A person’s social background, i.e. their parents’ level of education, should not affect their access to education. However, the proportion of young people from households in which the parents do not hold a degree from a higher education institution decreases over the educational journey from compulsory school to university [data from the Federal Statistical Office (FSO): LABB et SSEE].
Educational pathway from compulsory school to university
In the educational system, a first selection may take place at the end of compulsory schooling. At this stage, there is little change in social composition; the representation of different social backgrounds among those who choose a more demanding track is similar to that among other students.
The most important change in social diversity within the typical academic curriculum takes place at high school. While 73% of students at the end of compulsory school come from households in which the parents do not hold a degree from a higher education institution, this percentage decreases significantly when they move on to high school, reaching 52% among the graduates (maturité gymnasiale).
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Glossary: Compulsory school: no post-compulsory education Upper secondary education: vocational: diploma from vocational education, typically VET diploma or certificate Upper secondary education: general: typically a degree from a baccalaureate school (maturité) or from an upper secondary specialised school (specialised school certificate) Higher vocational education: title of higher vocational education and training, typically corresponding to an (advanced) federal diploma of higher education Higher education institution: title (bachelor, master, diploma, licence) obtained at a higher education institution (university, university of applied sciences, university of teacher education) |
Within the high school itself, the representation of different social backgrounds varies depending on the specialised subject chosen. The decline is even more marked in certain scientific specialisations; only 43% of those who obtain a degree with physics & applied mathematics (PAM) come from households in which the parents do not hold a degree from a higher education institution [personal communication from LABB].
Social diversity in higher education
A large part of the student population at EPFL comes from the specialised subject PAM. Thus, the representation of different social backgrounds at EPFL is therefore affected by the decline within this discipline. According to the latest FSO SSEE survey in 2020, 27% of our students come from families in which the parents do not hold a degree from a higher education institution. This proportion is lower than in most other institutions. Among university students, this percentage is 48%. For universities of applied sciences (UAS) and universities of teacher education (UTE), it is 64% and 67% respectively.
The demographic characteristics of the student population at EPFL seem to explain part of the gap. Still, these factors only play a limited role. Neither gender nor geographical origin can fully explain the difference in social composition at EPFL when compared to other universities.
The growth in the number of international students at EPFL does not seem to have a major impact on the social composition of our student body either. Indeed, of the students who studied at EPFL and who did their previous education in Switzerland, 32% come from families in which the parents do not hold a degree from a higher education institution. This proportion remains at 48%, on average, for university students. The difference between EPFL and the other institutions of higher education also persists if only the STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) fields taught at EPFL are considered.
The proportion of young people graduating from high schools differs by region. Yet, the geographical origin of the students does not explain the observed gap. Of all the people in French-speaking Switzerland studying at a higher education institution, 53% come from families in which the parents do not hold a degree from a higher education institution. This proportion is 57% for students from Ticino and German-speaking Switzerland. In the report, the question of gender has also been analysed, as the student population is predominantly dominated by men in the disciplines taught at EPFL. However, the representation of different social backgrounds seems to be comparable among female and male students.
Development over time
The vast range of study choices and the permeability between the different educational paths (from vocational training to higher education and vice versa) have allowed for a significant growth in tertiary education [OFS]. Within a generation, the social composition of the university population has changed more rapidly than that of the entire Swiss population.
Among the population comprising the parents of students, the proportion with a degree from a higher education institution rose from 13% in 2005 to 26% in 2020. This increase was mainly at the expense of the share of people with vocational education or training, which decreased from 48% in 2005 to 37% in 2020 [OFS].
At EPFL, the number of students with a Swiss educational background increased by more than 20% from 2005 to 2020. There has been a decline in the number of students where neither parent has a degree from a higher education institution. This development took place mainly between 2005 and 2013.
How can we change this situation?
For EPFL, it is now a matter of intensifying the work with our partners in Swiss schools, counselling offices and the authorities to remove any barriers that might prevent passionate students from joining STEM study fields at EPFL. Some concrete measures are already underway: excellence fellowships were introduced in 2022 and EPFL intends to make certain infrastructures accessible to a wider public as of this summer. As a pilot project, we are planning to invite some Maisons de quartier in the Lausanne region to benefit from “The SPOT“, our building dedicated to mechanical and electronic prototyping, or other Discovery Learning Laboratories (DLL). We are also preparing a survey for students who will take their baccalaureate exams in 2023 in order to better understand what factors influence these candidates in their choice of academic studies. Another survey is planned for high school teachers to further refine our understanding.
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Notes: Nota bene 1 : a person is assigned to their highest level of education. A person with a VET diploma and a bachelor’s degree, for example, would be included in the category of Higher education institution. Nota bene 2 : a couple (i.e. parents of a student) is assigned to the higher education of the two persons. |
April 2023
Sarah Gerster, Tristan Maillard, Omar Ballester