Continuing education in figures
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Most people living in Switzerland are involved in some form of continuing education: in 2005 / 2006, 77% of permanent residents and 83% of wage earners participated in at least 1 continuing education activity. Such activities can be those, which take place within an organised framework (such as attendance of courses, seminars, private tuition; which, however, do not lead to a recognised qualification) or forms of informal learning (such as reading specialist literature, learning from work colleagues, learning from CD-ROMs or the Internet).
Vocational continuing education
Informal learning is more predominant than continuing education activities, which take place within an organised framework: 71% of permanent residents and 77% of wage earners have continued their education by means of specialist literature or learning from work colleagues etc., whereas 43% of permanent residents and 53% of wage earners have continued their education by attending courses, seminars, conventions etc.
More people who work full-time continue their education than those who work part-time (workload below 50%).
51% of wage earners have attended courses, seminars etc., while among the unemployed, the share is 22%. As the level of education rises, the amount of involvement in continuing education increases. 95% of wage earners with a tertiary qualification and 82% of those with a qualification on the upper secondary level have continued their education in some way. Among those without post-compulsory education, the share is 59%.
Support by employers
Employers provide significant support to the vocationally oriented continuing education of their employees, either by arranging the continuing education themselves or by allowing the continuing education to be carried out full-time or part-time during working hours, or by bearing some of the fees themselves. In 2006, employers provided support for ¾ of the completed hours of continuing education activities which take place within an organised framework. Most of this support was financial support, as well as support in terms of working hours. Employers financed, in whole or in part, around 7 of every 10 hours of continuing education activities which take place within an organised framework. Large companies support the continuing education of their staff more intensively than small companies.
Qualifications
In 2007, a total of 1197 qualifications (comprising at least 60 ECTS points) were awarded in continuing education conducted at cantonal universities and Federal Institutes of Technology. 30% of the continuing education qualifications were awarded to women and 38% to foreign students. Most qualifications were attained in economics, technical sciences, humanities and social sciences. In continuing education conducted at universities of applied sciences, 2422 qualifications (comprising at least 60 ECTS points) were awarded in 2007. Of these qualifications, 25% were awarded to women and 13% to foreign students. The subject area of business, management and services dominated in continuing education.
Figures: Federal Statistical Office (FSO)
Informal learning is more predominant than continuing education activities, which take place within an organised framework: 71% of permanent residents and 77% of wage earners have continued their education by means of specialist literature or learning from work colleagues etc., whereas 43% of permanent residents and 53% of wage earners have continued their education by attending courses, seminars, conventions etc.
More people who work full-time continue their education than those who work part-time (workload below 50%).
51% of wage earners have attended courses, seminars etc., while among the unemployed, the share is 22%. As the level of education rises, the amount of involvement in continuing education increases. 95% of wage earners with a tertiary qualification and 82% of those with a qualification on the upper secondary level have continued their education in some way. Among those without post-compulsory education, the share is 59%.
Support by employers
Employers provide significant support to the vocationally oriented continuing education of their employees, either by arranging the continuing education themselves or by allowing the continuing education to be carried out full-time or part-time during working hours, or by bearing some of the fees themselves. In 2006, employers provided support for ¾ of the completed hours of continuing education activities which take place within an organised framework. Most of this support was financial support, as well as support in terms of working hours. Employers financed, in whole or in part, around 7 of every 10 hours of continuing education activities which take place within an organised framework. Large companies support the continuing education of their staff more intensively than small companies.
Qualifications
In 2007, a total of 1197 qualifications (comprising at least 60 ECTS points) were awarded in continuing education conducted at cantonal universities and Federal Institutes of Technology. 30% of the continuing education qualifications were awarded to women and 38% to foreign students. Most qualifications were attained in economics, technical sciences, humanities and social sciences. In continuing education conducted at universities of applied sciences, 2422 qualifications (comprising at least 60 ECTS points) were awarded in 2007. Of these qualifications, 25% were awarded to women and 13% to foreign students. The subject area of business, management and services dominated in continuing education.
Figures: Federal Statistical Office (FSO)
