Higher Education Act (HEdA)
English is not an official language of the Swiss Confederation. This translation is provided for information purposes only and has no legal force.
Section 1 Basic Principles
Art. 41
1 The Confederation and the Cantons shall see to it that public funding of the higher education sector is enough to ensure high-quality teaching and research. 2 The Confederation and the Cantons shall co-fund higher education institutions and other institutions within the higher education sector and shall do so on the basis of uniform funding principles. 3 The Confederation and the Cantons shall see to it that public contributions are used in a prudent and effective manner. 4 Higher education institutions and other institutions within the higher education sector shall seek to secure adequate third-party funding.
Section 2 Determination of Public Funding Requirem
Art. 42 Procedure
1 For each funding period, the Higher Education Council shall determine the public funding requirements of higher education institutions and other institutions within the higher education sector. 2 When doing so, it shall consider the following in particular: a. the relevant statistical findings of the Federal Statistical Office; b. the cost accounting of higher education institutions and other institutions within the higher education sector; c. the development and financial plans of higher education institutions and other institutions within the higher education sector; d. the reference costs; e. the expected number of students; f. Coordination of the entire Swiss higher education sector.
Art. 43 General financial conditions
On the basis of financial plans prepared by the Confederation and the Cantons, the Plenary Assembly shall establish the general financial conditions for the given funding period; before reaching its decision, it shall first hear the Swiss Conference of Rectors of Higher Education Institutions.
Art. 44 Reference costs
1 Reference costs are the expenses required in order to provide high-quality teaching to each student. 2 Output values used to establish reference costs shall reflect the average costs of teaching according to cost accounting records of higher education institutions. 3 Output values shall be adjusted so that public funding is enough to ensure high-quality teaching and the research required for this. Here, consideration shall be given to the specific characteristics of cantonal universities, federal institutes of technology and universities of applied sciences as well as their specific fields of study and disciplines. 4 The Plenary Assembly shall determine reference costs and review these periodically.