The evolution of a degree of excellence
Recognised worldwide for its rigour, the Swiss education system has not, however, always been the unified model we are familiar with. The’Swiss Maturité examination, often referred to as Swiss baccalaureate by our neighbours (to draw a parallel with the French baccalaureate or the French Baccalaureate), is the school-leaving certificate par excellence.
He opens its doors today to the higher education institutions, whether they be Swiss universities, some universities classics, or even universities and federal institutes of technology (as the’EPFL à Lausanne). But this school-leaving certificate is the result of a long evolution of the upper secondary, at a time when everything was changing from’from one canton to another.
The 19th century: The era of cantonal examinations
In the past, it was at the gymnasium which prepared students for higher education, providing a solid grounding in general knowledge. However, depending on the canton, entry requirements varied drastically. The’A-level exams was specific to each cantonal school.
What applied to a university What was local was not necessarily the same elsewhere. The rules changed in by canton, which significantly restricts a young student’s mobility (even single and with no family ties) who wish to to continue one’s studies or sign up to Swiss universities located far from his home.
The national turning point and the establishment of universities
The catalyst for unification was the need to harmonise the’admission academic. The State Secretariat (predecessor of the SEFRI (current) and the Confederation then launched the first federal law on the recognition of qualifications.
For to reach maturity and that it is valid in the three language regions across the country, success was now essential exams with a common standard. Great importance was attached to scientific subjects: Maths marks became crucial for access to higher education of’engineering or medicine (to combat the diseases of the time, such as the’hepatitis !). The Swiss Matura thus became the prestigious equivalent of a General A-levels of the very highest standard, officially recognising the completion of studies.
General, vocational and specialised upper secondary school qualifications
In the 20th century, the system diversified to meet the needs of society. The cantons have continued to manage the traditional route, but new routes have emerged:
- La A-levels : the standard secondary school pathway.
- La vocational training : with the creation of the vocational baccalaureate (the equivalent of the vocational baccalaureate French), followed by the specialised baccalaureate. These allow you to access universities of applied sciences or to incorporate teacher training colleges.
The programme has also evolved in the disciplines assessed, incorporating more the humanities, the choice of a option specific and a additional option. Finally, the introduction of the school-leaving project has helped to raise the standard of the pupils’ research. The qualification is now fully recognised in Switzerland to access the universities and polytechnics.
The 21st century: The era of e-learning and distance learning
Today, A-level exams are adapting to new flexibility requirements thanks to e-learning technologies. Online schooling NCAcademy is fully in line with this modern transition. By preparing our pupils for the federal school-leaving examination via distance learning, we are making access to university education more widely available in the long term.
In order to ensure that the qualification is fully recognised across the Confederation’s various language regions, our Swiss Maturité programme is available in full in French and German. To maximise your chances of success in the exams, academic support and language tuition are provided by native German-speaking teachers. Our programme removes the usual exclusion criteria to give every motivated candidate an equal opportunity, with no entrance exam or language proficiency requirements.