To compare the use of resources and services at higher education institutions, introductory information about the students, staff and funding is presented. The funding statistics are based on the higher education institutions’ cost accounts. These provide information about the costs arising in the different fields of study and on how this expenditure is covered by various funding sources. A breakdown of costs and revenue is shown on the basis of this data. In combination with other statistics, more indicators can be obtained on the costs and student-teacher ratio per type of higher education institution.
Further annual surveys provide details of student numbers, diplomas and staff at higher education institutions. Despite an exceptional drop between 2021 and 2022, student numbers at the UIT, UAS and UTE have risen steadily in just over ten years. The number of diplomas awarded has risen accordingly. These higher education institutions now have more than 270 000 students. Staffing and funding resources have also risen constantly since 2013. The graph shows the growth rate compared with the base year 2013 (=100). The number of diplomas awarded - more than 60,000 in 2022 - has risen faster than the number of students. The growth in the number of teaching staff has been only slightly higher than the growth in costs. In 2022 staffing resources amounted to 67 000 full-time equivalents. Higher education costs totalled CHF 13 billion.
See also: Students at higher education institutions
See also: Higher education staff
The universities or institutes of technology (UIT) provide five types of services: Teaching for basic education (BE), teaching for advanced studies (AS), research and development (R&D), continuing education (CE) and services (S). R&D was the largest budgetary item. BE followed in second place, accounting for around a quarter of the costs of the UIT. At the UAS and UTE, BE was the main service, accounting for roughly two-thirds of the total costs. Applied R&D is the second largest cost item of the UAS. Equal amounts are spent on applied R&D and CE at the UTE. Since 2013, the percentage spent on (applied) R&D has risen at all types of higher education institutions.
Data 2022 | UIT | UAS | UTE | Total CH |
---|---|---|---|---|
Total costs (in CHF million) | ||||
9 373 |
3 124 |
754 |
13 250 |
|
Share in the total costs |
||||
Teaching for basic studies | 23% |
63% |
64% |
35% |
Reserach and development | 58% |
27% |
15% |
48% |
Staff (UTE: without infrastructural costs) |
64% |
72% |
87% |
68% |
Funding by source of funding | ||||
Confederation | 46% |
29% |
2% |
39% |
Cantons |
35% |
51% |
83% |
41% |
Private | 20% |
20% |
15% |
20% |
Students | ||||
167 748 |
83 756 |
23 412 |
274 916 |
|
Staff FTE | ||||
47 970 |
15 998 |
3 944 |
67 912 |
Further information
Contact
Federal Statistical Office Section Educational ProcessesEspace de l'Europe 10
CH-2010 Neuchâtel
Switzerland
- Tel.
- +41 58 483 93 61
Monday to Friday
09.00-12.00 and 13.30-16.30