Is Switzerland the “Best of All Worlds” When it Comes to Relative Opportunities for Tertiary Education?

A Historical and International Comparison of the Relationship Between Social Background and Participation in Tertiary Education

Abstract

The study examines educational expansion in Switzerland based on vocational and academic tertiary education. Since the 1970s, the opportunities for all tertiary qualifications have been increasing. Social inequality in study opportunities has decreased more sharply over time and across cohorts than has been the case for vocational tertiary education. An international comparison for the years 2011 and 2019 shows that Switzerland is not among the “best of all possible worlds” when it comes to acquiring tertiary qualifications, regardless of social background.