Higher technical colleges (HF) belong to the tertiary level of higher vocational education and training and offer courses with direct practical relevance in which specialist knowledge in the respective field is imparted. In addition, higher technical colleges promote participants' specialist and management skills.

HF courses - e.g. certified business economist HF - are aimed at people with an upper secondary level qualification and relevant professional experience in the respective field. They generally last between two and four years (part-time or full-time). Courses at higher technical colleges are recognized by the federal government and conclude with a protected title. With a diploma in business administration HF diploma, admission to a university of applied sciences is possible.

The federal government currently regulates 8 HF areas: Business, Engineering, Hospitality/Tourism/Home Economics, Agriculture and Forestry, Social Services/Adult Education, Health, Traffic/Transport, Arts/Arts/Design.

As a qualified business economist HF, there are numerous opportunities for further development in the area of higher professional examinations, higher technical colleges or universities of applied sciences, for example:

• Shortened Bachelor of Science (FH) degree course in Business Administration with various specializations
• Expert in organizational management with a federal diploma
• Certified expert in accounting and controlling
• Graduate Head of Human Resources
• Certified public accountant
• Certified fiduciary expert
• Certified tax expert
• Postgraduate courses at universities of applied sciences and universities of applied sciences in the fields of accounting and finance, marketing and sales management, real estate management, leadership and management, etc.
• Further courses at higher technical colleges and universities of applied sciences for further training in business administration HF / Betriebswirtschafter HF

The opportunities for further training are therefore numerous and the degree course can lay a good foundation for your future career. All-rounders are sought after in all areas of management and all sectors. And you can also start building up your own company after completing this HF course.

Our survey of graduates provided answers to the question "What was the benefit of your last training course?" (multiple answers possible):

• 66 percent expanded their professional skills
• 25 percent were able to gain more self-confidence
• 24 percent have a more confident demeanor since then
• 23 percent can manage themselves better
• 16 percent have higher wages
• 12 percent have improved their ability to work in a team
• 11 percent learned better time management skills
• 9 percent achieved a promotion

With further training in business administration, you will certainly also gain more skills, self-confidence, self-management and be able to sell yourself better as a specialist.

Business economists HF are proficient in the following fields of activity:

• Corporate management / Leadership
• Marketing / Public Relations
• Production
• Procurement and logistics
• Quality, environment and safety
• Human Resources Management (HRM)
• Financial management and accounting
• Computer science and technology
• Organizational design / development
• Project management

The HF examination of the Business Administration degree program usually includes:

• Regular, practice-oriented examinations to demonstrate the technical, social and methodological skills acquired in the form of papers, group work or traditional examinations
• Final diploma examination for submission in written form and subsequent oral examination

The HF examinations take place at the local universities of applied sciences whose courses have undergone a recognition procedure. As a result, graduates who pass the exams can be awarded the protected title of "Dipl. Betriebswirtschafter / dipl. Betriebswirtschafterin HF". Upon graduation, a federally recognized diploma with a focus on business administration is awarded.

Continuing education, further training in business administration (CHE) takes 3 years (6 semesters). However, there is also a shortened version. Holders of a federal certificate (or HWD) can complete the College of Higher Education in Business Administration (HFW) in just two years in this shortened version.

The following admission criteria apply to continuing education, further training in Business Administration CHE:

• Federal VET Diploma commercial clerk or Federal VET Diploma retail specialist (direct access)

or

• Federal VET Diploma in another profession with at least 3 years of basic training and at least 2 years of professional experience in the commercial/business administration field (with an employment level of 80%)

or

• Baccalaureate or Specialized School and 2 years of professional experience in the commercial/business management field (with an employment level of 80%)

Further conditions:

• Employment of at least 70 % in the commercial/business administration area during continuing education, further training in business administration.

or

• An employment of at least 50% in the commercial/business administration area during the business administration training, if an employment of at least 80% in the commercial/business administration area was exercised for 2 years before the beginning of the continuing education, further training.

For further details, please contact the College of Higher Education.

The business economist advanced training course (HF) for business economists with a federal diploma provides comprehensive knowledge in the following areas:

Business administration, corporate management, production, procurement and logistics, controlling, human resources, taxes, financing and investment, IT, communication, marketing, project management, organizational design and development, quality, environment, safety, law, statistics, team leadership, economics, business English, financing and investment, IT, communication, marketing, project management, organizational design and development, quality, environment, safety, law, statistics, team leadership, economics and business English

The HF Business Administration course normally lasts a total of 6 semesters. However, if you meet certain conditions, it is also possible to complete a shortened version. In this shortened version, the course only lasts two years.

As a rule, the following admission requirements must be met in order to be admitted to the shortened course:

• Federal diploma for technical business people, management specialists, management assistants, business organization specialists, higher business diploma or similar qualification

And

• EFZ as a commercial clerk and at least 2 years of relevant professional experience

Or

• Federal diploma for technical business people, management specialists, management assistants, business organization specialists, higher business diploma or similar qualification

And

• 3-year basic training (EFZ) in another profession or high school diploma with a focus on business and at least 3 years of relevant professional experience

The admission requirements may vary from provider to provider, so it is best to obtain information directly from the provider of your choice. In addition, admission is usually granted "sur dossier".

The education platform Ausbildung-Weiterbildung.ch conducted a survey to clarify this question and came to the following conclusions:

• 67 % are still clarifying whether further training in business administration suits their needs
• 25 % are interested in further training in business administration based on a recommendation
• 8 % are interested, however, because the degree is required in job advertisements

The additional comments from survey participants provide even more reasons for their interest in continuing education in Business Administration HF:

• "Description of a school about further education"
• "As a technical business graduate, I would like to take advantage of the Passarelle opportunity because I am interested in advancing within the company"
• "I informed myself"
• "Due to the assumption of management tasks in the company"

When the education platform Ausbildung-Weiterbildung.ch asked prospective students as part of a survey, 37% stated that they had done so following a recommendation. 30 %, on the other hand, already knew the school before this inquiry for the HF Business Administration course. A further 33% enquired about a school after reading an online evaluation. Optional self-written responses from the education survey provided us with further reasons for enquiring about schools:

• "Geographical location"
• "I have a good impression of the technical business management training"
• "Found via Google and has good references - is therefore very attractive"
• "came across it on the Internet"
• "Distance"
• "Location"
• "Online offer as a hybrid course"

The following costs are incurred for a business administration course leading to a degree in business administration CHE:

• Registration fee upon registration
• Possible entrance examination
• Semester fee
• Teaching aids
• Qualification procedure incl. diploma thesis
• Protestant seminary
• Possible tuition and examination fees for external language diploma

Depending on the training provider, the total cost of a business administration course leading to a degree in business administration CHE is between CHF 12,000 and CHF 20,000.

Graduates of the HF course in business administration with a federal diploma are awarded the federally recognized title:

"Graduate in Business Administration HF".

The following intermediate degrees are available at schools as part of the Business Administration HF program:

• Higher Business Diploma VSK (HWD)
• BEC Vantage / Higher Diploma
• Advanced Federal Diploma of Higher Education in Business Administration, Level 6 of the National Qualifications Framework for Vocational Education and Training (NQF)
• Professional Bachelor ODEC
• Bachelor of Arts (BA) Business Administration Dual Degree (Swiss/UK)
• IREB (Requirements Engineering)
• Cambridge English: Business Vantage
• IPMA Level D

According to graduates, you can achieve the following with a Business Administration CHE course:

• Solid continuing education, further training to build up a sound knowledge as a generalist in business administration
• Achieve the highest qualification in business administration in accordance with the Federal Vocational Training Act
• Holistic view of a company's business management issues
• acquire a broad knowledge of business, finance, marketing and process management
• Further development through the Business Economist CHE training in a personal and business environment
• apply the know-how you have acquired directly in your job thanks to its high practical relevance
• Achieve a goal- and customer-oriented, systematic and entrepreneurial way of acting
• Take on responsibility and management tasks in SMEs or large companies in operational management and in the business process or in support processes
• Take a leading role in projects of simple to medium complexity
• recognize economic, social and ecological change processes and develop solutions for sustainable development
• contribute to the achievement of corporate goals through a business-supported process optimization
• communicate with the relevant internal and external stakeholders
• Recognize influences and trends in the economic and marketing context and define measures on this basis
• Degree in Business Administration CHE with federal recognition and at NQF level 6
• Use contacts and established network in everyday working life
• Self-determined study focus through specializations in the 3rd year of the CHE Business Administration course
• Follow-up options through a shortened Bachelor's degree (UAS) at a University of Applied Sciences or postgraduate studies

Jobs for business economists HF are in middle or upper management in SMEs and large companies. The managers fulfill demanding specialist and management tasks in business and administration. In doing so, they implement the goals of the management. Here you can read a list of exactly what a business economist HF does and what tasks are involved:

• Implement overall strategy at department or team level
• Adapt organizational structures and business and support processes in line with objectives
• Create profitability calculations and draw up benchmarks
• Developing a sound basis for management decisions
• Statistics, figures and cost plans
• Ensuring market leadership through technology and innovation management
• Quality assurance

Depending on the field of application, a job for a business economist may involve other tasks:

• Accounting and controlling: preparing annual financial statements, balance sheet, income statement, capital
• Human Resources: Recruitment, employee development and training organization
• Marketing and sales: developing marketing projects, determining product and sales policy
• Information technology: organizing data protection and security, IT projects

A survey of graduates provides an indication of the effort required for the HF Business Administration self-study program. According to this survey, students spent the following amount of time and effort on their HF Business Administration studies or other studies:

• 1 % less than one hour per week
• 8 % one to two hours per week
• 20 % three to four hours per week
• 18 % five to six hours per week
• 19 % seven to eight hours per week
• 11 % nine to ten hours per week
• 8 % eleven to fifteen hours per week
• 15 % more than fifteen hours per week

A Bachelor's degree in business administration at a university of applied sciences or university and a CAS course in business administration differ in a number of ways:

• A Bachelor's degree in Business Administration is a first university degree and usually takes three years to complete. It comprises 180 ECTS credits.
• CAS courses in business administration are part of the continuing education courses offered by universities, usually last one semester and comprise at least 10 ECTS credits.
• Business studies can be completed both part-time and full-time.
• CAS courses in business administration are usually designed for part-time work.
• Bachelor's degree programs in business administration provide comprehensive and broad-based specialist knowledge and are aimed at people with a baccalaureate degree (in the case of universities) or people with a baccalaureate or BMS degree with relevant professional experience (in the case of universities of applied sciences).
• CAS-BWL courses are aimed at professionals with several years of professional experience and a university degree who wish to continue their education or deepen their specialist skills. Persons with comparable training (e.g. with a federal diploma or federal certificate) can be accepted "sur dossier".
• Bachelor's degree courses at universities of applied sciences and universities lead to federally protected degrees that are also internationally recognized.
• CAS courses are not federally protected titles and can only be compared internationally on the basis of ECTS credits.

The "Betriebswirtschafter / Betriebswirtschafterin HF" and "Betriebswirtschaft NDS HF" courses can be distinguished as follows:

• HF courses, such as Business Administration HF, provide generalist specialist and management knowledge within the respective specialist area.
• Postgraduate courses in HF offer the opportunity for further specialization and in-depth study as well as the acquisition of additional specialist knowledge.
• HF courses generally last between 2 and 4 years.
• NDS-HF courses usually last 1 year.

What both have in common is that they are recognized by the State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation (SERI).