The tertiary level comprises training in the scope of higher educational education and of the universities:

 

 

 

The governing bodies in the tertiary sectors are the cantons as well as the Confederation. According to the federal constitution, the Confederation regulatory powers for the areas of higher vocational education. The Confederation is also responsible for the universities of applied sciences (FH) and the two Federal Institutes of Technology (ETH). The individual cantons are responsible for their cantonal universities and for the universities of teacher education (PH). The latter are also subject to inter-cantonal regulations.
The universities of art and music as well as the teacher training colleges are partly integrated into universities of applied sciences (FH), partly independent.
In 2003 /2004, there were 196,482 students undergoing tertiary education in Switzerland.

Higher vocational education
Higher vocational education on the tertiary level prepares students for responsible positions in specific occupational fields. Students must be in possession of a federal certificate (Fähigkeitszeugnis), higher general educational qualification or a similar qualification. Over 350 recognised occupation-related and specialised degree programmes are offered. The occupation-related education is completed with a corresponding federal certificate (Eidgenössischer Fachausweis), higher specialist education (höhere Fachausbildung with a diploma. In 2004, 11,368 such federal certificates and 3195 diplomas were awarded.
The universities of applied sciences offer courses and post diploma studies for the areas of engineering, catering and hotel industry, tourism and domestic economy, economics, agriculture and sustainable forestry, healthcare, social work and further education; arts and presentation. In 2004, 4067 diplomas were awarded. The number of diplomas will probably increase as of 2004 because the areas of healthcare, social work and arts have been placed under the vocational education law.

Universities
The cantonal universities offer courses in theology, humanities and social science, mathematics and natural science, law, economics, medicine and pharmaceuticals, the Federal Institutes of Technology (ETH) offer courses in natural and engineering science, architecture, mathematics, pharmaceutical science as well as sport and military science. 9800 university diplomas / degrees are expected to be issued in 2004.
The universities of applied sciences (FH) provide more practice-oriented courses in the areas of engineering and information technologies, architecture, construction and planning nature, chemicals and life science, agriculture and forestry, economics and services, design, healthcare, social work, arts, music theatre, as well as applied psychology and applied linguistics. The universities of teacher education (PH) are responsible for the training of the teachers. 7265 university diplomas were issued in 2004.
In 2004 a total of 160,000 students attended a Swiss university facility, approx. two thirds of these attended a university and almost one third a university of applied sciences (FH).