HES-SO Valais-Wallis

What HES-SO Valais-Wallis does

HES-SO Valais-Wallis is a publicly funded University of Applied Sciences (UAS) in the Canton of Valais, Switzerland, operating as part of the HES-SO network, the largest UAS network in French-speaking Switzerland. The institution is structured around five schools: the School of Engineering (HEI), School of Management & Tourism (HEG), School of Health Sciences (HEdS), School of Social Work (HESTS), and the School of Arts (EDHEA). It delivers 11 Bachelor programs, 2 ES (higher vocational) diploma programs, and continuing-education offerings (including microcredentials such as REHABTECH), alongside applied research through nine specialized institutes covering arts, tourism, IT, life technologies, industrial systems, energy, health, and social work. The institution enrolls approximately 2,800 students and employs 900+ staff across five campuses in Sion, Sierre, Viège/Visp, Leukerbad, and other Valais locations, with bilingual instruction in French and German.

The business model is anchored in Swiss public funding from cantonal and federal authorities, supplemented by regulated tuition fees and applied-research contracts with industry partners. Notable industry engagements include the Net Zero Lab Valais initiative (with Novelis, OIKEN, and EPFL), which produced an industrially deployed electric pusher furnace at Novelis's Sierre plant in 2026. Distribution is direct-to-consumer via on-campus enrollment, supported by a multi-channel recruitment funnel (website, social media, information sessions, "Student for a Day" programs, compatibility quizzes, newsletters). The institution holds ISO 9001, 14001, 17025, and 22301 certifications and reports a 96% graduate employment rate within one year of graduation.

Name

HES-SO Valais-Wallis

Legal name

HES-SO Valais-Wallis

Website

https://hevs.ch

Company type

Private

Founded year

1998

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

Public University of Applied Sciences in Valais, Switzerland operating five schools (engineering, management, health, social work, arts) across five campuses, delivering 11 bachelor's, 2 ES diplomas, and applied research through 9 institutes to ~2,800 students and regional industry partners.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)

akta.pro primary industry

Polytechnic & Applied Sciences Universities (EDAHAEAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

Applied Research & Innovation Universities (EDAHAEAE)

Keywords

• Higher education services
• Applied research institutes
• Bachelor degree programs
• Continuing education
• University of applied sciences

Headquarters

HQ city

Sion

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Public Funding: Government-funded public tertiary institution receiving funding from Swiss cantonal and federal authorities, supplemented by tuition fees and research grants.
2. Tuition Fees: Fees charged to students for degree programs and continuing education courses.
3. Research Contracts: Applied research and development projects conducted for companies and institutions, funded through research contracts and grants.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

HES-SO Valais-Wallis is a public University of Applied Sciences delivering tertiary education through 11 Bachelor programs, 2 ES diploma programs, continuing education courses, and applied research services. The institution operates five schools across engineering, business, health, social work, and arts, supplemented by 9 specialized research institutes serving both students and external organizations.

Product overview

HES-SO Valais-Wallis is a University of Applied Sciences in Switzerland offering a portfolio of educational programs and research services. The core offering comprises 11 Bachelor degree programs and 2 ES diploma programs across business, engineering, health, and social sciences. Unique programs include the Team Academy and Digital Team Academy modules, while continuing education features microcredentials like REHABTECH. Research is conducted through 9 specialized institutes, and the institution hosts annual programs like the Summer School on Advanced Biotechnology.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Bachelor Degree Programs Recognized three-year undergraduate degree programs in applied sciences offered across five schools, designed to prepare students for professional careers through hands-on learning and applied research opportunities.
• ES Diploma Programs Higher vocational education diploma programs designed to provide specialized professional qualifications in management, early childhood education, and social education.
• REHABTECH Microcredential Continuing education microcredential program covering rehabilitation technologies and neurorehabilitation, including digital technologies, robotics, prosthetics, and interdisciplinary collaboration for practicing healthcare professionals.
• Team Academy Educational program module unique to Switzerland, based on coaching methodology and real-world project execution, designed to promote interdisciplinary collaboration and entrepreneurship among students.
• Digital Team Academy Digital specialization track within Business IT, unique in Switzerland, providing coaching-based education with concrete project delivery in digital and IT domains.
• Continuing Education Programs Certifying and custom continuing education programs for working professionals in specialized domains including tourism, gastronomy, and business IT.
• Applied Research Services Applied research and development services delivered through nine specialized research institutes covering arts, tourism, IT, life technologies, industrial systems, energy, health, and social work for companies and institutions.
• Summer School on Advanced Biotechnology Annual summer school program in advanced biotechnology, running since approximately 2006 (20th edition in 2026), providing intensive biotechnology education.

Quantifiable outcome

• 96% of graduates find employment within one year
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability4 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• NoveliscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2022Novelis partnered with HES-SO Valais-Wallis as part of the Net Zero Lab Valais initiative to develop the electric pusher furnace concept for the Sierre plant. HES-SO contributed research expertise for the decarbonization project that resulted in commissioning an electric pusher furnace, reducing energy consumption by ~25% and cutting emissions by ~4,500 tonnes CO2eq annually.
• OIKENcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2022Energy distributor OIKEN collaborated with HES-SO Valais-Wallis in the Net Zero Lab Valais initiative, providing energy distribution expertise for the electric furnace decarbonization project.
• EPFL (École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2022EPFL partnered with HES-SO Valais-Wallis in the Net Zero Lab Valais initiative, contributing research expertise for the development of the electric pusher furnace technology.
• Net Zero Lab ValaiscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2022Multi-partner research initiative including Novelis, OIKEN, HES-SO Valais-Wallis, and EPFL, launched in February 2022 to develop and implement decarbonization technologies for industrial applications in Valais.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• ZHAW Zurich University of Applied Sciences: A public Swiss university of applied sciences offering applied degree education, continuing education, and research across engineering, business, health, and social sciences. Its public applied-sciences model and Swiss regional footprint closely match HES-SO Valais-Wallis.
• Bern University of Applied Sciences: A public Swiss university of applied sciences with applied degree programs, continuing education, and research across technical, economic, health, and social disciplines. It is a close domestic comparator for HES-SO’s applied education and industry-facing research model.
• FHNW University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland: A public Swiss university of applied sciences and arts combining applied teaching with research and professional development across multiple disciplines. Its broad disciplinary portfolio and regional-campus model are comparable to HES-SO Valais-Wallis.
• OST – Eastern Switzerland University of Applied Sciences: A public Swiss university of applied sciences offering applied Bachelor’s and Master’s programs, research, and industry collaboration. It is a direct comparator in institutional scale, public funding, and applied-sciences positioning.
• FHGR – University of Applied Sciences of the Grisons: A smaller public Swiss university of applied sciences with applied programs and research in areas such as engineering, business, tourism, and architecture. Its regional and interdisciplinary profile is relevant despite its smaller footprint.
• HU University of Applied Sciences Utrecht: A public Dutch university of applied sciences offering applied Bachelor’s and Master’s education, research, and professional programs across a broad range of disciplines. It is a direct international comparator for the public applied-education and applied-research model.

Regional players

• SUPSI – University of Applied Sciences and Arts of Southern Switzerland: The Italian-speaking Swiss university of applied sciences provides applied higher education, research, and continuing education in technology, economics, design, health, and conservation. It is directly comparable on the applied-sciences model, although its language and catchment differ.

Others

• HES-SO: The parent HES-SO network is the largest university of applied sciences network in French-speaking Switzerland and includes HES-SO Valais-Wallis. It is a useful ecosystem-level benchmark, but it is not an independent standalone competitor.

Emerging players

• Kalaidos University of Applied Sciences: A private Swiss university of applied sciences focused on career-integrated Bachelor’s, Master’s, and continuing education across professional and applied fields. It overlaps with HES-SO in degree programs and professional upskilling, although its ownership and delivery model differ.

Broad incumbents

• EPFL: A large research-intensive technical university in the Lausanne–Valais orbit with engineering, computing, life-science, and energy research capabilities. It is a broad incumbent comparator for research intensity and technical talent, but not a like-for-like applied-sciences teaching model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/hessovalais
• Instagraminstagram.com/hessovalais
• TikToktiktok.com/@hessovalaiswallis
• Facebookfacebook.com/hessovalais

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about HES-SO Valais-Wallis