General information - Switzerland

A convenient way of exploring information on Swiss special needs education is to look at number of web directories and clearinghouses on Swiss education: SZH/CSPS Swiss Special Educatio Centre Foundation. The Swiss Special Education Centre Foundation (German: Stiftung Schweizer Zentrum für Heil- und Sonderpädagogik SZH; French: Fondation Centre suisse de pédagogie spécialisée CSPS) is a private national body in charge of coordinating and promoting special needs education by different means. It collects, processes and disseminates information on education and training of people with disabilities in Switzerland. Moreover, the SZH/CSPS participates in planning, implementing and developing special educational systems at the level of federal and state (cantonal) authorities as well as national associations. The SZH/CSPS is the organisation where the Swiss National Coordinator of the European Agency, Beatrice Kronenberg, is based.

The SZH/CSPS website collects, catalogues and annotates links to websites, databases, directories and libraries, which are helpful to professionals and researchers working in the field of special needs education and training. All web pages are available in German and French.

EDK/CDIP Swiss Conference of Cantonal Ministers of Education. The Swiss Conference of Cantonal Ministers of Education comprises the 26 members of the cantonal (state) governments who are responsible for compulsory and part of the higher education systems (it is similar to the "Kultusministerkonferenz" in Germany). It promotes cooperation between the cantons, a common policy for education and the ongoing exchange of information an experience. The EDK/CDIP is also a partner of the federal authorities, which are mainly responsible for vocational training and part of higher education. The EDK/CDIP website gives access to online reports and policy papers (mainly in French and German) on different aspects of Swiss education. Additionally, it contains an interface to the subject catalogue of the IDES documentation centre and the Swiss Document Server in Education. Edudoc collects documents of grey literature on political activities in the field of education in Switzerland.

Several universities and colleges offer programmes for special educators, special education teachers, speech therapists and other professionals in special needs education. Most of these institutions are also engaged in research on special needs education. The Website of the Swiss Institute of Special Education SZH/CSPS makes available a list of these institutions of higher education: the list is available in French and in German.

For additional information please contact Beatrice Kronenberg (beatrice.kronenberg@szh.ch), Swiss National Coordinator of the Agency at the SZH/CSPS Swiss Institute of Special Education.