The Association of Swiss Adult Education Centers

Name

The Association of Swiss Adult Education Centers

Legal name

Verband der Schweizerischen Volkshochschulen

Website

https://up-vhs.ch

Company type

Private

Founded year

1943

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Zürich

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Membership fees: Annual membership fees calculated as: base fee of 100 CHF per university, plus 1.5 centimes per participant hour. Second and subsequent sections pay 50 CHF. These fees fund the association's activities including political advocacy, member support, and quality development.
2. Public subsidies: The association receives federal support from SEFRI (State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation) through four-year performance agreements. Current subsidy is approximately 204,000 CHF annually, directed toward policy development, quality assurance, digitization, and specific projects in basic skills, senior education, and sustainability.
3. Course revenues: The association organizes continuing education courses for instructors and administrative staff. Course fees range from free (0 CHF for some inputs) to 180 CHF for regular participants, with discounted rates for member institution instructors (e.g., 140 CHF vs 180 CHF for social media courses).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Association of Swiss Adult Education Centers (VSV/AUPS) is the national umbrella organization for 80 Swiss Volkshochschulen (adult education centers). It coordinates adult education policy, provides professional development for instructors, operates the national course portal vhs.ch, offers the free +up/++up peer-based quality label, and delivers specialized programs in basic skills, senior (65+) education, sustainability, digitalization, and inclusion (including sign language courses).

Product overview

The Association of Swiss Adult Education Centers (VSV/AUPS) operates as a umbrella organization for Swiss Volkshochschulen (people's universities/adult education centers), founded in 1943. The core offering consists of continuing education programs delivered by member institutions, aggregated through the national vhs.ch course portal. AUPS provides quality management via the +up label system, professional development for instructors through the Weiterbildungen VSV program (including AI training, sign language, basic skills, and didactics courses), and coordinates specialized programs for seniors (65+), digital inclusion, and sustainability education. The association also offers sign language courses in partnership with the Swiss Association for the Deaf (SGB) and digitalization support for member institutions. Two Training Days per year provide thematic conferences combining theory and practice.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Weiterbildungen VSV/AUPS (Continuing Education for Trainers) Professional development courses for adult education instructors and administrative staff covering didactics, methodology, digitalization, inclusion, basic skills, and sign language. Delivered online and across various Swiss regions through bi-annual Training Days and topical workshops (including AI/Copilot, generative AI prompting, social media). Target audience: instructors and program staff at member Volkshochschulen.
• Nationales Kursportal vhs.ch National online portal aggregating adult education course offerings from the 80 member Volkshochschulen across Switzerland. Adult learners can search and register for courses; registrations redirect to individual member school websites. Target audience: adult learners in Switzerland seeking continuing education across all Swiss cantons and three language regions.
• +up Quality Label Free quality management and certification label for Volkshochschulen, using peer-based quality circles of 2-4 member institutions that evaluate each other against eight criteria. Designed for smaller institutions that cannot afford paid certifications like ISO 9001 or eduQua 2021. Target audience: member adult education institutions.
• ++up Quality Label Enhanced quality label that builds on the +up framework and adds explicit sustainability criteria alongside the original eight quality criteria. Target audience: member adult education institutions seeking to demonstrate sustainability commitment.
• Gebärdensprache (Sign Language) Courses Sign language courses offered in collaboration with the Swiss Association for the Deaf (SGB-FSS), available at locations including Basel, Bern, Olten, Zürich, and online. Pricing varies by location; travel expenses reimbursed per SBB half-fare 2nd class tariff. Target audience: adults interested in learning sign language and supporting deaf/hearing-impaired inclusion.
• Grundkompetenzen (Basic Skills) Training Courses and instructor training for adults with difficulties in reading, writing, mathematics, problem-solving, and basic digital skills, based on OECD PIAAC assessment data. Includes the national ProfGK project to professionalize basic skills instructors in cooperation with DVLS, CRFBA, and FSEA. Target audience: low-literate Swiss adults and the instructors who serve them.
• Bildung 65+ (Senior Education) Continuing education programs for adults aged 65 and older, including the Swiss Charter for Continuing Education 65+ developed with U3 and Pro Senectute, plus the Digital Seniors project (2026-2028). Target audience: Swiss seniors aged 65+ seeking lifelong learning and digital literacy.
• Bildung zur Nachhaltigkeit (Sustainability Education)

Quantifiable outcome

• Nearly 2 million participant hours recorded in 2024, returning to pre-pandemic levels
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability3 records

Partnerships

20 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• ADIS (Alliance pour l'inclusion numérique en Suisse / Allianz für digitale Inklusion)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024ADIS is a founding member and active promoter of the Alliance for Digital Inclusion in Switzerland. The association works with ADIS to promote an equitable and inclusive digital society, supporting seniors and other groups at risk of digital exclusion.
• SGB-FSS (Schweizerischer Gehörlosenbund / Fédération Suisse des Sourds)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Collaboration with the Swiss Federation of the Deaf to offer sign language courses at various locations. The association provides these courses in cooperation with SGB to promote inclusion of deaf and hearing-impaired individuals.
• Pro InfirmisminorOthersPartner organization supporting people with disabilities, collaborates on inclusive education initiatives
• Pro AuditominorOthersPartner organization for hearing-impaired individuals, supports inclusive continuing education
• SBV (Schweizerischer Blindenbund)minorOthersSwiss Blind Association, partner for accessibility in adult education
• TSF (Technologies pour sans fins)minorOthersTechnology organization for disabilities, partner for inclusive education solutions
• U3 (Université des seniors)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSwiss Federation of Universities of the Third Age. Co-developer of the 'Continuing Education 65+' project to promote lifelong learning among seniors. Together with Pro Senectute and FHNW, developed the Swiss Charter for Continuing Education 65+.
• Pro SenectutecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSwitzerland's leading organization for seniors. Jointly developed the Swiss Charter for Continuing Education 65+ with the association and U3. Partner in the 'Digital Seniors' project (2026-2028) for digital literacy among elderly.
• FHNW (Fachhochschule Nordwestschweiz)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland. Partner in the 'Digital Seniors' project for organizing digital everyday life of seniors. Collaborates on research and project development.
• SEFRI (Staatssekretariat für Bildung, Forschung und Innovation)coreOthersState Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation. Primary federal funding body for continuing education in Switzerland. Provides annual subsidies of approximately 204,000 CHF to the association through four-year performance agreements.
• MovetiaminorOthersSwiss agency for mobility and exchange. Provided funding enabling association representatives to attend the German Volkshochschule conference on 'At the Border' theme.
• SVEB (Schweizerischer Verband für Erwachsenenbildung)coreOthersSwiss Association for Adult Education (alice.ch). Federation partner; the association traditionally has representation in FSEA committee. SVEB administers the eduQua quality label.
• FSEA (Fédération Suisse pour la Formation Continue)coreOthersSwiss Federation for Continuing Education. Primary federation partner; the association traditionally has representation in FSEA committee and is one of eight subsidized organizations under LFCo.
• DVLS (Schweizer Dachverband Lesen und Schreiben)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSwiss national association for reading and writing. Co-develops basic skills training offerings and the ProfGK project for professionalization of basic skills instructors. Partner in the 'Generative AI in Basic Skills' course offerings.
• CRFBA (Conférence romande de la formation des adultes)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRomance language conference for adult education. Co-developer of the ProfGK project alongside DVLS, FSEA, and AUPS to strengthen basic skills instructor training.
• SBFI / SEFRIcoreOthersSwiss Federal Institute for Vocational Education and Training / State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation. Co-finances basic skills training measures under special laws (Aliens Act, Unemployment Insurance Act, Vocational Training Act, Disability Insurance Act).
• SWBK / EDKminorOthersSwiss Conference of Cantonal Governments / Swiss Conference of Cantonal Education Directors. Participates in vocational training and continuing education policy discussions.
• DVV (Deutscher Volkshochschul-Verband)minorOthersGerman Adult Education Association. International working group partner for adult education policy exchange and collaboration.
• AUPF (Association des Universités Populaires de France)minorOthersAssociation of French Popular Universities. International working group partner for adult education policy exchange. Hosted 2025 conference in Grenoble on disinformation.
• vhs.wissen liveminorOthersGerman adult education live knowledge platform. Partner for digital knowledge offerings and online lectures in German-speaking adult education.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• DVLS - Schweizer Dachverband Lesen und Schreiben: Swiss national association for reading and writing, co-developer with AUPS of basic skills training programs and the ProfGK project. Comparable non-profit serving similar adult literacy needs.
• Pro Senectute Schweiz: Switzerland's leading seniors organization and core AUPS partner on the Digital Seniors project. Adjacent non-profit serving overlapping demographics (seniors) but with broader social service mandate.
• U3 - Université des seniors (Swiss Federation): Swiss Federation of Universities of the Third Age, co-developer with AUPS of the Charter for Continuing Education 65+ and lifelong learning for seniors. Direct niche peer in the senior education segment.

Regional players

• Workers' Educational Association (WEA): UK-based adult education charity providing community-based learning programs. Comparable mission and member-based association model serving adult learners in a different geography.

Direct peers

• AUPF - Association des Universités Populaires de France: Federation of French popular universities (Universités Populaires). Direct international peer with similar lifelong learning mission and explicit cooperation with AUPS, including joint conferences on disinformation.
• SVEB - Schweizerischer Verband für Erwachsenenbildung: Swiss Federation for Adult Education and operator of the eduQua quality label. Closely allied umbrella body within Switzerland with overlapping member base and policy mandate under LFCo.
• DVV - Deutscher Volkshochschul-Verband: German Adult Education Association, the umbrella body for German Volkshochschulen. Direct international peer with same member-based federation model and explicit international working group partnership with AUPS.
• FSEA - Fédération Suisse pour la Formation Continue: Swiss Federation for Continuing Education, the primary federation partner and one of eight subsidized organizations under LFCo. Comparable in role and federal relationship to AUPS.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Customer concentration

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles14 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about The Association of Swiss Adult Education Centers