The “Bundesrat” has adopted a new draft law on vocational training: the titles “Bachelor Professional” and “Master Professional” have been definitively introduced since 01/01/2020. This will further increase the pressure on the Swiss vocational training system to introduce the English title “Professional Bachelor” for higher schools graduates within a reasonable time.
The Bundesrat adopted the amendment regarding the Vocational Training Law (BBiG in German) after clearly requiring in July 2019 professional certifications. University associations and some parties in particular fought against it, because they wanted to reserve the titles of Bachelor and Master exclusively to the field of higher education. Politicians have made up their own minds and approved Education Minister Anja Karliczek’s bill. This means that the titles “Bachelor Professional” and “Master Professional” have been definitively introduced in Germany since January 1, 2020 for professional certifications.
Commenting on this decision, the Minister of Education said: “On this day, we are sending a clear message: in Germany, there are two equivalent qualification paths, namely higher vocational training and university studies“. Attractive vocational training is also essential economically to secure the future base of skilled labor. In Switzerland, this equivalence has even been enshrined for several years in the federal constitution, art. 61 para. 3.