NQF state of play
1.1. Policy context
In 2023 the public expenditure on education as a percentage of gross domestic product (GDP) was 5.6%, above the EU-27 average, which for the same year was 4.7% ([1]More information at Eurostat [gov_10a_exp], accessed 7 April 2025.). In 2023, the percentage of tertiary education attainment (age 25-34) was 51.9%, above the EU-27 average, which for the same year was 43.1% ([2]More information at Eurostat [edat_lfs_9912], accessed 7 April 2025, break in time series for Switzerland.). The participation in upper secondary vocational education and training (VET) was 61.6% in 2022, above the EU average, which for the same year was 49.0% ([3]More information at Eurostat [educ_uoe_enra13], accessed 7 April 2025.). In 2023 the share of early leavers from education and training (aged 18-24) was 5.7%, well below than the EU average which was 9.5% ([4]More information at Eurostat [edat_lfse_14], accessed 22 January 2025.). Finally, the adult participation in learning was 27.4%, well above the EU average, which for 2023 was 12.8% ([5]More information at Eurostat [sdg_04_60], accessed 22 January 2025.).
The country considers the link to the EQF and the QF-EHEA an opportunity to strengthen the transparency and comparability of its national qualifications in a European and wider international context.
Swiss vocational and professional qualifications enjoy considerable prestige and labour market relevance. Around two thirds of all young people coming out of compulsory school opt for vocational education and training (SERI, 2024). However, many of its qualifications are relatively unknown in other countries, potentially hindering Swiss citizens from seeking employment abroad.
1.2. NQF legal basis
The NQF-VPQ is legally embedded by the Regulation on the NQF for Vocational Education and Training (VET) Qualifications, in force since 1 October 2014 ([6]The regulation is available in French, German and Italian.). The responsibilities of bodies involved in referencing and implementing the framework are clearly defined in Annex 6.3 to that regulation and the explanatory note to the regulation (Chapter 5).
The NQF-VPQ aims to improve the transparency and comparability of vocational and professional qualifications. More specific objectives are to:
- promote equal recognition and valuing of vocational and professional education and training in society in comparison with academic qualifications;
- aid employers' understanding of the competences of graduates of vocational and professional courses and of graduates from other countries, to meet the needs of the labour market;
- strengthen, as part of an overall strategy, the recognition of higher vocational and professional education and training;
- improve the opportunities for Swiss-educated professionals to get jobs abroad and so to increase overall mobility (SERI, 2015).
The main objective of the nqf.ch-HS is to promote the comparability of higher education qualifications in an international context.
3.1. NQF structure and level descriptors
The level descriptors of the NQF-VPQ reflect the competence approach ([7]The competence-oriented model and the competence and resources model are the two commonly used models that determine how professional competences are described and structured in training plans. For more information, consult Appendix 6.6 of the referencing report (SERI, 2015).) already used in vocational and professional education and training. The main elements of the descriptors are presented in Table 1.
Table 1. Main elements of the NQF-VPQ descriptors
| Knowledge | Knowledge Understanding |
| Skills | Procedural skills Sensorimotor skills |
| Competences | Professional competences Personal competences:
|
Source: Government of Switzerland (2014); SERI (2015).
It is emphasised that the descriptors are defined specifically in relation to vocational and professional education and training (SERI, 2015). 'Knowledge' relates to factual knowledge in a field of work or study and is subdivided into the categories of 'knowledge' and 'understanding'. 'Skills' relates to the ability to apply knowledge to perform tasks and solve problems. A distinction is drawn here between procedural and sensorimotor skills. 'Competences' denotes the regular and routine application of knowledge and skills in the context of work; it is divided into 'professional' and 'personal' competences. The formulation of this descriptor gives due weight to the importance of practical experience and indicates that other competences beyond technical ones can be acquired, contributing to the development of the individual both within and outside work situations.
The nqf.ch-HS adopted the Dublin Descriptors used in the QF-EHEA to define the levels of study. These descriptors set the minimum requirements and outline learning outcomes in five categories: knowledge and understanding; application of knowledge and understanding; ability to form judgments; communication skills and independent learning skills. These categories ensure that students develop a comprehensive set of skills and competencies at each educational level, regardless of their field of study ([8]More information on the nqf.ch-HS: Qualifikationsrahmen für den schweizerischen Hochschulbereich (in German); Cadre de qualifications pour le domaine des hautes écoles suisses (in French).).
3.2. NQF scope and coverage
NQF-VPQ levels 3 to 5 are open to the various VET qualifications; there are no plans to assign any VET qualifications to levels 1 and 2 ([9]Levels 1 and 2 were included to enable future integration into an overall NQF (Source: Internal communication with SERI).). General education at the upper-secondary level, which is managed by the cantons (including baccalaureate schools and upper-secondary specialized schools), is also excluded (SERI, 2015). Level 5 is only used for professional qualifications in Switzerland. Professional qualifications cannot be assigned to the QF-EHEA. The Dublin Descriptors are formulated for an academic, science-based education. Higher education qualifications are assigned to levels 6 to 8 ([10]Source: Internal communication with SERI.).
A total of 590 formal vocational and professional qualifications have been levelled to the framework; 264 initial VET qualifications and 326 tertiary professional qualifications (European Commission & Cedefop, 2022). The total number has slightly increased since 2020; the process is expected to continue. Qualifications acquired through non-formal education, including continuing VET (CVET), are not integrated into the NQF-VPQ (Luomi-Messerer, 2024).
3.3. Use of learning outcomes
Professional competences are described in reference documents: ordinances, training plans for VET, the examination ordinances and guidelines for federal examinations, and framework curricula for colleges of higher education. Almost all the documents are already described in terms of competences or are planned for revision. If a VET qualification is not described in terms of competences, it must have undergone revision before it can be assigned an NQF-VPQ level (SERI, 2015).
In VET, each ordinance is based on a qualification profile, which is a basis for a training plan, defining competences as the minimum standard for training. A qualification profile is the basis for examination ordinances and guidelines, drawn up by professional organisations in cooperation with practitioners in the profession. It includes professional competences, occupational profile and performance criteria.
3.4. Quality assurance arrangements
Quality assurance of vocational and professional qualifications has been incorporated into law by the Federal Act on Vocational and Professional Education and Training ([11]Federal Act on Vocational and Professional Education and Training of 13 December 2002 (status as of 1 April 2022) (in English).) and corresponding ordinances at all levels.
The Swiss State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation (SERI) ([12]State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation (SERI) (in English).) oversees the implementation of the NQF-VPQ. SERI plays a key role in coordinating and quality assuring the entire levelling/assignment process from proposal until publication of the level of a qualification. SERI is also the EQF national contact point. It provides all necessary information to awarding bodies and other stakeholders and assists in the levelling of qualifications. Guidelines are available ([13]NQF guidelines are available in English, French, German and Italian.) (SERI, 2015) that describe in detail individual steps and responsibilities in relation to the assignment of qualifications to the NQF-VPQ.
The Swiss Federal University for Vocational Education and Training supports the implementation of the NQF-VPQ, with consistency checks and reviews of the proposed levels of qualifications in line with the methodology and guidelines.
Before the final decision on a level is made, SERI consults the Tripartite Conference on Vocational and Professional Education and Training twice a year. In the daily running of the NQF-VPQ, there is close cooperation with professional organisations, which play an active role in levelling their diplomas (European Commission & Cedefop, 2022).
5.1. Recognising and validating non-formal and informal learning and learning pathways
The organisation and decision-making responsibilities in the Swiss education system are complex and translate into a variety of approaches and projects in the field of validation. Nevertheless, 'Essentially, validation procedures are integrated within each education and training sector' (Salini et al., 2019). SERI coordinates validation projects throughout the country, supporting or checking pilot projects in cooperation with specific services and stakeholders (Salini et al., 2019; SERI, 2024).
Individuals holding occupation-specific competences can gain credit for them as already acquired educational achievements. This recognition process must be completed before the start of the VET programme, as it may influence the possible pathways to a VET qualification. Once the educational achievement has been awarded, the candidate must complete a qualification procedure by taking examinations. The recognition of educational achievements is regulated in VET legislation and is available for all VET programmes.
In VET it is also possible to take part in the validation procedure, in which candidates prove that they have all the required competences. At the end of this procedure, candidates are awarded a vocational qualification without taking a final examination. A total of 15 initial VET qualifications (out of 230 different occupations in IVET) are accessible through validation, in various cantons, although the possibility of validation varies from canton to canton, as each decides independently which IVET diplomas can be offered in this way. IVET is the only sector within the Swiss education and training system where validation is regulated at the national level (Luomi-Messerer, 2024).
In higher education, regulation is normally decentralised to the institutional level; depending on the type of university (cantonal universities, universities of applied sciences and universities of teacher education), procedures and regulations might differ. Some universities offer the possibility of admission without an upper leaving certificate/maturity certificate or the validation of previous credits towards a degree ([14]Source: Internal communication with SERI.).
6.1. Stage of implementation
The NQF-VPQ can be considered to have reached operational stage, given that a significant proportion of existing vocational and professional qualifications have been included.
6.2. Procedures for including qualifications in the NQF
When a professional organisation develops or manages a qualification, one of its responsibilities is ensuring the qualification is properly referenced within the NQF VPQ ([15]This section was based on information from SERI's website on the NQF-VPQ referencing process which is available in English, French, German and Italian.). However, referencing is voluntary; there is no obligation ([16]Source: Internal communication with SERI.).
The process begins when the professional organisation decides to reference a qualification. To do so, it submits a formal application to SERI, which oversees the referencing process. The organisation has two main pathways to choose from: simplified referencing or individual referencing.
Most organisations opt for simplified referencing. Over time, it has become clear that many qualifications of the same type tend to fall into the same level of the framework. This insight allows for a quicker and more streamlined process. SERI has established standard reference levels for common qualification types—for example:
- a Federal Certificate of Vocational Education and Training from a two-year VET programme is usually assigned to level 3;
- a Federal Diploma of Vocational Education and Training, often from a three- or four-year programme, typically sits at level 4;
- higher-level qualifications, like the Federal Diploma of Higher Education and Advanced Federal Diplomas, are assigned to levels 5 or 6, depending on their structure and depth.
In the simplified process, the organisation applies using the standard level proposed by SERI for the qualification type.
For qualifications that don't quite fit the standard levels or if the organisation believes the qualification warrants a higher level a more detailed process, known as individual referencing, is available. This route requires more in-depth justification and evidence. The process considers, amongst others, the learning outcomes and specific aspects of each profession and follows the procedures outlined in the official Guidelines on the NQF VPQ.
Once the referencing process is complete, the qualification is added to the official NQF VPQ list, which is published twice a year—on 1 January and 1 July. For inclusion in the January list, applications must be submitted by 1 September of the previous year. For inclusion in the July list, the deadline is 1 March.
Higher education qualifications such as bachelor, master and doctorate degrees, awarded by institutions which are accredited according to the Swiss Higher Education Act (HEdA), are automatically referenced to the respective levels 1 to 3 of the nqf.ch-HS ([17]The nqf.ch-HS levels 1 to 3 are compatible with levels 6 to 8 of the NQF VPQ. Bachelor's degrees are classified at level 6, master's degrees at level 7, and doctoral degrees at level 8.). Individual referencing of programmes is not necessary ([18]Source: Internal communication with SERI.).
6.3. Indicating EQF/NQF levels
NQF-VPQ and EQF levels are indicated on Europass supplements for VET qualifications at levels 3 to 5. They are also indicated on the diploma supplements for tertiary professional qualifications for levels 5 to 8 (European Commission & Cedefop, 2022).
6.4. NQF dissemination
The NQF-VPQ has a website ([19]National qualifications framework for vocational and professional qualifications (NQF VPQ).) to spread knowledge about the framework. Tools have also been developed for professional organisations wishing to include their qualifications ([20]More information about the NQF-VPQ referencing process.). The framework has been promoted mostly though professional organisations and sectors.
6.5. Qualifications databases and registers
The SERI professional directory contains all formal VET and professional education qualifications, regardless of whether they are levelled to the NQF-VPQ or not ([21]The professional directory can be accessed in French, German and Italian.). Since the end of 2022, it has indicated the NQF-VPQ levels of qualifications included in the framework. The directorate contains a total of 953 qualifications, providing information on the field of study, awarding body and intended learning outcomes, in the form of open text and a link to relevant supplements. Learning outcomes for all qualifications included in the NQF-VPQ are also described in the supplements available in the database for download (European Commission & Cedefop, 2022).
SERI maintains a list of qualifications that have been referenced to the NQF-VPQ. It updates this list twice each year, in January and July. The NQF-VPQ level assigned to a given qualification becomes official as soon as it has been added to this list ([22]The list can be accessed in French, German and Italian.).
6.6. Impact of the NQF
The NQF-VPQ plays an important role in transparency. The classification of qualifications did not imply any change in VET. In the same vein, validation of non-formal and informal learning and the links to the NQF-VPQ did not change.
The nqf.ch-HS supports the implementation of the Bologna process goals. Higher education institutes are guided by the descriptors of the nqf.ch-HS when developing programmes ([23]More information about the qualifications framework in Swiss higher education is available in English, French, German and Italian.). Additionally, it enhances information about the Swiss higher education system, especially regarding teaching, and facilitates the comparability of qualifications within Europe, thereby improving transparency (Luomi-Messerer, 2024).
The NQF-VPQ was referenced to the EQF in May 2015 (SERI, 2015).
The country has established two sectoral qualifications frameworks: one encompassing vocational and professional education (NQF-VPQ) and a separate one for higher education (nqf.ch-HS). The alignment of each framework to the respective overarching European qualifications framework indirectly makes their systemic complementarity transparent (SERI, 2015).
The main goal of the introduction of the NQF-VPQ has been for it to act as a transparency tool. An important challenge is that many Swiss VET and professional education qualifications are relatively unknown in other countries, which can hinder Swiss citizens seeking employment abroad. Therefore, Switzerland views the connection to European cooperation on qualifications frameworks (both the EQF, and the QF-EHEA) as an opportunity to enhance the transparency and comparability of its national qualifications in a European and broader international context (Luomi-Messerer, 2024).
With the NQF-VPQ established in the education system, the plan is to focus on levelling qualifications.
| NQF level | Qualification types | EQF level |
|---|---|---|
| 8 | 8 | |
| 7 | 7 | |
| 6 | 6 | |
| 5 | 5 | |
| 4 | 4 | |
| 3 | 3 | |
| 2 | 2 | |
| 1 | 1 |
[URLs accessed 7/4/2025]
Database of all state-recognised occupations and professions.
List of referenced vocational and professional qualifications.
NQF-VPQ website.
State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation (SERI).
SERI. (2015). Swiss EQF referencing report.
| EQF | European qualifications framework |
| IVET | initial vocational education and training |
| NQF | national qualifications framework |
| Nqf.ch-HS | Qualifikationsrahmen für den schweizerischen Hochschulbereich [Qualifications framework for the Swiss higher education area] |
| NQF-VPQ | Nationaler Qualifikationsrahmen für Abschlüsse der Berufsbildung [National qualifications framework for vocational and professional education and training] |
| QF-EHEA | qualifications framework of the European higher education area |
| SERI | Staatssekretariat für Bildung, Forschung und Innovation [State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation] |
| VET | vocational education and training |
[URLs accessed 6/4/2025]
European Commission & Cedefop. (2022). Survey on implementation, communication and use of NQF/EQF [unpublished].
Government of Switzerland. (2014). Verordnung über den nationalen Qualifikationsrahmen für Abschlüsse der Berufsbildung V-NQR-BB [Regulation on the NQF for VET qualifications].
Luomi- Messerer, K. (2024). European inventory on validation of non-formal and informallearning 2023 update: Switzerland. European Commission & Cedefop.
Salini, D.; Weber Guisan, S. and Tsandev, E. (2019). European inventory on validation of non-formal and informal learning 2018 update: Switzerland.
SERI. (2015). Swiss EQF referencing report.
SERI. (2024). Swiss VPET System - A Brief Guide.
Related content
Overview
Eight
Ordinance on the NQF for vocational and professional qualifications (NQF-VPQ) (2014)
(in German)
(in French)
Adoption of the qualifications framework for the Swiss higher education area (nqf.ch-HS) (2009)
(in French)
(in German)
Compare with other NQF
Cedefop (2025). NQF online tool. https://cedefop.europa.eu/en/tools/nqfs-online-tool