„Baccalaureate“ Lights and shadows of a decentralised assessment Dr. Christoph Grolimund

2 PRELIMINARY REMARKS AAQ AAQ‘s mission is the external quality assurance of higher education in Switzerland. A few Facts & Figures on Switzerland A System of Education based on Duality The Baccalaureate Lights and Shadows

3 A FEW FACTS & FIGURES ON SWITZERLAND AAQ 8,3 Mio people 41‘285 km 2 A federation of 26 member states holding sovereignty in matters of -finances -police -education

4 A SYSTEM OF EDUCATION BASED ON DUALITY Swiss Conference of Cantonal Ministers of Education ( 9 years Secondary Education Primary Education 3 years Baccalaureate Schools / Upper Secondary Specialised Schools 3+1 years Vocational Education and Training (Apprenticeship) + VET Baccalaureate ISCED 1+2 ISCED 3AISCED 3B A Simplified Graph 3-8 years Universities 3-5 years Universities of Applied Sciences (UAS) ISCED 5A Baccalaureate in figures: Bacc.17.7%19.0%20.2% VET Bacc.7.4%11.8%14.8% 25.1%30.8%35% BACC Number of students (2014) at Universities: 143‘961 UAS: 89‘656 Advantages: VET provides skills & experience low youth unemployment permeability between tracks AAQ

5 THE BACCALAUREATE 26 Cantonal Baccalaureates 1 common ordinance (MAR): 10 basic subjects 1 focal subject 1 supplementary subject Each school designs and grades their own exams A baccalaureate is the sole prerequisite for enrolment in a Bachelorprogramme One (and only) exception: Programmes in Human Medicine AAQ 9 years Secondary Education Primary Education 3 years Baccalaureate Schools / Upper Secondary Specialised Schools 3+1 years Vocational Education and Training (Apprenticeship) + VET Baccalaureate ISCED 1+2 ISCED 3A ISCED 3B 3-8 years Universities 3-5 years Universities of Applied Sciences (UAS) ISCED 5A BACC

6 LIGHTS AND SHADOWS SHADOWS level of preparedness drop-out rate in the first year LIGHTS equal opportunity diversity of talents MEASURES curricula that define Learning Outcomes selection mechanism in the first year Student centered learning academic counseling and mentoring reach-out to baccalaureate schools AAQ