Target group, personal characteristics and skills: For whom is the HF program for adult educators HF suitable?

Are you passionate about learning and teaching with adults? Are you interested in and enjoy meticulous research and conceptual work? Would you like to develop and offer high-quality training and further education and thus make a significant contribution to the shortage of skilled workers? Then perhaps you belong to the target group for adult educator training.

The degree course at a university of applied sciences to become a certified adult educator HF is aimed at specialists from the education sector who are already working in a specialist and management function or who would like to qualify for this with the federal HF diploma.

Adult education professionals should have the following personal qualities and skills:

• Analytical and networked thinking and acting
• Meticulous, systematic and independent way of working
• Load capacity
• Empathy and sensitivity
• Self-reflection and critical faculties
• Interest in innovations
• Communication skills
• Sense of responsibility
• Reliability
• Flexibility
• Pedagogical skills
• Ability to work in a team

Prerequisites for admission to continuing education in adult education at a higher technical college with the aim of becoming a certified adult educator HF:

In order to be admitted to an adult education course at a university of applied sciences (HF), you must meet the relevant admission requirements. As a rule, these are as follows:

• Completion of upper secondary level (federal certificate of proficiency (EFZ), high school diploma, technical secondary school certificate or other equivalent certificate)

And

• For part-time courses: relevant professional activity in the education sector of at least 50%*.

And

• Suitability test passed

Notes:

• The admission requirements for the HF course in adult education may vary slightly from school to school:
  • In some cases, a federal certificate as a trainer is also required for the didactic aspect or
  • Sometimes a specialist degree at tertiary level (higher technical college, university of applied sciences, university) is also required.
• The structure of the suitability assessment can also vary from provider to provider
  You can find out why this is the case further down in the text.
• Creditability of educational achievements: Educational achievements already completed can be credited under certain circumstances (i.e. subject to compliance with minimum conditions). For more information, please contact the school of your choice.

* In a full-time degree course, work experience or the transfer from specialist training to practice is regulated via internships integrated into the degree course.

** The universities of applied sciences (HF) decide independently on the admission procedure. There may therefore be differences between the providers. The admission procedure is set out in the study regulations of the respective HF. It must comply with the relevant legal requirements. More information on this can be found in the answers.

Learning material, content and skills imparted in further training

In an adult education course at a university of applied sciences (HF), the subject matter is often made up of various topics that are divided into macro, meso and micro levels. They are taught in a practical manner and with a view to the skills required and demanded on the job market.

Macro level: educational management, social and political level

Meso-level: organizational and curricular level

Micro level: level of the teaching and learning situation

Important information on the course content of the HF program in adult education:

• The learning content of the adult educator HF course is based on the framework curriculum for adult education. The framework curriculum sets out the basic points for the course (including the competencies to be achieved). Behind this is a sponsoring body, which is responsible for creating the framework curriculum and also periodically checks it for up-to-dateness and quality. The sponsor of the framework curriculum is theSwiss Association for Continuing Education SVEBas an organization of the world of work (OdA).
• However: Despite the framework curriculum, the universities of applied sciences (HF) have a certain amount of leeway in the design of their training courses to become a certified adult educator HF. The specific course content and any areas of specialization covered or how the topics are structured and deepened can therefore vary from HF to HF. The names of the course content may also vary from school to school.

Costs and financing of further training

The costs for an HF course to become an adult educator HF can vary. In addition to the school, they also depend on the training location and the training model/format.

In general, the following costs must be expected for the two to three-year adult educator training course:

• Tuition feesApprox. CHF 13,600, which usually includes the costs for the examinations and the diploma thesis.
  Please note: The amount of the semester fee depends on the school and your canton of residence. The fees stated here apply to students residing in the canton of study. Students from other cantons will have to pay higher tuition fees. You can find out more about this further down in the text*.
• Other extra costsAt some universities of applied sciences, you can expect to incur additional costs for various services for this adult education course. For example, for enrolment and the student ID card, for preliminary courses, teaching materials, training documents, special software, licenses and exam repetitions. Find out about the additional costs directly from the HF of your choice.

* Courses at universities of applied sciences (HF) are financially supported (subsidized) by the cantons. Students from outside the canton pay higher tuition fees. The following conditions apply in order to receive cantonal subsidies:

• at least two years of residence in the canton
• The course is listed on the EDK (Swiss Conference of Cantonal Ministers of Education) list of eligible courses (you will find the link to the list in the answer texts).

The cantonal subsidies are usually regulated by the school; these subsidies are usually already included in the tuition fees stated by the schools.

Duration of study, number of learning hours, forms of learning, teaching times, teaching format and learning effort

• Duration of studyThe adult educator course lasts between four semesters (full-time with integrated internships) and six semesters (part-time with at least 50% employment). Note: The duration can be shortened if you have sufficient prior education and/or previous educational achievements are recognized.
• Number of learning hoursBoth the part-time and full-time courses comprise 5400 learning hours.
• Forms of learningThe learning hours are divided into different educational components. They are as follows:
  • School education components:
    • Contact learning time: This includes analog and digital learning sessions with synchronous support, for example classic face-to-face lessons, supervised group work
    • Guided self-study time: Here, learning tasks are assigned and completed by individuals or groups within a specified time. The learning tasks include, for example, exercises, reading assignments, research assignments and practical tasks.
    • Individual self-study time: including preparation and follow-up work, exam preparation, general study time
    • Qualification procedures: these include the diploma examinations and diploma theses
  • Practical educational components:
    • Practice: relevant professional activity of at least 50% (part-time studies)
    • Internships: Professional activity, accompanied by specialists (full-time training)
• Lesson timesThe extra-occupational training to become an adult educator HF is offered at different times, as the schools set their own timetables. Classes often take place once a week on a full working day, two evenings a week or on individual half-days. Lessons may also take place on Saturdays. In the case of full-time studies, lessons usually take place daily from Monday to Friday, sometimes also on Saturdays.
• Teaching formatMany schools now offer a variety of teaching methods. In addition to traditional face-to-face teaching, most also offer online teaching, hybrid teaching or blended learning. You therefore have the opportunity to choose the format that allows you to combine your adult education training with your family, career and free time in the best possible way.

Have you lost track of the different forms of teaching? Onfollowing pageyou will find a helpful overview showing you the differences and the advantages and disadvantages of the individual teaching methods.

• Learning effort: You should allow sufficient time to prepare for and follow up the lessons and for self-study - how much depends on your prior knowledge, working style, learning speed and chosen training model. We recommend that you allow at least 4-6 hours per week for the part-time model.

Note: Some schools offer so-called "taster lessons"/"trial lessons". This gives you the opportunity to gain an insight into the lessons and the learning atmosphere. Important aspects on the way to a successful graduation. Take advantage of this opportunity and contact the school of your choice directly.

Degree, diploma and title

During your studies to become a qualified adult educator HF, you will have to achieve various qualifications, for example in the form of semester or intermediate examinations or graded semester or project work. The grades you achieve will also be included in your final grades.

If you have completed all the qualifications during the adult educator training course, you will be admitted to the final qualification procedure. The final qualification procedure usually consists of a practical diploma thesis. Here are some important points:

• The diploma thesis includes the development as well as the theoretical justification and reflection on an adult education topic.
• Candidates write the thesis individually and usually at the end of the adult educator training course.
  The time window in which the thesis is to be written is determined by the respective HF in its study regulations.
• The thesis is presented to a panel of experts (a group of specialists) and then defended by the candidates in an examination interview. In the examination interview, candidates not only answer questions about their thesis, but also questions relating to professional ethics.

The details of the implementation of the (final) qualification procedure are regulated by the respective HF in its study regulations.

Diploma and title

If the candidates have passed the final qualification procedure, the HF diploma is awarded. They are then entitled to use the federally recognized and protected professional title "Certified Adult Educator HF".

• In French, the protected title is: "formatrice d'adultes diplômée ES / formateur d'adultes diplômé ES"
• In Italian, the protected title is: "formatrice d'adulti diplomata SSS / formatore d'adulti diplomato SSS"
• The recommended translation in English, which is listed in the diploma supplements, is: "Advanced Federal Diploma of Higher Education in Adult Education". This is not a protected title.