| Dossiers |
OECD/CERI-Review «Educational Research & Development in Switzerland» |
| 1. Mandate |
Switzerland has participated in the OECD’s thematic review “Educational Research and Development” in 2006. This project was conducted by the Centre for Educational Research (CERI) and its objective was to evaluate research systems within the field of education sciences. One question that was probed was whether the education sciences practised in Switzerland are capable, among other things, of generating the governance knowledge required at political and administrative levels and adequately addressing the issues that are of concern to educational practitioners. The extent to which Swiss research and education policies create the necessary general environment in which a sufficient amount of high-quality research can be conducted was also investigated. |
| 2. Why survey the current situation of educational research? |
Political and administrative entities are major commissioners of research in the disciplines of education sciences; in comparison with basic research, government departmental research, evaluations and advisory-oriented research account for a substantial share of the current Swiss educational research output. Politicians and administrators consequently have a strong interest in an effective scientific system within the field of educational research. In view of the structural change underway in research and administration (creation of new university chairs, establishment of research departments at the universities of teacher education, reorganisation and realignment of educational planning departments within cantonal administrations), now is an ideal time to survey and document the current state of educational research. In addition, there have been political calls for action, such as the Simoneschi request (03.3282) adopted by the National Council on October 3, 2003, which called for a report documenting research activity in the field of education and providing an overview of the relevant bodies, themes and resources. This report should establish a basis for improved coordination among policymakers within the field of educational research. In addition, periodic assessment of the state and development of all areas of educational research in Switzerland and the identification of research needs with respect to current problems in the educational system are among the main tasks of CORECHED as defined in its statutes (Art. 2 para. 2 of its statutes dated February 20, 2001). |
| 3. Review of the national research system in education sciences |
After the Centre for Educational Research and Innovation (CERI >>) at the OECD launched a project in the field of knowledge management to review national systems for research and development, in which several countries have already successfully participated, CORECHED decided to participate on behalf of Switzerland. The advantages offered by the external perspective of foreign experts lie in their neutral assessment of the situation in Switzerland and in the potential additional knowledge that can be gained through international comparison. In the project at hand the primary objective is an examination and documentation of the existing situation, during which the general structural and institutional framework and the current situation of the overall research setting will be described. Under what conditions is research pursued? How are research grants awarded? How efficient are research promotion activities in the field of educational research? Is there any coordination among the active participants and institutions pursuing research and development? This analysis aims to enhance the impact and effectiveness of educational research policies and thus improve the general environment for high-quality, effective and efficient educational research. |
| 4. Visit by panel of experts |
The main element of the review was a visit by a group of independent experts who spend several days in Switzerland gathering information from major participants and institutions in the fields of educational research, administration and policymaking. The observations and findings of the experts were documented in an Examiners’ Report and include recommendations addressed to political decisionmakers. The OECD delegation was composed of the following people:
The team of experts visited Switzerland from April 19 to 25, 2006. Most of the meetings took place in Bern and on-site visits were made in Neuchâtel, Geneva and Zurich. Visits to universities, universities of teacher education, specialised research centres, cantonal departments of education, the relevant federal bodies for educational research (SER, OPET, SFSO), the EDK, 2 regional conferences of the EDK, the SCTE, and the coordination and documentation offices IRDP and SSRE were included in the itinerary. |
| 5. Documents |
Country Background Report The informational basis for the experts is the Country Background Report, which provides a general overview of the official standard of knowledge and of the institutional situation in Switzerland. The Country Background Report for Switzerland was prepared by the Swiss Coordination Centre for Research in Education (SCCRE). Several of the documents referenced by this report had also been commissioned by CORECHED, for example the report Hofstetter & Schneuwly (2001), Les sciences de l’éducation en Suisse. Evolution et prospectives >>. Other relevant documents were the paper of the scientific council of the social sciences commissioned by the Schuwey Group (2001), Zukunftsperspektiven für die Schweizer Sozialwissenschaften or the study conducted by Hanhart (2001), Untersuchung der Ausgaben für Bildungsforschung in der Schweiz >> (German version). Find the French version here >>. Country Background Report: Educational R+D in Switzerland Country Note The Country Note was prepared by the foreign experts Prof. Tippelt, Prof. Van der Wenke and Prof. Pollard and the OECD responsable, Prof. Pedró and adopted in Octobre 2006 by the CERI Governing Board. The Note is based on the experts' visit in Switzerland in March 2006. National Review of Educational R&D - Switzerland |
| 6. Links |
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