Zurich University of Applied Sciences/ZHAW
ZHAW is a public Swiss university of applied sciences operating eight schools across three campuses in Winterthur, Zürich, and Wädenswil, delivering bachelor, master, and continuing education programs alongside applied research for students, professionals, and industry partners.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2007
- HeadquartersWinterthur, Switzerland
- Headcount1,001–5,000
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What Zurich University of Applied Sciences/ZHAW does
ZHAW (Zurich University of Applied Sciences / Zürcher Hochschule für Angewandte Wissenschaften) is a public Swiss Fachhochschule founded in 2007 and headquartered in Winterthur, with additional campuses in Zürich and Wädenswil. The institution operates eight schools — Applied Linguistics, Applied Psychology, Architecture/Design/Civil Engineering, Health Sciences, Life Sciences and Facility Management, Engineering, Management and Law, and Social Work — delivering bachelor's, master's, and continuing education programs alongside applied research. ZHAW serves undergraduate and graduate students, working professionals enrolled in CAS/DAS/MAS continuing education programs, and industry/government partners engaging in contract research and consulting.
ZHAW's core technology and digital infrastructure include the DSpace-based ZHAW Digital Collection for open-access scholarly output, the Moodle-based ZHAW Moodle LMS for online course delivery, the myZHAW student portal, and the ZHAW Servicedesk IT service management portal. The university maintains cross-cutting initiatives such as ClimateChange@ZHAW (an interdisciplinary climate research coordination hub), the Sustainable Impact Program (with Instant Impact, Living Lab, Student Project, and SDG Thesis Award funds), and the Digital Futures Fund supporting internal digital transformation. AI/ML capabilities are research-oriented, with documented applications in NLP for climate policy text analysis and AI for emissions trading fraud detection.
ZHAW's business model rests on four revenue streams: public higher education funding from the Canton of Zurich and Swiss federal government, tuition fees from degree-seeking students, continuing education program fees (CAS/DAS/MAS), and third-party research contracts and grants. The institution is not VC-backed or privately held; it operates as a public-law entity under Swiss higher education law, with the ZHAW Foundation (Stiftung ZHAW) providing supplementary donor-funded support. International reach is enabled through the EELISA European University alliance, bilateral exchange agreements, and partnerships with sustainability networks including Climate-KIC, ISCN, and UN PRME.
Zurich University of Applied Sciences/ZHAW firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Zurich University of Applied Sciences/ZHAW
- Legal name
- ZHAW Zurich University of Applied Sciences
- Website
- https://zhaw.ch
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2007
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1,001–5,000 employees
- Short description
- ZHAW is a public Swiss university of applied sciences operating eight schools across three campuses in Winterthur, Zürich, and Wädenswil, delivering bachelor, master, and continuing education programs alongside applied research for students, professionals, and industry partners.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Zurich University of Applied Sciences/ZHAW industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Higher Education
- NAICS
- Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113), Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services (54), Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities (541720)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Applied Research & Innovation Universities (EDAHAEAE)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Polytechnic & Applied Sciences Universities (EDAHAEAB), Human Resources & Talent (SHRM/HRCI Recertification) (EDAAALAN)
Keywords
Where Zurich University of Applied Sciences/ZHAW is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Winterthur
- HQ country
- Switzerland
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices3 records
Markets served
Zurich University of Applied Sciences/ZHAW business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Public Higher Education Funding: Government-funded university receiving public subsidies from Canton of Zurich and Swiss federal government for degree programs and research activities.
- Tuition Fees: Tuition fees from Bachelor and Master students for enrolled degree programs.
- Continuing Education Programs: Revenue from CAS (Certificate of Advanced Studies), DAS, MAS programs and professional development courses in various disciplines.
- Research Contracts and Grants: Third-party research funding from government agencies, industry partners, and international organizations for applied research projects.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | CAS Klimastrategien - Certificate of Advanced Studies in Climate Strategies |
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels7 records
Zurich University of Applied Sciences/ZHAW product offering
Product offeringCore offering
ZHAW is a public Swiss university of applied sciences delivering practice-oriented Bachelor's and Master's degree programs, continuing education (CAS, DAS, MAS), and applied research services across eight specialized schools covering applied linguistics, psychology, architecture, health sciences, life sciences, engineering, management and law, and social work. It also provides contract research, consulting, and knowledge transfer partnerships with industry and public-sector organizations.
Product overview
ZHAW (Zurich University of Applied Sciences) operates as a multi-disciplinary university with eight specialized schools offering bachelor's, master's, and continuing education programs. The institution provides digital platforms including the ZHAW Digital Collection repository for academic publications, ClimateChange@ZHAW for climate research coordination, and internal portals like myZHAW and Moodle for student learning. ZHAW's technology offerings include sustainability initiatives (Sustainable Impact Program, Digital Futures Fund), research centers (Center for Energy and Environment, Digital Health Lab, Datalab), and IT service tools (Servicedesk). The academic portfolio spans Applied Linguistics, Psychology, Architecture, Health Sciences, Life Sciences, Engineering, Management/Law, and Social Work.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Bachelor's Degree Programs Practice-oriented undergraduate degree programs (Bachelor) in applied linguistics, psychology, architecture/design/civil engineering, health sciences, life sciences and facility management, engineering, management and law, and social work, designed for prospective students in Switzerland.
- Master's Degree Programs Graduate degree programs (Master) with research components and professional specialization, offered across ZHAW's eight schools for students seeking advanced qualifications.
- Continuing Education Programs (CAS/DAS/MAS) Fee-based Certificate of Advanced Studies (CAS), Diploma of Advanced Studies (DAS), and Master of Advanced Studies (MAS) programs covering topics such as climate strategies, banking/finance/insurance, digital transformation, health care management, leadership, and management, targeted at working professionals seeking career advancement or specialization.
- Research and Consulting Services Contract research, applied research collaborations, and consulting services delivered to companies, public institutions, and government bodies seeking expert knowledge, innovation, and applied research solutions.
- ClimateChange@ZHAW Interdisciplinary initiative coordinating climate change research across ZHAW departments, acting as a central hub for climate protection and adaptation projects with expert networks and interactive visualization tools.
Companies that use Zurich University of Applied Sciences/ZHAW
Customer profileSegments4 records
Ideal customer profiles1 record
Zurich University of Applied Sciences/ZHAW technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration5 records
AI capability3 records
Zurich University of Applied Sciences/ZHAW partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and flagship.
- SwissuniversitiescoreZHAW is a member of Swissuniversities, the association of Swiss higher education institutions that coordinates joint activities and represents Swiss universities at the national and international level.
- Swiss Accreditation CouncilcoreZHAW maintains accreditation through the Swiss Accreditation Council (Schweizerischer Akkreditierungsrat), the official body responsible for quality assurance in Swiss higher education.
- EELISA European UniversityflagshipZHAW participates in EELISA (European Engineering Learning Innovation and Science Alliance), a European University initiative bringing together institutions to create an inter-university campus for mobility, learning, and research collaboration across Europe.
- Climate-KICcoreZHAW supports Climate-KIC, the European Knowledge and Innovation Community working to accelerate the transition to a climate-smart, zero-carbon economy through innovation and entrepreneurship.
- International Sustainable Campus Network (ISCN)coreZHAW is a member of ISCN, an international forum for exchange of information, ideas, and best practices for sustainable campus operations and integration of sustainability into research and teaching.
- UN PRME (Principles for Responsible Management Education)coreZHAW School of Management and Law has signed the UN PRME principles, committing to responsible management education and integrating sustainability into business education curricula.
- Zurich Knowledge Center for Sustainable Development (ZKSD)flagshipZKSD was founded jointly by the four cantonal Zurich higher education institutions as a hub for sustainability projects, promoting pathways from knowledge to engaged action and facilitating exchange among researchers, faculty, and students of the four institutions.
- Swiss Green Economy Symposium (SGES)flagshipZHAW serves as the scientific partner for the Swiss Green Economy Symposium, one of Switzerland's largest annual business meetings on sustainability, held each September in Winterthur with over 1,000 participants from business, politics, and science.
- Swiss Academy of Sciences (SCNAT)coreZHAW sustainable partnered with SCNAT to conduct the Sustainability Science Dialogue, promoting networking among sustainability researchers at ZHAW.
- Akademie der Naturwissenschaften Schweiz (SCNAT)corePartner in Sustainability Science Dialogue to promote networking among sustainability researchers at ZHAW.
Scale indicators2 records
Recent moves1 record
Expansion highlights6 records
Zurich University of Applied Sciences/ZHAW competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Bern University of Applied Sciences (BFH): Another major Swiss University of Applied Sciences with multiple departments, applied research, and Bachelor/Master/continuing-education programs, directly comparable in mandate, structure, and funding model to ZHAW.
- FHNW (Fachhochschule Nordwestschweiz): Multi-campus Swiss University of Applied Sciences offering degree programs and applied research across engineering, business, social work, life sciences, and design — highly comparable to ZHAW's mandate and operating model.
- Hochschule Luzern (HSLU): Swiss University of Applied Sciences with a comparable mix of schools, applied research, and continuing education, serving the same Swiss market and competing for similar student and partner pools as ZHAW.
- OST – Ostschweizer Fachhochschule: Eastern Switzerland University of Applied Sciences formed by merging FHS St.Gallen and HSR Rapperswil, offering applied-degree and continuing-education programs in engineering, business, social work, and health — directly comparable to ZHAW.
- SUPSI (Scuola universitaria professionale della Svizzera italiana): Italian-speaking Swiss University of Applied Sciences delivering practice-oriented degrees and applied research; operates under the same Swiss Fachhochschule legal framework as ZHAW and is closely comparable in scope.
- Kalaidos Fachhochschule: Swiss private University of Applied Sciences offering Bachelor, Master, and continuing-education programs with a strong applied-research and professional-market focus, directly comparable to ZHAW in market positioning.
Broad incumbents
- ETH Zurich: Switzerland's leading federal research university; overlaps with ZHAW in applied research domains (engineering, management) and competes for top students, faculty, and research funding, but at a much larger scale and with a different academic mandate.
- EPFL: Swiss federal institute of technology focused on engineering and natural sciences; overlaps with ZHAW's School of Engineering and applied-research activities, but operates at significantly larger scale and prestige.
- University of Zurich: Largest Swiss university with research strength overlapping ZHAW's psychology, linguistics, and management disciplines; competes for students and faculty in the Zurich market though with a more academic (non-applied) mandate.
Emerging players
- Fernfachhochschule Schweiz (FFHS): Swiss distance-learning University of Applied Sciences offering primarily online Bachelor and Master programs; competes with ZHAW's continuing-education and digital-learning offerings in the same Swiss market with a differentiated delivery model.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Zurich University of Applied Sciences/ZHAW social profiles
Digital presenceZurich University of Applied Sciences/ZHAW financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Zurich University of Applied Sciences/ZHAW leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles6 records
Zurich University of Applied Sciences/ZHAW subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
Zurich University of Applied Sciences/ZHAW funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Zurich University of Applied Sciences/ZHAW M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments1 record
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Zurich University of Applied Sciences/ZHAW
What does Zurich University of Applied Sciences/ZHAW do?
ZHAW is a public Swiss university of applied sciences delivering practice-oriented Bachelor's and Master's degree programs, continuing education (CAS, DAS, MAS), and applied research services across eight specialized schools covering applied linguistics, psychology, architecture, health sciences, life sciences, engineering, management and law, and social work. It also provides contract research, consulting, and knowledge transfer partnerships with industry and public-sector organizations.
Is Zurich University of Applied Sciences/ZHAW a public or private company?
Zurich University of Applied Sciences/ZHAW is a private company. It is classified as state government owned and is currently operating.
When was Zurich University of Applied Sciences/ZHAW founded?
Zurich University of Applied Sciences/ZHAW was founded in 2007. It employs 1,001 to 5,000 people.
Where is Zurich University of Applied Sciences/ZHAW based?
Zurich University of Applied Sciences/ZHAW is headquartered in Winterthur, Switzerland, in the Europe region.
How does Zurich University of Applied Sciences/ZHAW make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Public Higher Education Funding is the primary driver. The others are tuition Fees, continuing Education Programs and research Contracts and Grants.
Who are Zurich University of Applied Sciences/ZHAW's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Bern University of Applied Sciences (BFH), FHNW (Fachhochschule Nordwestschweiz), Hochschule Luzern (HSLU), OST – Ostschweizer Fachhochschule, SUPSI (Scuola universitaria professionale della Svizzera italiana) and Kalaidos Fachhochschule. Broad incumbents are ETH Zurich, EPFL and University of Zurich. Fernfachhochschule Schweiz (FFHS) is listed as an emerging player.
Does Zurich University of Applied Sciences/ZHAW have an API?
No public API is recorded for Zurich University of Applied Sciences/ZHAW.
What industry is Zurich University of Applied Sciences/ZHAW in?
Zurich University of Applied Sciences/ZHAW's product category is Higher Education. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAHAEAE, Applied Research & Innovation Universities, with a secondary code of EDAHAEAB, Polytechnic & Applied Sciences Universities. Its NAICS code is 6113 and its SIC code is 8200.