basis.
The cantons are responsible for the education system wherever the Federal Constitution does not stipulate that the Confederation is responsible. Each canton has its own legal regulations for education.
Here, the principle of subsidiarity plays a key role: the superior level only passes regulations or undertakes corresponding tasks if the subordinate level is not in a position to do so. The education system is characterised by a high degree of anchoring in local areas, cantons and linguistic regions. The main responsibility for education lies with the cantons. There is no ministry of education on a nationwide level. The tasks of the Confederation in education are performed by the Federal Department for Home Affairs (EDI) (via the State Secretariat for Education and Research [SER]) and by the Federal Department for Economics (via the Federal Office for Professional Education and Technology [OPET]). Important key parameters in education are uniformly regulated, either on a nationwide or inter-cantonal basis.
The cantons are responsible for the education system wherever the Federal Constitution does not stipulate that the Confederation is responsible. Each canton has its own legal regulations for education.
Educational levels or categories
The Swiss education system comprises the following educational levels or categories:
The Swiss education system comprises the following educational levels or categories:
 | Pre-school |
| Primary school |
| Lower secondary level |
| Upper secondary level: vocational education and training (basic vocational education and training, vocational baccalaureate) and general education (specialised middle schools and matura schools) |
| Tertiary level: higher vocational education and training (federal PET diploma examinations, advanced federal PET diploma examinations, colleges of higher vocational education and training) and university education. The universities are divided into the traditional universities (cantonal universities and Federal Institutes of Technology) and the universities of applied sciences, including universities for art and music as well as universities of teacher education. |
| Continuing education |
| Special needs education. |
