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 Entitlement to Receive Funding Contribut
Art. 45 Requirements
1 A higher education institution may be recognised by the Confederation as entitled to receive funding if it: a. is institutionally accredited; b. offers public education services; and c. is a meaningful addition, expansion or alternative to existing institutions. 2 Other institutions within the higher education sector may be recognised by the Confederation as qualifying for funding if they: a. are institutionally accredited; b. offer public education services; c. cannot be included as part of an already existing higher education institution; and d. carries out tasks that further higher education policy interests and may be included in coordination of the entire Swiss higher education sector decided by the Higher Education Council. 3 Public education services are education services: a. that satisfy a public need; b. that are provided within the framework of a public and legally established mandate; and c. where the curricula or qualifications issued are aligned with public education po
Art. 46 Decision-making
1 The Federal Council decides on the eligibility of funding of higher education institutions and other institutions within the higher education sector. 2 It shall first hear the Plenary Assembly.
Section 2 Types of Contribution and Funding
Art. 47 Types of contribution
1 Within the framework of approved budget appropriations, the Confederation provides financial support to eligible cantonal universities, universities of applied sciences and other institutions within the higher education sector. This financial support shall be provided in the form of: a. basic contributions; b. contributions to cover expenditure for construction and use of buildings; c. project contributions. 2 Universities of teacher education may only receive project contributions. 3 The Confederation may provide financial support in the form of contributions to shared infrastructure facilities of higher education institutions and other institutions within the higher education sector if the said infrastructure facilities are used to carry out tasks of importance to the whole of Switzerland. These contributions may not exceed 50 per cent of the total operational costs.
Art. 48 Authorisation of budget
1 The Federal Assembly shall determine the financial resources to be set aside for federal contributions. It shall establish multi-annual budget appropriations and funding commitments. 2 It shall issue simple decrees for each budget appropriation: a. for basic contributions for cantonal universities and other institutions within the higher education sector; b. for basic contributions for universities of applied sciences and other institutions within the higher education sector. 3 Budget appropriations must be established in such a way as to ensure that corresponding annual payment budgets match contribution rates. 4 The Federal Assembly shall issue simple decrees for each funding commitment for: a. contributions to cover expenditure for construction and use of buildings as well as contributions to shared infrastructure facilities available to higher education institutions and other institutions within the higher education sector; b. project contributions.
Section 3 Basic Contributions
Art. 49 Intended purpose
Basic contributions shall be used to cover operational costs.
Art. 50 Contribution rates
The Confederation shall pay the following share of the total amount of the reference costs: a. 20 per cent in the case of cantonal universities; b. 30 per cent in the case of universities of applied sciences.
Art. 51 Assessment basis
1 The total annual amount is determined mainly on the basis of teaching and research performance achieved by institutions that are deemed eligible for funding. 2 The proportion of teaching shall be determined on the basis of reference costs. When doing so, the following criteria shall be considered: a. the number of students enrolled; b. the number of students who successfully complete their studies; c. the average duration of studies; d. teacher-student ratios; e. the number of students enrolled in specific disciplines or fields of study; f. the quality of education and training. 3 The proportion of research is determined on the following basis: a. research performance; b. acquisition of third-party funding, particularly funding from the Swiss National Science Foundation, EU research framework programmes, the Commission for Technology and Innovation as well as from other public and private sources. 4 No more than 10 per cent of the total annual amount shall be paid to eligible institu
Art. 52 Decision-making
1 The competent Department shall decide on basic contributions. 2 It may delegate this decision to the corresponding Federal Office.
Art. 53 Fixed contributions to higher education institutions
1 The competent Federal Office may issue mandates to or sign performance agreements with other institutions within the higher education sector that are eligible for contributions and may pay fixed contributions to cover operational costs instead of paying the basic contributions set forth in Article 50–52. 2 Such contributions may not exceed 45 per cent of operational costs. 3 Under the terms of the Cooperation Agreement, the Swiss Higher Education Council shall issue basic principles on the payment of fixed contributions.
Section 4 Contributions to Cover Expenditure for C
Art. 54 Intended purpose and exceptions
1 Contributions to cover expenditure for construction and use of buildings are intended for the acquisition, long-term use, creation and transformation of buildings for teaching, research or other higher education purposes. 2 No contributions are paid to cover: a. costs associated with the purchase of land and land development; b. costs associated with building maintenance; c. public fees, depreciation and interest expenses. 3 For university clinics, no contributions are provided to cover expenditure for construction and use of buildings.
Art. 55 Requirements
1 Contributions are paid for building construction if the building project: a. costs more than CHF 5 million; b. is cost-effective; c. satisfies the requirements for the allocation of tasks and cooperation among higher education institutions; d. meets stringent environmental and energy efficiency standards; and e. includes facilitated access for the disabled. 2 Contributions for building usage are paid if: a. usage entails recurring costs exceeding CHF 300,000; b. usage has been agreed for a period of at least five years; c. usage is cost-effective; d. usage satisfies the requirements for the allocation of tasks and cooperation among higher education institutions; e. the building used meets stringent environmental and energy efficiency standards; and f. the building used includes facilitated access for the disabled.
Art. 56 Maximum contribution threshold
The Confederation provides a maximum contribution of 30 per cent of eligible costs.
Art. 57 Calculation
1 The Federal Council decides on the calculation of eligible costs. It shall first hear the Higher Education Council. 2 It may provide for a lump-sum calculation method, namely maximum threshold values per square metre of useable area.
Art. 58 Decisions
1 The competent Department decides whether to approve or deny applications for contributions to cover expenditure for construction and use of buildings. 2 It may delegate this decision to the corresponding Federal Office.
Section 5 Project Contributions
Art. 59 Intended purpose and requirements
1 Multi-annual project contributions may be paid for expenditures that serve national higher education policy interests. 2 Tasks that serve national higher education policy interests include the following in particular: a. creation of national or regional competence centres jointly supported by several higher education institutions or other institutions within the higher education sector; b. establishment of internationally prominent programmes; c. development of profiles and allocation of tasks among higher education institutions; d. measures to encourage multilingualism in Swiss national languages; e. measures to encourage equal opportunities and true gender parity; f. measures to encourage sustainable development for the benefit of current and future generations; g. measures to encourage student participation in decision-making processes. 3 The Cantons as well as higher education institutions and other institutions within the higher education sector involved in the project must cont
Art. 60 Assessment basis and time limits
1 Project contributions are determined on the basis of costs for planning, development and implementation of a given project. 2 They are provided for a limited period of time.
Art. 61 Decision and performance level agreement
1 The Higher Education Council decides on the awarding of project contributions. 2 Based on the decision reached by the Higher Education Council, the competent Department shall enter into a performance level agreement with the recipient. This agreement covers the following: a. the objectives to be reached; b. the manner in which results will be monitored; c. consequences of failure to reach established objectives.