1Der Bund betreibt die Eidgenössischen Technischen Hochschulen. Er kann weitere Hochschulen und andere Institutionen des Hochschulbereichs errichten, übernehmen oder betreiben.
2Er unterstützt die kantonalen Hochschulen und kann an weitere von ihm anerkannte Institutionen des Hochschulbereichs Beiträge entrichten.
3Bund und Kantone sorgen gemeinsam für die Koordination und für die Gewährleistung der Qualitätssicherung im schweizerischen Hochschulwesen. Sie nehmen dabei Rücksicht auf die Autonomie der Hochschulen und ihre unterschiedlichen Trägerschaften und achten auf die Gleichbehandlung von Institutionen mit gleichen Aufgaben.
4Zur Erfüllung ihrer Aufgaben schliessen Bund und Kantone Verträge ab und übertragen bestimmte Befugnisse an gemeinsame Organe. Das Gesetz regelt die Zuständigkeiten, die diesen übertragen werden können, und legt die Grundsätze von Organisation und Verfahren der Koordination fest.
5Erreichen Bund und Kantone auf dem Weg der Koordination die gemeinsamen Ziele nicht, so erlässt der Bund Vorschriften über die Studienstufen und deren Übergänge, über die Weiterbildung und über die Anerkennung von Institutionen und Abschlüssen. Zudem kann der Bund die Unterstützung der Hochschulen an einheitliche Finanzierungsgrundsätze binden und von der Aufgabenteilung zwischen den Hochschulen in besonders kostenintensiven Bereichen abhängig machen.
Article 63a regulates the tasks of the Confederation and the cantons in higher education. The Confederation operates the two Federal Institutes of Technology (ETH) in Zurich and Lausanne. It may establish or take over additional higher education institutions.
The cantons are responsible for their universities and universities of applied sciences. The Confederation must provide them with financial support if they meet certain quality requirements. To this end, they must obtain state recognition (accreditation).
The Confederation and the cantons cooperate in higher education policy. They must ensure the quality of teaching and research. In doing so, they respect higher education autonomy. This means: Higher education institutions can decide for themselves how they teach, conduct research and organise themselves. All higher education institutions are treated equally, regardless of whether they belong to the Confederation or the cantons.
Example: A private university of applied sciences wants to call itself a "university" and receive federal contributions. To do so, it must first undergo the accreditation procedure. Only if it meets the quality standards does it receive recognition and thus the right to the designation and financial support.
The regulation creates a unified Swiss higher education area. It combines the traditional cantonal educational sovereignty with the necessity of national coordination. Private providers can participate, but must meet the same standards as state higher education institutions.
Those affected: All higher education institutions in Switzerland (universities, universities of applied sciences, universities of teacher education), their students, researchers and teaching staff as well as private education providers seeking higher education accreditation.
N. 1 Art. 63a Cst was incorporated into the Federal Constitution with the education constitution of 16 May 2006 (BBl 2006 5275). The provision created for the first time a comprehensive constitutional basis for the Confederation's higher education policy and replaced the fragmented regulation that previously only covered the ETH domain and individual promotional competences. The Federal Council's message emphasizes the goal of a coherent Swiss higher education landscape while preserving higher education autonomy (BBl 2005 5479, 5525).
N. 2 The constitutional revision took place in the context of the Bologna Reform and the increasing international networking of the higher education system. The constitution-maker wanted to strengthen coordination between the Confederation and the cantons without abandoning the federalist structure of the education system (BBl 2005 5479, 5497). The simultaneously inserted Art. 61a–67a Cst form the so-called «Swiss Education Area».
N. 3 Art. 63a Cst is part of Section 3 «Education, Research and Culture» in Chapter 3 of the Federal Constitution. The provision is closely related to:
→ Art. 61a Cst (Swiss Education Area)
→ Art. 64 Cst (Research)
→ Art. 64a Cst (Continuing education)
↔ Art. 62 Cst (School system as cantonal competence)
N. 4 The higher education provision is conceived as a joint task of the Confederation and the cantons (cooperative federalism). This distinguishes it from the primarily cantonal school sovereignty (Art. 62 Cst) and the federal task of research (Art. 64 Cst). The Higher Education Promotion and Coordination Act (HEdA; SR 414.20) gives concrete form to this constitutional provision.
#Elements of the offence / Content of the provision
N. 5Paragraph 1 establishes the federal competence for the ETH. The term «operate» encompasses complete ownership including financing, organization and strategic management. The discretionary provision for «other higher education institutions» enables the Confederation to establish new or take over existing higher education institutions. «Other institutions in the higher education sector» covers in particular research institutes and accreditation bodies.
N. 6Paragraph 2 establishes the obligation to support cantonal higher education institutions. The term «cantonal higher education institutions» encompasses universities and universities of applied sciences under cantonal ownership. «Recognition» requires institutional accreditation according to HEdA. «Other institutions» may also be private higher education institutions, provided they are accredited.
N. 7Paragraph 3 contains four constitutional mandates:
Coordination obligation: Joint governance without abandoning ownership autonomy
Quality assurance: Obligation to accreditation and evaluation
Higher education autonomy: Constitutionally protected self-administration in teaching, research and organization
Equal treatment: No discrimination based on ownership
N. 8 The federal competence under para. 1 is comprehensive and excludes cantonal regulations for the ETH domain. ETH Zurich and ETH Lausanne are public-law institutions of the Confederation with their own legal personality (Art. 4 ETH Act; SR 414.110).
N. 9 The obligation to provide support under para. 2 establishes entitlement subsidies for accredited higher education institutions, as confirmed by the Federal Court in its judgment 2C_643/2019 of 14 September 2020. The amount of contributions is subject to legislative discretion, but this does not eliminate the entitlement character.
N. 10 The constitutionally guaranteed higher education autonomy protects against disproportionate state interventions. BGE 150 I 39 clarified that this autonomy is given concrete form by cantonal law and finds its limits in the principle of legality: Severe sanctions such as monetary penalties require a formal legal basis.
N. 11Scope of higher education autonomy: Ehrenzeller/Schindler/Schweizer/Vallender (St. Gallen Commentary Cst, 4th ed. 2023, Art. 63a N. 15) emphasize the broad scope of protection, which encompasses self-administration in teaching, research and organization. Waldmann/Belser/Epiney (BSK Cst, 2nd ed. 2024, Art. 63a N. 22) see autonomy more narrowly and primarily limited to academic core areas. Case law follows a mediating line (BGE 150 I 39).
N. 12Private higher education institutions: The scope of the equal treatment obligation is disputed. Müller/Schefer (Fundamental Rights in Switzerland, 4th ed. 2008, p. 456) advocate a comprehensive equal treatment claim also in financing. Häfelin/Haller/Keller/Thurnherr (Swiss Federal Constitutional Law, 10th ed. 2020, N. 1285) limit equal treatment to regulatory aspects, but not to subsidies.
N. 13Demarcation of competences from research promotion: The demarcation between higher education promotion (Art. 63a Cst) and research promotion (Art. 64 Cst) is fluid. Rhinow/Schefer/Uebersax (Swiss Constitutional Law, 3rd ed. 2016, N. 3456) advocate a functional consideration, while Tschannen/Zimmerli/Müller (General Administrative Law, 4th ed. 2014, p. 234) prefer an institutional demarcation.
N. 14 Higher education institutions must observe the principle of legality when structuring their autonomy. Essential regulations – particularly those with fundamental rights relevance – require a formal legal basis and cannot be completely delegated to the higher education bodies (BGE 150 I 39).
N. 15 Institutional accreditation under HEdA is a prerequisite for:
Use of the designations «University», «University of Applied Sciences» or «University of Teacher Education» (Art. 29 HEdA)
Entitlement to federal contributions (Art. 45 HEdA)
Participation in the joint Conference of Higher Education Institutions (Art. 12 HEdA)
N. 16 For VAT exemption, higher education institutions must prove that they are promoted within the framework of Art. 63a Cst (Federal Administrative Court judgment A-5162/2017). Mere accreditation is not sufficient; actual financial promotion by the Confederation or cantons is required.
Art. 63a — Higher education promotion and coordination
BGE 150 I 39 of 8 September 2023
University disciplinary measures in the form of financial penalties up to CHF 4,000 constitute severe sanctions that require a formal statutory basis.
The judgment clarifies the constitutionally guaranteed university autonomy and its limits.
«In the present case, the autonomy invoked by the appellant can primarily be derived from Art. 63a Federal Constitution, which the Federal Court reviews freely. The exact scope of this autonomy, however, is determined by the University Act and thus by cantonal statutory law.»
BVGE 2009/33 of 19 May 2009
Higher education institutions have extensive autonomy in examination matters; however, this can be restricted by the Bologna reform.
The judgment establishes the compatibility of university examination regulations with federal legal requirements.
«Higher education institutions have extensive autonomy in examination matters, although restrictions may arise from the Bologna reform. The block examination system has been declared inadmissible neither by the Bologna directives nor by the supplementary recommendations.»
Judgment 2C_643/2019 of 14 September 2020
Basic contributions to universities are entitlement subsidies to which there is basically a constitutional claim.
The judgment deals with the transitional provisions between the old University Promotion Act and the new HEdA.
«The subsidies in dispute here are thus contributions to which there is basically a constitutional entitlement; the fact that the Confederation retained a discretionary margin does not deprive the basic contributions of their entitlement character.»
Judgment 2C_548/2023 of 15 November 2024
The HEdA regulates institutional accreditation as a prerequisite for bearing higher education designations.
The judgment shows the strict requirements for private higher education providers.
«The contested judgment concerns a decision not to enter into proceedings by the Swiss Accreditation Council regarding the admission of the appellant to the institutional accreditation procedure under the Higher Education Promotion and Coordination Act.»
BGE 142 I 16 of 9 February 2016
The protection of university designations according to the HEdA takes precedence over cantonal law.
The judgment concerns the use of the designation "university" by non-accredited institutions.
«Art. 29 para. 1 HEdA provides that the higher education institution or other institution in the higher education sector acquires the right to bear a corresponding designation with institutional accreditation.»
Judgment A-5162/2017 of the Federal Administrative Court of 4 September 2018
Institutions promoted by the Confederation and cantons within the framework of Art. 63a Federal Constitution are exempt from value added tax.
The judgment specifies the tax implications of constitutional higher education promotion.
«Institutions according to Art. 18 lit. a VAT Ordinance are institutions that are promoted by the Confederation and cantons within the framework of Article 63a Federal Constitution based on a statutory basis. The HEdA, which is based on Art. 63a Federal Constitution and creates, among other things, foundations for quality assurance and accreditation.»
Judgment B-5120/2015 of the Federal Administrative Court of 10 March 2017
Art. 63a para. 3 sentence 2 Federal Constitution guarantees the autonomy of the cantons for institutions with the same tasks.
The judgment deals with the recognition of foreign higher education qualifications.
«Institutions with the same tasks (Art. 63a para. 3 sentence 2 Federal Constitution). Subject to some provisions, the HEdA of 30 September 2011 entered into force on 1 January 2015.»
Various judgments of the Federal Administrative Court (A-1956/2014, A-4366/2020, A-3131/2023)
ETH Zurich and ETH Lausanne are subject to special organisational provisions as federal institutions.
This case law shows the constitutional anchoring of the ETH Domain in Art. 63a Federal Constitution.