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

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Preliminary Remarks

30.12.2014 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

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A Few Facts & Figures on Switzerland

15.10.2015 AAQ

• 8,3 Mio people

• 41‘285 km2

A federation of 26 member states holding sovereignty in matters of-finances-police-education

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A System of Education based on DualitySwiss Conference of Cantonal Ministers of Education (www.edk.ch)

9 yearsSecondary EducationPrimary Education

3 yearsBaccalaureate Schools / Upper Secondary Specialised Schools

3+1 yearsVocational Education and Training (Apprenticeship) + VET Baccalaureate

ISC

ED

1+2

ISC

ED

3A

ISC

ED

3B

A Simplified Graph

3-8 years

Universities 3-5 yearsUniversities of Applied Sciences (UAS)

ISC

ED

5A

ISC

ED

5A

Baccalaureate in figures: 1999 2007 2014

Bacc. 17.7% 19.0% 20.2%

VET Bacc. 7.4% 11.8% 14.8%

25.1% 30.8% 35%

BACCNumber of students (2014) at•Universities: 143‘961•UAS: 89‘656

Advantages:•VET provides skills & experience•low youth unemployment•permeability between tracks

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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

15.10.2015 AAQ

9 yearsSecondary EducationPrimary Education

3 yearsBaccalaureate Schools / Upper Secondary Specialised Schools

3+1 yearsVocational Education and Training (Apprenticeship) + VET Baccalaureate

ISC

ED

1+2

ISC

ED

3A

ISC

ED

3B

3-8 years

Universities 3-5 yearsUniversities of Applied Sciences (UAS)

ISC

ED

5A

ISC

ED

5A

BACC

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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

15.10.2015 AAQ