“Die höhere Berufsbildung in der Schweiz”

In July 2016, SFIVET researcher Dr. Andreas Kuhn published a report on the Swiss professional education sector commissioned by the Konrad Adenauer Foundation in Germany. At the same time, the Konrad Adenauer Foundation and the Christian Democratic Party of Germany (CDU) brought the concept of professional education based on the Swiss model into political discussion.

A woman spreading her arms at the top of a mountain
Romy Mitterlechner - fotolia.com

The publication by Dr. Andreas Kuhn is intended to provide substance to the newly initiated debate in Germany. It describes the main features of the Swiss professional education sector, including an overview of the types of professional qualifications and their positioning at tertiary level within the Swiss education system. The report also explains the structure of the professional education sector, presents the latest keys figures as well as the positioning of professional qualifications on the Swiss labour market. Finally, the report discusses recent challenges and education policy developments influencing the Swiss professional education sector.

In July 2016, the CDU’s special committee for education, research and innovation presented proposals on how Germany’s system of vocational education and training could be restructured to address forecasted labour market shortages. Michael Kretschmer, the deputy head of the CDU/CSU parliamentary group, has explained that the CDU wishes to present tertiary-level professional education as a stepping stone for ambitious people seeking good career prospects. For this reason, the CDU is now serious about ensuring that academic and vocational pathways are considered as equally valid alternatives.