English is not an official language of the Swiss Confederation. This translation is provided for information purposes only and has no legal force.
Art. 1 Cooperation
(Art. 1 VPETA) 1 Cooperation between the Confederation, the Cantons and professional organisations in the area of upper-secondary level vocational education and training (VET) and tertiary-level professional education ensures that learners receive high-level competences that are comparable throughout Switzerland and correspond to the needs of the labour market. 2 The Confederation generally works with national professional organisations that carry out activities all over Switzerland. If no such professional organisation exists for a given economic branch, then the federal authorities shall work with: a. organisations that are involved in a similar economic branch; or b. organisations that are involved in a corresponding economic branch at regional level as well as with the Cantons concerned.
Art. 2 Research in the area of vocational and professional education and training (VPET)
(Art. 4 VPETA) 1 The State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation (SERI) shall encourage Swiss VPET research until human resource and organisational capacities reach a sustainable and internationally recognised scientific level. 2 Ten years after commencement of this Ordinance, the Confederation shall decide whether VPET research can be considered a branch of general education research and therefore included in existing national research funding structures. 3 Federally funded VPET research shall be aligned with prevailing conditions applicable to general education research, the education statistics programme and the economic and business world.
Para. 1 — The name of this administrative unit was amended in application of Art. 16 para. 3 of the Publications Ordinance of 17 Nov. 2004 (AS 2004 4937) on 1 Jan. 2013. The amendment has been made throughout the text.
Art. 3 Quality improvement
(Art. 8 VPETA) 1 SERI shall draft a list of methods designed to ensure improvement of quality within the VPET system. This list shall be reviewed periodically. 2 Providers of upper-secondary level VET or tertiary-level professional education shall be free to choose from a list of quality improvement methods. The Cantons may make a given method mandatory for public-sector providers. 3 The quality standards established by SERI shall meet current requirements and take account of the needs of various education and training options.
Art. 4 Recognition of non-formal and informal learning
(Art. 9 para. 2 VPETA) 1 Recognition of non-formal and informal learning shall be decided by: a. the cantonal authorities when determining whether or not an individual may shorten the duration of a dual-track VET programme; b. the VET school when determining whether or not an individual may shorten the duration of other VET programmes; c. the examining bodies in the case of admittance to qualification procedures. 2 The Cantons shall establish guidance counselling offices that can help individuals draft assessment portfolios presenting all professional and non-professional experience gained outside formal education pathways. These assessment portfolios shall serve as the basis for the recognition of non-formal and informal learning described in paragraph 1 above. 3 The guidance counselling offices shall work with professional organisations and external experts.
Art. 5 Private providers
(Art. 11 VPETA) When establishing an adequate availability of VET programmes and branch courses, the Cantons shall take particular account of courses offered to learners free of charge by private providers.