Switzerland to Set Aside Billions of Dollars to Promote Education and Research

The Swiss government will be allocating nearly $29 billion to further promote education and research in the country for the next four years. Switzerland’s education system is recognized around the world. Recently, seven Swiss universities made it to the Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2020. Because of the country’s global reputation, around 20% of its student population is comprised of international students. To continue raising the bar, the Swiss government will prioritize the funding of its higher education. Aside from focusing on research and innovation, the country will prioritize vocational and professional training. Most of the funds will be allocated to universities and research institutes, with the former receiving around $17 billion and the latter around $7.2 billion. The country’s Federal Council will also allocate around $4.4 billion to vocational training. This is to help people who have difficulty landing a job acquire basic skills. According to Education Minister Guy Parmelin [gee PAH-mee-lan], the country has already been successful in promoting education and research. He attributes this success to the strong cooperation between the country’s districts and the national government. Because of this success, he wants to ensure that Switzerland maintains its status as a global frontrunner in the education, research, and innovation sectors through continuous promotion of them. Parmelin is also looking forward to collaborating with Brussels with regards to Switzerland’s possible involvement in the European Union’s research and education initiatives.