Academic drifts in vocational, professional, and continuing education: A multi-perspective approach for the case of Switzerland

Jörg Neumann; Thomas Ruoss; Markus Weil

doi:10.3384/njvet.2242-458X.25151121

Authors

Jörg Neumann Swiss Federal University of Vocational Education and Training, Switzerland https://orcid.org/0009-0003-3800-9158
Thomas Ruoss Swiss Federal University of Vocational Education and Training, Switzerland https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2261-907X
Markus Weil Zurich University of Teacher Education, Switzerland https://orcid.org/0009-0001-5972-1983

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.3384/njvet.2242-458X.25151121

Keywords:

vocational education and training (VET), VET teacher training, professional education and training, continuing education and training, academic drifts, universities, Switzerland

Abstract

In this article, we examine the phenomenon of ‘academic drifts’ within vocational education. Our objective is to gain a well-informed epistemic understanding of various aspects of academic drifts, considering their complexity and enabling meaningful conclusions. By heuristically exploring three different cases at their systematic, institutional, and functional levels, as well as temporal junctures of the Swiss education system, we show the different developments in the distribution of vocational and academic education, leading to a broader and less simplistic understanding of ongoing academic drifts. The cases under study cover three areas of vocational education in which we want to empirically identify aspects of academic drifts: vocational education teacher training, professional education and training, and continuing education and training at universities. We find that all three cases show different variations in academic drifts within the same education system, which is why we deliberately speak in the plural. According to our thesis, these drifts create different areas of tension for vocational education: academic drifts appear as external and internal tertiarisation, formalisation of qualifications and competences, and marketisation trends in education. The Swiss education system serves as an example, demonstrating that even in a country with a strong focus on vocational education and measures to support it, intended and unintended academic drifts take place within and around vocational education.

References

Barabasch, A., & Fischer, S. (2019). Die Berufsschullehrpersonenausbildung in der Schweiz und in Deutschland [Vocational school teacher training in Switzerland and Germany]. bwp@ Berufs- und Wirtschaftspädagogik – online, 22. https://www.bwpat.de/ausgabe/spezial16/barabasch-fischer

Baumeler, C. (2021). Die Berufsbildungsforschung des Eidgenössischen Hochschulinstituts für Berufsbildung: Institutionalisierungsprozess inmitten zweier Spannungsfelder [Vocational education and training research at the Swiss Federal Institute for Vocational Education and Training: Institutionali-sation process in the midst of two areas of tension]. In R. Löffler, P. Schlögl, & A. Schmölz (Eds.), 50 Jahre Berufsbildungsforschung in Österreich im Spannungs-feld zwischen Wissenschaft, Praxis und Politik [50 years of vocational training research in Austria in the field of tension between science, practice and politics] (pp. 35–44). wbv. https://www.wbv.de/shop/openaccess-download/6004915w035

Baumeler, C., Engelage, S., Hämmerli, C., & Salzmann, P. (2023). Recognition of prior learning in professional education from an organisational perspective. International Journal of Lifelong Education, 42(2), 208–221. https://doi.org/10.1080/02601370.2023.2177759

BBT (Bundesamt für Berufsbildung und Technologie). (2009). Fakten und Zahlen: Berufsbildung in der Schweiz – 2009 [Facts and figures: Vocational education and training in Switzerland – 2009].

BFS (Bundesamt für Statistik). (2020). Lernende und Abschlüsse der beruflichen Grundbildung: Erhobene und erwartete Entwicklung – 1989–2029 [Learners and qualifications in vocational education and training: Surveyed and expected development – 1989–2029]. https://www.bfs.admin.ch/bfs/de/home/statistiken/kataloge-datenbanken/grafiken.assetdetail.14839777.html

BFS. (2021). Szenarien 2020–2029 für das Bildungssystem [Scenarios 2020–2029 for the education system]. https://www.bfs.admin.ch/agenda/de/2020-0234

BFS. (2022a). Studierende und Abschlüsse auf Tertiärstufe in der Schweiz [Students and degrees at tertiary level in Switzerland]. https://www.bfs.admin.ch/asset/de/19024447

BFS. (2022b). Ankunft internationaler Hochschulstudierender in der Schweiz: Welches sind die Auswirkungen der Covid-19-Pandemie? [Arrival of international university students in Switzerland: What are the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic?]. https://www.bfs.admin.ch/asset/de/20264024

Bieber, T. (2016). Swiss reforms in vocational education and training: Cherry-picking from the Copenhagen process. In T. Bieber, Soft governance, international organizations and education policy convergence (pp. 185–211). Palgrave Macmillan UK. https://doi.org/10.1057/978-1-137-47695-1_7

Boffo, V. (2019). Employability and higher education: A category for the future. New Directions for Adult and Continuing Education, (163), 11–23. https://doi.org/10.1002/ace.20338

Bonoli, L., & Eigenmann, P. (2021). Komplexität, Spannungsfelder und Kompro-misse: Eine Relektüre der Geschichte der Berufsbildung in der Schweiz [Complexity, areas of tension and compromises: A re-reading of the history of vocational education and training in Switzerland]. In S. Dernbach-Stolz, P. Eigenmann, C. Kamm, & S. Kessler (Eds.), Transformationen von Arbeit, Beruf und Bildung in internationaler Betrachtung [Transformations of work, occu-pation and education from an international perspective] (pp. 41–60). Springer Fachmedien.

Bühler, R. (2017). Es ist eine Erfolgsgeschichte [It is a success story]. Folio (Berufsbildung Schweiz), 12(2), 34–35.

Caduff, C. (2010). Sind 1800 Lernstunden eine Zumutung? [Are 1800 hours of learning an imposition?]. Folio (Berufsbildung Schweiz), 6(4), 22–25.

Cedefop. (2019). The changing nature and role of vocational education and training in Europe. Volume 7. VET from a lifelong learning perspective: Continuing VET concepts, providers and participants in Europe 1995–2015. Publications Office of the European Union. https://data.europa.eu/doi/10.2801/357

Cedefop. (2020). Vocational education and training in Europe, 1995–2035: Scenarios for European vocational education and training in the 21st century. Publications Office of the European Union. https://data.europa.eu/doi/10.2801/794471

Cedefop. (2023). The future of vocational education and training in Europe: 50 dimensions of vocational education and training: Cedefop’s analytical framework for comparing VET. Publications Office of the European Union. http://data.europa.eu/doi/10.2801/57908

Criblez, L. (2001). Bildungsexpansion durch Systemdifferenzierung: Am Beispiel der Sekundarstufe II in den 1960er- und 1970er-Jahren [Educational expansion through system differentiation: The example of the upper secondary level in the 1960s and 1970s]. Schweizerische Zeitschrift für Bildungswissenschaften, 23(1), 95–118. https://doi.org/10.25656/01:3758

Deissinger, T., & Gonon, P. (2016). Stakeholders in the German and Swiss vocational educational and training system: Their role in innovating apprenticeships against the background of academisation. Education & Training, 58(6), 568–577. https://doi.org/10.1108/ET-02-2016-0034

Eberle, F., Brüggenbrock, C., & Schumann, F. (2009). Bologna, Tertiarisierung und Standortkonzentration: Der Reformprozess der schweizerischen Lehrerbildung vor seinem Abschluss [Bologna, tertiarization, and location concentration: The reform process of Swiss teacher training before its conclusion]. Pädagogische Rundschau, 63(6), 683–694.

Elsholz, U. (2014). Akademische und berufliche Bildung: Überwindung der Trennung durch lebenslanges Lernen? [Academic and vocational training: Overcoming the divide through lifelong learning?]. In K. W. Schönherr, & C. Tiberius (Eds.), Lebenslanges Lernen: Wissen und Können als Wohlstandsfaktoren [Lifelong learning: Knowledge and skills as factors for prosperity] (pp. 99–112). Springer.

Euler, D. (2024). Auf den Spuren von Christo? – Über die sprachliche Verhüllung von Bildungsabschlüssen [In the footsteps of Christo? – On the linguistic veiling of educational qualifications]. Transfer: Berufsbildung in Forschung und Praxis 9(4). https://transfer.vet/auf-den-spuren-von-christo-ueber-die-sprachliche-verhuellung-von-bildungsabschluessen/

European Commission, EACEA, & Eurydice (2024). The European higher education area in 2024: Bologna process implementation report. Publications Office of the European Union. https://data.europa.eu/doi/10.2797/483185

FH Schweiz. (2024). Ja zu eigenständigem 3. Zyklus (Doktorat, PhD, DBA, …) an FH [Yes to an independent 3rd cycle (doctorate, PhD, DBA, …) at UAS]. https://www.fhschweiz.ch/doktorat

Forneck, H. (2011). Von der äusseren zur inneren Tertiarisierung [From external to internal tertiarisation]. In H. Ambühl, & W. Stadelmann (Eds.), Tertiarisierung der Lehrerinnen- und Lehrerbildung [Tertiarisation of teacher training] (pp. 38–55). EDK.

Gomensoro, A., & Meyer, T. (2022). Ergebnisse zu TREE2: Die ersten zwei Jahre [Results for TREE2: The first two years]. TREE. https://doi.org/10.48350/163969

Gonon, P. (2019). Berufsfachschullehrperson quo vadis? – Blick zurück und nach vorn [Vocational school teachers quo vadis? – Looking back and looking forward]. In D. Holtsch, M. Oepke, & S. Schumann (Eds.), Lehren und Lernen auf der Sekundarstufe II: Gymnasial- und wirtschaftspädagogische Perspektiven [Teaching and learning at upper secondary level: grammar school and business education perspectives]. (pp. 419–429). hep.

Gonon, P., & Weil, M. (2021). Continuing higher education between academic and professional skills. In P. Eigenmann, P. Gonon, & M. Weil (Eds.), Opening and extending vocational education (pp. 34–360). Peter Lang.

Graf, L. (2017). Combined modes of gradual change: The case of academic upgrading and declining collectivism in German skill formation. Socio-Economic Review, 16(1), 185–205. https://doi.org/10.1093/ser/mww044

Imlig, F., Bayard, S., Gerhard, S., Herrmann, S., & Schalit, T. (2021). Entwicklung der nichtgymnasialen Mittelschulen im Kanton Zürich, 2021 [Development of non-grammar secondary schools in the canton of Zurich, 2021]. Bildungsdirektion Kanton Zürich.

Kern, P. (2020). Employability: Umstrittener Schlüsselbegriff im Kohäsions-prozess von beruflicher und hochschulischer Bildung [Employability: Controversial key concept in the cohesion process of vocational and academic education]. bwp@ Berufs- und Wirtschaftspädagogik – online, 39, 1–28.

Klebl, M. (2015). Akademisierung der Berufsbildung [Academisation of vocational education and training]. In M. Klebl, & S. Popescu-Willigmann (Eds.), Handbuch Bildungsplanung: Ziele und Inhalte beruflicher Bildung auf unterrichtlicher, organisationaler und politischer Ebene [Educational planning handbook: Objectives and content of vocational education and training at classroom, organisational and political level] (pp. 813–844). wbv.

Kriesi, I., Bonoli, L., Grønning, M., Hänni, M., Neumann, J., & Schweri, J. (2022). Areas of tension in vocational education and training in Switzerland and other countries: Developments, challenges, and potential (Fifth OBS SFUVET trend report). Swiss Federal University of Vocational Education and Training. https://www.sfuvet.swiss/sites/default/files/2023-06/Trendbericht_2022_EN_EV3.pdf

Kriesi, I., & Leemann, R. J. (2020). Tertiarisierungsdruck: Herausforderungen für das Bildungssystem, den Arbeitsmarkt und das Individuum [Tertiarisation pressure: Challenges for the education system, the labour market and the individual]. Schweizerische Akademie der Geistes- und Sozialwissenschaften. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.3678523

Markowitsch, J., & Hefler, G. (2019). Future developments in vocational education and training in Europe: Report on reskilling and upskilling through formal and vocational education training (JRC Working Papers Series on Labour, Education and Technology, No. 2019/07). European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC). https://publications.jrc.ec.europa.eu/repository/handle/JRC117691

Markowitsch, J., & Bjørnåvold, J. (2022). Scenarios for vocational education and training in Europe in the 21st century. Hungarian Educational Research Journal, 12(3), 235–247. https://doi.org/10.1556/063.2021.00116

Maurer, M. (2023). The limits of reforming access to vocational qualifications: The slow expansion of recognition of prior learning (RPL) in Sweden and Switzerland. Journal of Vocational Education & Training, 75(3), 543–563. https://doi.org/10.1080/13636820.2021.1904438

Molzberger, G. (2008). Rahmungen informellen Lernens: Zur Erschließung neuer Lern- und Weiterbildungsperspektiven [Framing of informal learning: opening up new perspectives for learning and further education]. VS Verlag.

Neu, A., & Elsholz, U. (2022). Dimensionen der Gleichwertigkeit von akademischer und beruflicher Bildung [Dimensions of the equivalence of academic and vocational education and training]. In S. Annen, & T. Maier (Eds.), Akademisierung, Hybridqualifikationen und Fachkräftebedarf: Ist die Konkurrenz zwischen akademisch und beruflich Qualifizierten Mythos oder Realität? [Academisation, hybrid qualifications and the need for skilled workers: Is the competition between academically and vocationally qualified people a myth or a reality?] (pp. 72–89). Barbara Budrich.

Osbahr, S. (2023). Verbesserte Positionierung der Höheren Fachschulen aus Sicht der Anbietenden [Improved positioning of colleges of higher education from the provider’s perspective]. In D. Bach, E. Haberzeth, & S. Osbahr (Eds.), Höhere Fachschulen in der Schweiz: Herausforderungen und Perspektiven [Colleges of higher education in Switzerland: challenges and perspectives] (pp. 14–27). Hep.

Ruoss, T., & Imlig, F. (2023). Unter dem Radar: Die Planbarkeit von Berufs-fachschulen [Below the radar: The plannability of vocational schools]. In L. Hägi, S. Kessler, T. Lehner-Loosli, & N. Quiring (Eds.), Erziehung und Bildung in Wissenschaft und Politik: Beiträge zu Verflechtungen, Wissensordnungen, Bildungsplanung und Bildungspolitik [Education and Bildung in science and politics: Contributions to entanglements, knowledge systems, educational planning, and educational policy] (pp. 201–221). Bibliothek am Guisanplatz.

SBFI (Staatssekretariat für Bildung, Forschung und Innovation). (2023a). Projekt Positionierung Höhere Fachschulen. Umsetzung des systemkonformen Massnahmen-pakets: Stand und weiteres Vorgehen [Positioning Project of colleges of higher education. Implementation of the system-compliant package of measures: status and next steps]. https://www.sbfi.admin.ch/sbfi/de/home/dienstleistungen/publikationen/publikationsdatenbank/positionierung_hf_2023.html

SBFI. (2023b). “Professional Bachelor”: Weg frei für die politische Diskussion [‘Professional bachelor’: Paving the way for political discussion]. https://www.sbfi.admin.ch/sbfi/de/home/aktuell/medienmitteilungen.msg-id-98736.html

Schneider, V., Spillner, G., & Schwarz, H. (2023). VET at higher levels – an attractive option for professional careers? BWP, 52(1), 54–56. https://www.bwp-zeitschrift.de/dienst/publikationen/en/18376

Schweizerische Eidgenossenschaft. (2019). Federal Act on funding and coordination of the Swiss higher education sector. https://www.fedlex.admin.ch/eli/cc/2014/691/en

SCRE (Swiss Coordination Centre for Research in Education). (2023). Swiss edu-cation report. 2023. https://www.skbf-csre.ch/fileadmin/files/pdf/bildungsberichte/2023/BiBer_2023_E.pdf

SERI (State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation). (2019). Swiss education system. https://www.sbfi.admin.ch/sbfi/en/home/education/swiss-education-area/swiss-education-system.html

SERI. (2023). Vocational and professional education and training in Switzerland: Facts and Figures 2022. https://www.sbfi.admin.ch/sbfi/en/home/services/publications/data-base-publications/vocational-and-professional-education-and-training-in-switzerland.html

SGL-SSFE (Schweizerische Gesellschaft für Lehrerinnen- und Lehrerbildung). (2023). Promotionen an Pädagogischen Hochschulen [Doctorates at Universities of teacher education]. Beiträge zur Lehrerinnen- und Lehrerbildung, 41(1), 1–164. https://doi.org/10.36950/bzl.41.1.2023

Straumann, M. (1997). 25 Jahre Schweizerisches Institut für Berufspädagogik – SIBP: Anmerkungen zur Entstehung, zur Lage und zur Zukunft einer Lehrerbildungsstätte [25 years of the Swiss Institute of Vocational Education and Training – SIVET: Notes on the origins, situation, and future of a teacher training centre]. Beiträge zur Lehrerbildung, 15(2), 151–157.

swissuniversities. (2020). Eckwerte Hochschulweiterbildung [Key figures for university continuing education]. https://www.swissuniversities.ch/fileadmin/swissuniversities/Dokumente/Lehre/Themen/201126_Hochschulweiterbildung_Eckwerte_de.pdf

Trede, I., Hänni, M., Leumann, S., Neumann, J., Gehret, A., Schweri, J., & Kriesi, I. (2020). Berufsmaturität: Bildungsverläufe, Herausforderungen und Potenziale [Vocational baccalaureate: Educational pathways, challenges and potentials]. Eidgenössisches Hochschulinstitut für Berufsbildung EHB. https://www.ehb.swiss/sites/default/files/trendbericht_4_de_v1-web.pdf

Weil, M., & Eugster, B. (2019). Thinking outside the box: De-structuring continuing and higher education. In A. Heikkinen, J. Pätäri, & G. Molzberger (Eds.), Disciplinary struggles in education (pp. 135–153). Tampere University Press.

Wettstein, E. (2020). Berufsbildung: Entwicklung des Schweizer Systems [Vocational education and traning: Development of the Swiss System]. hep.

Wettstein, E., Schmid, E., & Gonon, P. (2017). Swiss vocational and professional education and training (VPET): Forms, System, Stakeholders. hep.

Zimmermann, T. E. (2019). Die Weiterbildungsformate CAS, DAS und MAS in der Schweizer Hochschullandschaft: Eine Betrachtung aus unterschiedlichen Blickwinkeln [The continuing education formats CAS, DAS and MAS in the Swiss higher education landscape: An analysis from different perspectives]. Zeitschrift Hochschule und Weiterbildung (ZHWB), 6(1), 22–29. https://doi.org/10.4119/zhwb-1569

Zufferey, J.-D., Ninck, T., Brand, A., Frei, K., Fischli, B., Schönbächler, M., & Tresoldi, P. (2011). Projekt Qualifikation von Berufsfachschul- und Berufsmaturitäts-Lehrpersonen: Schlussbericht [Project Qualification of Vocational School and Vocational Baccalaureate Teachers: Final report]. BBT.