Swiss Vocational & Professional Education &Training (VPET) Christoph Ebell, Embassy of Switzerland, Washington, DC.

Swiss Vocational & Professional Education &Training (VPET)

Christoph Ebell, Embassy of Switzerland, Washington, DC

Outline

• Overview• Vocational education and training (VET)• Professional education and training (PET)• VET/PET Partners• VET/PET Funding• VET/PET Innovation• Universities of Applied Sciences (UAS)

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PET

VET

Professional Education & Training(tertiary level)

Vocational Education & Training(upper-secondary level)

Swiss VET/PET System

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Legal Basis

VPETA: Federal Vocational & Professional Education & Training Act

• revised in 2002• came into force in early 2004

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Outline

• Overview• Vocational education and training (VET)• Professional education and training (PET)• VET/PET Partners• VET/PET Funding• VET/PET Innovation• Universities of Applied Sciences (UAS)

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Vocational Education & Training

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Students entering upper secondary education

OPET illustration. Source: VET in Switzerland – National report from Switzerland contributing to the OECD‘s review of „learning for jobs“ 2008, p. 28 + 30

Single- and dual-track VET approach

9OPET illustration. Source: Federal Statistical Office – Education indicators (www.bfs.admin.ch)

Dual-track VET approach

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practice theory

company3 – 4 days per week

vocational school1 -2 days per week

Federal VET Certificate (2 years) or Federal VET Diploma (3 or 4 years)

Three study/training locations within the dual-track system

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The 20 most popular occupations

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Number of newly enrolled VET students in 2007

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Youth unemployment under 25 years (OECD 2009, reference year 2008) Switzerland: 7.0 % - OECD average: 12.4 %

Outline

• Overview• Vocational education and training (VET)• Professional education and training (PET)• VET/PET Partners• VET/PET Funding• VET/PET Innovation• Universities of Applied Sciences (UAS)

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Professional Education & Training

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Outline

• Overview• Vocational education and training (VET)• Professional education and training (PET)• VET/PET Partners• VET/PET Funding• VET/PET Innovation• Universities of Applied Sciences (UAS)

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VET/PET Partners

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CompaniesVocational schools

Cooperation with VET/PET Partners

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• Federal Commission for Vocational and Professional Education and Training (EBBK)

• Federal Commission for VET Professionals (EKBV)

• Federal Vocational Baccalaureate Examination Board

• Federal Commission for Professional Colleges

Outline

• Overview• Vocational education and training (VET)• Professional education and training (PET)• VET/PET Partners• VET/PET Funding• VET/PET Innovation• Universities of Applied Sciences (UAS)

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VET funding

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55 %

PET Funding

Funding of Switzerland‘s PET programmes are to a large

extent paid for by:

• Employers

• Private individuals involved

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Cost and benefit

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Outline

• Overview• Vocational education and training (VET)• Professional education and training (PET)• VET/PET Partners• VET/PET Funding• VET/PET Innovation• Universities of Applied Sciences (UAS)

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VET/PET Innovation

Development of the VET/PET system

• 2008 – 2011: 270 million Swiss Francs

VET/PET research

• 2008 – 2011: 20 million Swiss Francs

• 7 leading houses

• Grants for development projects

• Specific research contracts

Application of research finding

• Swiss Federal Institute for Vocational Education and Training (SFIVET)

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Outline

• Overview• Vocational education and training (VET)• Professional education and training (PET)• VET/PET Partners• VET/PET Funding• VET/PET Innovation• Universities of Applied Sciences (UAS)

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Universities of Applied Sciences (UAS)

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UAS Landscape

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Steering of UAS

• Federal control of UAS: Federal Office for Professional Education and Training OPET

• Cantons or groups of cantons owning AUS

• Tasks:

• Approval of requests (1998, 2003)

• Peer Review (2001, 2003)

• Funding

• Approval of study programs

• Accreditation / recognition of degrees

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UAS: Fields of Study

• Engineering and IT

• Architecture, Building Engineering and Planning

• Chemistry and Life Sciences

• Agriculture and Forestry

• Business, Management and Services

• Design

• Health

• Social Work

• Music, Theatre and other Arts

• Applied Psychology

• Applied Linguistics

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Thank you for your attention !

Further information: www.bbt.admin.ch30