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Publications Education and research

Kopf und Gehirn - IllustrationThis section contains SFAO audits related to education, research and innovation issues.

Subsidy audit Audit of innovation and project subsidies for vocational and professional education and training - State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation

For years, the financial resources earmarked by Parliament for innovation and project subsidies for vocational and professional education and training have never been fully utilised. The Financing and Project Support division at the State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation (SERI) is unable to allocate all of the available funds to specific projects. Despite this, funding has increased in recent years, going from CHF 40 million in 2017 to just under CHF 63 million in 2022.

Audit number: 22401

Audit Critical success factors at selected Swiss Innovation Park sites - State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation; Switzerland Innovation Foundation; entities in charge of the sites SIP

The Swiss Federal Audit Office (SFAO) conducted an audit of the State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation (SERI) and the Swiss Innovation Park (Switzerland Innovation). The Swiss Innovation Park is a network for industry-oriented and applied research and development, and an ecosystem for networking between universities and innovative companies. With six entities in charge of 15 sites, it is spread over a total of 13 cantons. Its aim is to promote networking and exchange between academia and industry, and to create an innovation-friendly environment. This should generate additional private investment in research and development. The Switzerland Innovation Foundation is the national umbrella organisation and acts as intermediary between the site entities and SERI.

Audit number: 22435

Audit Construction investment contributions for higher education institutions - State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation

Over the past five years, the State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation (SERI) has paid out an average of around CHF 83 million per year in financial assistance for construction projects at universities and universities of applied sciences. The contributions are granted to cantons for the acquisition, construction and conversion of buildings for teaching, research and other higher education purposes. The basis for these payments is the Federal Act on Funding and Coordination of the Swiss Higher Education Sector (HEdA). According to the dispatch on the HEdA, only strategically important projects that could not be carried out without federal funding are to be supported. 23 applications were approved between 2017 and 2020.

Audit number: 21320