Schools that promote Swiss values in addition to knowledge

All the schools were established through private initiatives by Swiss expatriates. The oldest was founded in Italy as early as the 19^th century. Schools were also established in Egypt – in Alexandria and Cairo – between 1921 and 1929, but these had to be closed by around 1970. The first schools popped up in Latin America during the Second World War, and later in Asia, while the most recent school to open was in Beijing in 2017. There are now 18 Swiss schools abroad in total, at which around 260 Swiss teaching staff currently give lessons to over 8,000 pupils, of whom some 1,500 are Swiss nationals.

At present, the federal government subsidises these Swiss schools in ten different countries to the tune of around 18 million Swiss francs each year, thereby covering an average of 25 to 30 per cent of their total operating expenses. The Confederation provides this financial support in accordance with the Swiss Schools Act, which was completely revised in 2014. Based on Article 14 of the Swiss Schools Act, the federal government also provides just under 430,000 francs in annual funding for Swiss education abroad at 11 locations where there are no Swiss schools.

Furthermore, the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA) and the Federal Department of Home Affairs (FDHA) have a service agreement in place to support educationsuisse, the umbrella association of Swiss schools. Educationsuisse represents these schools’ interests in Switzerland, providing them with a variety of services in areas such as administration and further education.