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Vaud confirms plan for college reopening

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The government of Vaud recently announced its plan for reopening college, known locally as gymnase.

© Pattanaphong Khuankaew | Dreamstime.com

Compulsory school restarted across Switzerland on 11 May 2020. However, gymnase pupils, who are typically 15 or older, will have to wait until 8 June 2020 to return.

Gymnase classes, which will start on 8 June and run until 3 July 2020, will be reduced in size and pupils will be expected to stay two metres apart and follow strict hygiene rules.

In addition, no grades will be awarded in relation to study done since schools closed on 13 March, unless there is a federal requirement. Decisions relating to students with borderline grades will favour the student, according to a cantonal press release.

More on this:
Vaud press release (in French) – Take a 5 minute French test now

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Recent research contradicts Swiss government view that children rarely transmit Covid-19

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The Swiss government has decided to reopen schools on 11 May 2020. Behind the decision is a belief that children do not play a major role in transmission of the virus.

Contamines-Montjoie Covid-19
Contamines-Montjoie – © Vmorfield | Dreamstime.com

Switzerland’s federal governments says children rarely fall ill, and when they do they present few to no symptoms and rarely transmit the virus. 

Speaking at a press conference on 1 May 2020, Matthias Egger, head of the government’s scientific group investigating Covid-19, said the best way to spread the virus is a good cough, but because children typically have mild symptoms this is less likely. In addition, Egger said that while some children could spread the virus, children are not a major driver of the spread.

An early study supporting the Swiss government’s view centres on a child infected in France. On 7 February 2020, a British man arrived in Contamines-Montjoie, a French ski resort, after becoming infected with Covid-19 on a trip to Singapore. He transmitted the disease to a 9 year old child among a number of others staying in the same chalet. While symptomatic, the child, who tested positive for two additional viruses, visited 3 schools. None of the people the child came into contact with who were tested for Covid-19 tested positive. This led to the hypothesis that children are poor spreaders of the disease. Another, is that the child had a low viral load, something that might be related to the presence of the other viral infections.

A study in Australia looked at Covid-19 spread from 9 infected students and 9 infected staff to the other 735 students and 128 staff at 15 schools. It found two possible secondary infections in children and no secondary infections in staff. Studies in the Netherlands and Iceland produced similar results.

In contrast to these findings, a recent study led by Christian Drosten, who directs the Institute of Virology at the Charité Hospital in Berlin, finds the “viral loads in the very young do not differ significantly from those of adults. Based on these results, we have to caution against an unlimited re-opening of schools and kindergartens in the present situation. Children may be as infectious as adults.”

Trying to understand the role children play in transmitting the virus by epidemiological observation is currently difficult because of the current restrictions on physical contact, stated the report. Children might be low transmitters of the virus because kindergartens and schools are closed rather than because they are less infectious.

More on this:
Federal government guidance on schools and children (in French) – Take a 5 minute French test now

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Coronavirus: Swiss schools and other establishments set to reopen

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On 29 April 2020, Switzerland’s government announced plans to allow schools and other establishments to reopen on Monday 11 May 2020.

Coronavirus: Swiss schools and other establishments set to reopen
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From 11 May 2020, shops, restaurants, markets, museums, libraries, primary and lower secondary schools and sports training centres will be allowed to reopen. In addition, public transport will operate according to the standard timetable, announced the government.

The easing is conditional on the businesses and institutions concerned taking suitable precautionary measures, stated a press release. Strict compliance with hygiene and social distancing rules remains essential. Comprehensive contact tracing for all new infections will be required.

In parallel, restrictions on entering Switzerland will be relaxed.

The government has gone further that it originally planned. On 16 April 2020, it did not mention reopening museums, libraries and restaurants.

Rules on hygiene and social distancing still apply. The spread of the virus will largely depend on how well the public continues to comply with the rules on hygiene and social distancing, stated the press release.

Restaurants will only be allowed to open if they follow strict requirements. No more than four people or a group of parents with children will be allowed to sit at each table. All guests must be seated, and groups of guests must sit at least two metres apart or be separated by suitable partitioning.

Large-scale events involving more than 1,000 people will remain banned until the end of August 2020. The Federal Council said the risk of transmitting the virus is far higher at large events and tracing all those who may be infected is impossible.

In order to contain the epidemic all cantons will be required to conduct interviews to trace transmission chains across the country. The aim is to identify persons infected at an early stage and ensure that anyone with symptoms can be tested, not simply those who are at high risk or who have already been admitted to hospital, as is currently the case. Persons who test positive will be placed in isolation, while those who have been in contact with them will be notified and placed in quarantine.

Cantons will be required to test people with mild symptoms that are not in any risk category. These tests will be paid for by cantons. Testing of those with severe symptoms or at increased risk of complications will still be covered by mandatory health insurance, but the cost will be reduced to CHF 95.

A voluntary bluetooth-based contact tracing app is currently being developed by the Federal Institutes of Technology in Zurich and Lausanne. Users are the only ones who can see their own data and no personal data or location details will be used, according to the government.

On 27 May 2020, the Federal Council will decide on a third phase of easing measures from 8 June 2020. Decisions are expected to be taken on lifting the ban on gatherings of more than five people, classroom teaching in post-obligatory schools and higher education institutions, reopening cultural venues, sports facilities and mountain lifts and religious services.

More on this:
Government press release (in English)

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Free online courses – stay home and learn

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Here is a list of free online courses for anyone at a home-confinement loose end.

© Joerg Stoeber | Dreamstime.com

1) Free Online Courses from Massachusetts Institute of Technology

2) Microsoft Free Online Courses 2020

3) World Health Organisation Free Online Courses with Free Certificates

4) Harvard University Free Online Courses 2020

5) Free Online Course on how to be happier in your daily life from Yale University

6) Social Media Marketing Online Course from Boston University

7) Boston University Free Online Courses 2020

8) Free Online Courses from Stanford University 2020

9) Free Online Course on Public Speaking from Rochester Institute of Technology

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8-step guide to hiring a nanny in Switzerland

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Brought to you by quitt.ch

Corona virus information
In quitt’s Coronavirus FAQ, you will find answers to key questions related to Coronavirus and home employees.

1. What do nannies cost in Switzerland?

Nannies are expensive in Switzerland. Average monthly salaries range from CHF 3,300 to CHF 5,000 depending on experience and where you live. Nannies cost more in Zurich, Basel and Geneva than they do in London and New York. This is partly because of the high value of the Swiss franc.

8-step guide to hiring a nanny in Switzerland

© Roza Ivanova | Dreamstime.com

The level of experience has more impact on salary than location. Nannies with no specific education cost between CHF 3,300 and CHF 3,900, while experienced trained ones cost between CHF 3,900 and CHF 5,000.

Switzerland has no minimum wages, except for domestic staff. The federal government has set a minimum wage of CHF 18.90 per hour for those with no experience or training, rising to CHF 22.85 for those with experience and qualifications. For a 40 hour week these come out at around CHF 3,275 to CHF 3,960 per month. The rules and rates can be found here in French and German.

Geneva has its own rules which set the minimum at CHF 3,801 per month, rising to CHF 4,889 for qualified experienced staff. These rates assume a 45 hour working week. If adjusted to a 40 hour week they come out at CHF 3,379 to CHF 4,346.

2. Are live-in nannies cheaper? How much can be deducted from their salary?

Generally speaking live-in nannies are around CHF 1,000 cheaper a month because you provide them with food and accommodation, a form of payment in kind.

A quirk of the Swiss system values this payment in kind at CHF 990 for a full-time nanny – CHF 33 per day. The rates are shown here in French and German. This amount must be added to the gross salary when calculating social security payments (see 4 below). This means a live-in nanny paid CHF 2,300 gross per month would be deemed to earn CHF 3,290 for social security payment calculation purposes. In addition, the CHF 990 payment in kind forms part of the pay when working out if pay is above the minimum wage.

3. What visas and work permits are needed?

If you are employing someone without a residence permit who is not a Swiss citizen, you will need to apply for a work permit for them. If they are from one of a shortlist of EU countries then the process is simple. If they are from another country it becomes complicated and sometimes impossible. Your local commune office should be able to provide information on the process, which starts with an employment contract, passport information and a fair amount of paper work.

4. What social security, pension payments and taxes must be paid?

Employers are required to register employees and make certain salary deductions and payments. The main ones are social security payments and withholding taxes.

Social security breaks down into two amounts: the employee portion, and an additional employer payment. The total of the two comes to around 15% of salary, however it varies by canton. For example in Geneva it is 15.992% and in Zurich it is 12.270%. These sums must be paid to a cantonal social security fund. Detailed information on social security payments can be found here in English.

Employing a nanny in Switzerland

© Lovelyday12 _ Dreamstime.com

Generally, withholding taxes must be deducted from the salaries of those who aren’t Swiss citizens or holders of a C-permit, and paid to the cantonal tax office. The tax office in your canton will be able to provide assistance with this.

Companies such as quitt.ch provide services that set up, calculate, and process these payments. Their online calculator shows how much you will need to pay in your canton.

Simplified procedure

The government also offers a simplified procedure. Under this scheme, instead of deducting and paying separate social security and withholding tax as described above, you deduct and pay 5% of the gross salary to a cantonal social security fund. Employees do not have to file an additional tax declaration for this income and you do not have to issue an annual wage statement. This is sent directly to the employee by the social security fund.

If you pay your nanny no more than CHF 21,330 a year (CHF 1,777.50 monthly) then you would qualify for this scheme – if you have more than one domestic employee, the total annual salary amount must be no more than CHF 56,880. The scheme is open Swiss and foreign employees. However, family members and cross-border workers living in Liechtenstein and France do not qualify.

5. What pension payments are required?

Switzerland has a pension system with three elements, known as three pillars. The first, funded from social security payments, is paid by the state. The second is funded by salary deductions invested in the name of the employee. The third pillar is an optional payment that can be made every year by all employees. All of these payments are tax deductible.

Nanny Switzerland

© Zerbor | Dreamstime.com

Employers are not responsible for the third pillar, but must make social security payments for the first pillar (point 4 above) and, if monthly pay exceeds CHF 21,330 a year, make second pillar payments.

There are many different second pillar plans and legal minimums. Payments include employer and employee payments, which are deducted from salary payments.

quitt.ch can also set up and administer second pillar pensions.

6. Is an employment contract necessary?

Written employment contracts are not required by law in Switzerland. There are however many reasons for having one. The first is the requirement to present one to Swiss authorities if you need to get a work visa for a non-Swiss citizen. The second is to provide a record of what you agreed should there be a misunderstanding or dispute. For example, agreeing how much housework and cleaning is included in the job description can bring valuable clarity and prevent future disagreement.

The absence of a contract does not mean the parties can do whatever they want. When there is no contract the Swiss civil code applies. Contracts cannot override mandatory provisions in the Swiss civil code – article 319 of the Swiss civil code in French and German covers employment.

In addition, if you employ domestic staff, special rules apply. Rules for Geneva can be found here in French. Rules for the rest of Switzerland can be found here in French and German.

The main things to include in a written contract are: names, tasks, working hours, term, place of work, how the contract can be terminated – notice period etc, salary, salary deductions, sick pay, holidays, insurance, and signatures.

7. What happens if my nanny is unable to work due to long-term illness?

Once your nanny has worked for you for three months you are legally required to continue paying them if they fall ill and are unable to work. How much you must pay depends on how long they have worked for you. Swiss law (in French and German) sets out how much must be paid. The amount varies by canton. For example, in Zurich it starts at 3 weeks pay for nannies employed for one year, rising to 17 weeks of pay for nannies who have worked for you for 11 years.

Nanny Switzerland

© Lightpoet _ Dreamstime.com

If you are concerned about the cost and would prefer to avoid the risk you can take out employers’ sickness insurance. This typically costs less than 1% of salary. Its main advantage is that it extends payments beyond the legal minimum. For example if you have employed a nanny for less one year you would legally only need to pay them three weeks of pay, if you live in Zurich. After a short stand down period, of say two weeks, sickness insurance would typically pay 80% of their salary for two years. This gives both you and your nanny peace of mind should something requiring extended time off work occur.

quitt.ch can arrange sick pay insurance.

8. What other risks and what additional insurance should be taken out?

Employee insurance to cover accidents involving personal injury is compulsory. In French this is known as LAA, and in German as UVG. Premiums are a small percentage of salary and it is offered by most Swiss insurance companies.

Another risk for employers includes employee-employer disputes. For example, if your nanny decides to stop coming to work or makes unrealistic salary demands and then decides to take the issue to court you will need to defend yourself. Insurance covering the cost of legal defense can be taken out to reduce the risk of a nasty financial surprise.

In addition, it is worth checking whether your household insurance covers property damage by domestic employees. If it doesn’t, policies covering this risk exist.

As you have probably gathered by now, employing someone in Switzerland is complicated. This means you need to make sure you take on the right person to avoid needing to repeat the process. Talking to previous employers and ensuring there is a good fit in terms of parenting style are essential.

Please let us know if you have any questions and we will try to answer them. Good luck!

And if you are interested in a service that takes care of all the admin for you and ensures your nanny is legally employed click here to find out more about quitt.ch.

Disclaimer: The content of the Site is intended for general information only and is not be relied upon as advice on which to base any decision. To the extent permitted at law we do not accept any responsibility for any material appearing on the Site. If you have concerns about the accuracy of any content displayed on the Site please let us know.

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Swiss fact: 44 Swiss municipalities have changed their official language since 1950

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Language is a complicated matter in Switzerland. The nation has four official languages and numerous other languages and dialects. On top of this some Swiss have had to cope with shifting language borders. Between 1860 and 2000, 83 municipalities, known as communes (in French), Einwohnergemeinde1 (in German), comuni (in Italian) and vischnancas (in Romanche), changed their official language. Of these 83, 44 switched during the last 60 or so years.

© Roberto Caucino | Dreamstime.com

Ski warning sign in Zermatt Switzerland © Roberto Caucino | Dreamstime.com

Since 1950, six communes have switched from German to French, one from Italian to German, two from German to Italian, one from German to French and back to German again, one from Italian to German and back to Italian, one from German to Romanche and back to German, and 32 from Romanche to German.

Most of them are near language borders, but a few, like Orselina in the canton of Ticino are not. Between 1930 and 1980 German speakers were the majority in the small comune near Locarno, despite the comune being surrounded by majority Italian-speaking comuni.

Shrine of Our Lady of the rock located in Orselina above the city of Locarno © William Giannelli | Dreamstime.com

Shrine of Our Lady of the rock located in Orselina above the city of Locarno © William Giannelli | Dreamstime.com

One commune, La Ferrière, not only changed its language from German to French, it also changed cantons, from Bern to Jura, when the canton of Jura was created in 1979.

Four communes in the canton Fribourg, Pierrafortscha, Courgevaux, Courtaman and Wallenried, have changed their official language.  Pierrafortscha and Courtaman (now part of Courtepin) switched from German to French, while Courgevaux went from German to French and back to German, and Wallenried flip flopped from German to French to German and then back to French, between 1950 and 2000.

The linguistically capricious commune of Wallenried_Wallenried_source_wikipedia_Dietrich Michael Weidmann

The linguistically capricious commune of Wallenried – source_wikipedia_Dietrich Michael Weidmann

One commune in Vaud, Champmartin (now part of Cudrefin), switched from German to French in the 1960s, and another in the canton of Neuchâtel surrounded by francophones, Thielle-Wavre, switched from German to French in the 1980s.

On the other side of the Alps in Ticino, the commune of Bosco Gurin, switched from German to Italian around 2000, while the small Italian-speaking commune of Orselina, experimented with German in the 1970s before switching back to Italian.

The largest number of linguistic switcheroos have occured in Graubunden. Since 1950, 32 communes have changed their official language from Romanche to German. Another, Bivio, near St. Moritz, changed from Italian to German around 2000.

Switzerland had 26 cantons and 2,287 municipalities in July 20162, with an average population of around 3,640.

The Swiss federal government gives Switzerland’s cantons freedom to decide on linguistic matters. For example the canton of Vaud’s state constitution designates French as the official language, while the canton of Fribourg’s specifies German and French as official state languages. Supermarkets in Fribourg typically have signs in both French and German. Other multilingual cantons include: Graubunden (Romanche, German and Italian), Valais (French and German), and Bern (French and German).

sprachen_ch_2000_fr

The main bilingual towns, Biel (Bienne), Fribourg (Freiburg) and Morat (Murten) are shown on the map above, along with Switzerland’s linguistic regions.

1 German speaking municipalities use a range of names. For example, Appenzell Innerrhoden (Bezirk), Glaris (Ortsgemeinde), Zurich (politische Gemeinde) and Nidwald (Gemeinde) all use different terms.
2 The history of communes – Swiss federal statistics office (in French, German and Italian)

More on this:
List of Swiss communes that changed linguistic region – excerpt from 2000 census (in French)

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Why Switzerland ranked near the top of the 2019 global competitiveness ranking

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Switzerland made the the top 5, after dropping from 4th to 5th, in this year’s World Economic Forum (WEF) Global Competitiveness Index. Switzerland’s decline was largely due to a down weighting of a factor where it is strong, according to WEF’s Saadia Zahidi.

Why Switzerland ranks near the top of the 2019 global competitiveness ranking
Solar Impulse 2 – an example of Swiss innovation – © Ryan Fletcher | Dreamstime.com

The Global Competitive Index measures performance in 114 areas that influence a nation’s productivity. Productivity, a measure of how much value is produced from a given set of resources, is seen as a key driver of long term economic growth.

In 2019 WEF ranked 141 economies, accounting for over 98% of global GDP.

So why does Switzerland perform so well?

According to the report investment in people powers the nation’s success. Switzerland ranks first on education, collaboration between employees and employers and its capacity to retain and attract talent from abroad. Switzerland also possesses a dual vocational and education training system, which promotes and values apprenticeship, allowing it keep youth unemployment low – Switzerland has youth unemployment of 8% compared to the European average of 25%.

In addition, with the highest international patent application rate per inhabitant in the world, Switzerland is reaping the rewards of decades of visionary policies and smart investment into an ecosystem that favours human innovation, said the report.

What keeps Switzerland from first place?

Trade. The big difference between Switzerland and first-placed Singapore is trade openness. Singapore ranks first on this measure with a score of 88.7, well ahead of Switzerland, which ranks 87th and scores only 54.7.

In addition, Switzerland is the worst nation in the report on complexity of trade tariffs, ranking last with a score of 11.3. It is also well down the list on border clearance efficiency (16th) and on prevalence of non-trade barriers (40th).

What risks lie ahead for Switzerland?

According to the authors of the report, tendencies towards isolationism and withdrawal could affect the immigration of skilled foreign workers who contribute to the country’s success on all levels, although tighter controls to prevent wage abuses and dumping are necessary.

In addition, skills shortages remain a problem. Business executives who participated in the survey cited the shortage of qualified labour as the most problematic factor for doing business in the country. At the end of June 2014, there were more than 52,000 vacancies in Switzerland.

Finally, Switzerland’s demographics are unfavourable. With an ageing population, Switzerland needs to encourage more women work, said the report. In Switzerland, only 17% of mothers work full time. It also needs to develop a more positive attitude towards “ageing” workers and greater willingness to employ and train them. These measures would help preserve and possibly enlarge the talent pool, and address the looming pension crisis, according to the authors.

A breakdown of Switzerland’s score can be seen here.

More on this:
WEF report (in English)

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3 things you must know about learning French that most schools won’t tell you

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Brought to you by Swiss French School.

Most language schools won’t tell you these things for fear you will never start. However, unless you know these things up front you are likely to fail.

1. Learning takes a long time

Most know this but teachers don’t like to discuss it. Let’s face it it’s not a great sales pitch. This rarely discussed reality leads many to assume the language learning dropout rate is high because learning a language is difficult, and that the few who succeed must have a gift for language. Both of these assumptions are wrong. Those who succeed are persistent. We have all successfully learned at least one language before, we’ve just forgotten how long it took.

Language learning is a marathon not a sprint - © Dirima | Dreamstime.com

Language learning is a marathon not a sprint – © Dirima | Dreamstime.com

The US Foreign Service Institute, which trains US diplomats, has classified languages based on how much time it will take an English speaker to learn them. The good news is that French is in the “easy” category. The not so good news is that general professional speaking and reading proficiency requires 575 to 600 hours of training. That’s 6 hours a week for two years or 12 hours a week for one year.

Parents are sometimes surprised how quickly their children learn the local language at school. Some are fluent after 6 or 12 months. However, a full school year adds up to around 800 hours of classroom time. This is longer than the US Foreign Service Institute’s guideline of 575 to 600 hours for an adult to learn French. If you went to school for a year with your children you would be fluent too!

2. Spending one hour a week won’t work

Many language schools sell these types of courses, not because they think they will work but because people are busy and such courses fit their busy schedules. However, a minimum intensity is required. Any skill that requires “automation” like speaking or swinging a golf club requires intensive and sustained repetition.

New words are like young plants - © Ruud Morijn | Dreamstime.com

New words are like young plants – © Ruud Morijn | Dreamstime.com

Over the summer break, school teachers worry about summer learning loss. Numerous studies that have given children the same test before and after the summer holidays show significant learning loss. Language learning is no different. Lesson length and frequency is a subject of great debate however most educators would agree that one short class a week is unlikely to deliver much. New words are like young plants: without regular watering they don’t survive.

3. You will feel stupid

In the early stages of learning you will feel stupid. You can’t have a conversation, nothing you read makes sense and your writing is often incomprehensible. This is normal. Babies spend years uttering broken sentences and mispronounced words but we don’t think they are stupid.

Learning language makes you feel stupid

Get comfortable feeling stupid – © Kati1313 | Dreamstime.com

Best selling American author, Josh Kaufmann in his book on how to learn anything says that the major barrier to skill acquisition isn’t intellectual, it’s emotional. We’re scared. At the beginning we need to go through a frustration barrier. This makes us feel stupid, something Josh refers to as “the grossly incompetent and knowing it part”. His advice is to make an up front commitment that will take you through this inevitable period of frustration and out the other side, and stick to it. Also, practice feeling “stupid” with your new language at home or with close friends. Try to do this until it feels normal.

Language learning is about ambiguity and making mistakes. Being comfortable with this allows your mind to operate in an alpha state, aiding learning. If children have an advantage over adults it is here. So try to be more like a child.

For more information on how to accelerate your language learning check out [add description and link] at Swiss French School.

This article was brought to you by Swiss French School.

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Swiss upper house in favour of two weeks paternity leave

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Recently, the Council of States, Switzerland’s upper house, voted 26 to 16 in favour of two weeks of paternity leave following the birth of a child, according to 20 Minutes.

© Pojoslaw | Dreamstime.com

At the same time, the Council of States rejected the idea of four weeks of paternity leave by 29 to 14.

Paternity leave has become a politically divisive topic in Switzerland.

Some argue that small companies will struggle to operate if key people take time out. Rather than impose a standard set of rules they would like to see more flexibility.

Others are against both paternity and maternity leave on the grounds that it is discriminatory. They’d prefer a pool of shared parental leave, as recommended by the federal commission for family issues (COFF).

Shared parental leave allows couples to freely choose how they configure their combined family and work lives. Separate pots of paternity and maternity leave incentivize a particular model that may be at odds with what some want, a system viewed by some as a form of social engineering.

Earlier this year COFF recommended 38 weeks of shared parental leave. Josef Dittli, a member of the PLR/FVP, supports the idea of six weeks of shared parental leave. The Federal Council, which rejects the idea of paternity leave, also favours shared parental leave.

Under current Swiss law, maternity leave is 14 weeks and paternity leave is zero.

The political debate on paternity leave in Switzerland has been boosted by an up-coming referendum on whether to introduce four weeks of paternity leave, which would be funded via salary deductions.

More on this:
20 Minutes article (in French) – Take a 5 minute French test now

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Swiss universities rise further in global ranking

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A recent ranking placed two Swiss universities in the top 20. ETH Zurich (ETHZ), the Swiss university for science and technology based in Zurich rose from 7th to 6th place this year in the overall global ranking by QS.

© Drserg | Dreamstime.com

Ecole polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), ETHZ’s sister in French-speaking Switzerland near Lausanne, scooped 18th place, up 4 places from last year.

UK-based QS, ranks 1,000 universities across the world.

ETHZ is known for its cutting-edge research and innovation. Established in 1855 as the Swiss Federal Polytechnic School, the university can count over 20 Nobel Prize laureates as alumni, including Albert Einstein.

ETHZ was ranked 1st globally in earth and marine science, in a country with no sea. It was also 3rd in electrical engineering, 3rd in engineering and technology, 3rd in environmental studies and 4th in architecture.

EPFL, a university which started in 1853 with just 11 students, is one of the only universities to run a nuclear fusion reactor, a Blue Gene/Q Supercomputer and P3 bio-hazard facilities, required for research and diagnostic work involving microbes that can cause severe disease.

EPFL was ranked 6th in materials sciences, 8th in computer science and 9th in electrical engineering.

Both ETHZ EPFL are both public universities.

In the Hospitality & Leisure Management category, Lausanne-based École hôtelière de Lausanne came first. Four Swiss schools in this category were among the global top ten, more than any other nation.

More on this:
QS ranking 2020 (in English)

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