For Swiss higher education institutions (HEI), active cooperation in Europe is essential in order to tackle global challenges and strengthen Switzerland's attractiveness.
Today, the Federal Council noted with satisfaction the substantive conclusion of the negotiations between Switzerland and the EU.
The following elements are particularly relevant for the Swiss higher education institutions:
Provisional association to Horizon package from 2025
With the material conclusion, the European Commission has fully activated the transitional arrangement as of 1 January 2025. Switzerland is once again associated with the Horizon package from 2025, and also with ITER from 2026. Researchers in Switzerland can participate in almost all calls for proposals in the 2025 programme year of Horizon Europe and the Euratom programme and in almost all calls for proposals of the Digital Europe programme.
Legal framework for Switzerland's association with EU programmes for education, research and Innovation
The final agreement on Switzerland's participation in EU programmes will enter into force when it is ratified as part of the overall package. Cooperation with the EU is to be strengthened in the long term with a legal framework, including for participation in the Horizon package 2021-2027 with the four programmes Horizon Europe, the Euratom programme, the ITER research infrastructure and the Digital Europe programme, as well as Erasmus+ and EU4Health.
Tuition fees in the negotiations
Students from the EU should be treated the same as students from Switzerland when it comes to tuition fees at universities and universities of applied sciences; in return, Swiss students in the EU should benefit from the same conditions as students from the EU.
Many HEI will face significant financial and structural challenges, albeit to varying degrees, if tuition fees are no longer differentiated between Swiss and foreign students. Solutions must be found for Swiss HEI at a national level so that they can continue to ensure their quality, capacity and the necessary funding in the future. They are confident that appropriate measures can be taken to fulfil these requirements.
System of admission to Swiss universities remains as is
The current system of admission to Swiss HEI and thus also the examination-free access for Swiss high school graduates and the awarding of scholarships remains untouched. Access to Swiss HEI for EU students and access to scholarships are still not covered by the Agreement on the Free Movement of Persons (AFMP).
For swissuniversities, international exchange at all levels is important for universities, both for researchers and for teaching staff and students. For this reason, swissuniversities has already emphasised in its statements on the negotiations with the EU that the free movement of persons with EU countries is crucial for Switzerland as a centre of knowledge.
swissuniversities welcomes the fact that the current system of admission to Swiss universities and thus also the examination-free access for Swiss high school graduates is not being called into question.
Significant negotiation successes for research and positive signals for education
swissuniversities welcomes these negotiation results: Regulated relations with the EU are a priority for Swiss universities. The universities are currently very much confronted with the negative consequences of the breakdown of negotiations with the EU in March 2021, despite the transitional measures taken by the Confederation. It is of the utmost urgency that the universities can once again participate fully in the world's largest and most important research programme Horizon Europe and take part in the Erasmus+ education programme.
Luciana Vaccaro, President of swissuniversities, emphasises: "Switzerland is confronted with the effects of wars, climate change and pandemics. It is becoming clear that it cannot tackle these problems alone. Solutions are developed jointly at all levels of international research. Cooperation with our European neighbours plays a key role in this. It is therefore of existential importance for Switzerland that its universities can continue to play a leading role in the European research and education landscape."
Further information and statements on the EU programmes.
Communication from the Federal Council: Federal Council takes note of substantive conclusion of Swiss–EU negotiations