College of Engineering and Architecture of Fribourg

What College of Engineering and Architecture of Fribourg does

HEIA-FR (Haute école d'ingénierie et d'architecture de Fribourg, or College of Engineering and Architecture of Fribourg) is a Swiss public university of applied sciences founded in 1896, operating as a constituent institution of the HES-SO (Haute école spécialisée de Suisse occidentale) network in Western Switzerland. The institution delivers six Bachelor of Science programmes (Architecture, Chemistry, Civil Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, and Computer Science and Communication Systems), joint Master programmes with HES-SO and the University of Fribourg, and a continuing education portfolio of CAS programmes and short courses. Research and applied innovation are conducted through ten specialized institutes: ChemTech, ENERGY, HumanTech, iCoSys (AI and complex systems), iPrint (inkjet technology), iRAP (plastics), iSIS (intelligent and secure systems), iTEC (built environment), SeSi (sustainable engineering), and TRANSFORM (architecture). The institution's technology profile includes the ETA-One ultra-efficient vehicle prototype (315 km/l in 2024, 256 km/l in 2025 at Shell Eco-Marathon), the Beyond Bézier Fourier typography research (Swiss Design Award 2026), and autonomous robotics developed through student competitions.

The institution operates on a non-commercial funded model: revenues derive from cantonal and HES-SO public subsidies, student tuition fees (CHF 1,600 per academic year based on a CHF 150 registration fee and CHF 800 per semester), and continuing education programme fees. Direct delivery occurs at the main Fribourg campus (Boulevard de Pérolles 80) and a secondary Fribourg site (Route de la Fonderie 2), with a research facility in Marly for the iPrint institute. The primary customer segments are Swiss matura graduates seeking undergraduate education, Bachelor graduates pursuing Master's qualifications, working professionals in continuing education, and regional enterprises and public bodies that commission applied research through the institute network. Marketing occurs through education fairs, bilingual (French/German) study options, public events, social media, alumni networks, and dedicated outreach camps for younger students.

HEIA-FR's strategic positioning is built on its status as the only University of Applied Sciences in the canton of Fribourg with a full engineering and architecture offering, its bilingual educational format, and its integration with the broader HES-SO network across 28 institutions. The institution is supported by industry partnerships including Cisco (Networking Academy), IS&T (conference co-hosting), ECAL (typography research), and regional actors (Swisscom, BCF, Groupe E). Listed as a private entity in firmographic data for database purposes, it is functionally a public higher education institution under Swiss federal and cantonal authority with no equity holders, funding rounds, or M&A activity.

Name

College of Engineering and Architecture of Fribourg

Legal name

Haute école d'ingénierie et d'architecture Fribourg

Website

https://heia-fr.ch

Company type

Private

Founded year

1892

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

HEIA-FR is a Swiss public university of applied sciences in Fribourg, founded in 1896. It offers six Bachelor programmes, joint Master degrees, and continuing education in engineering and architecture, supported by ten applied research institutes operating under the HES-SO network.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education / Engineering and Architecture 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

Technical Universities with Architecture, Built Environment & Design Engineering (EDAHAEAJ)

Keywords

• Higher education services
• Engineering degree programs
• Applied research institutes
• Continuing professional education
• Architecture degree programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Fribourg

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Public higher education funding: HEIA-FR operates as a public institution under the HES-SO (Haute école spécialisée de Suisse occidentale) umbrella, funded primarily through government subsidies and student tuition fees. As a Swiss University of Applied Sciences, it does not operate on a commercial revenue model.
2. Tuition and fees: Students pay a one-time registration fee of CHF 150 and semester fees of CHF 700 plus CHF 100 contribution to study costs, totalling approximately CHF 1,600 per academic year.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

HEIA-FR is a public Swiss university of applied sciences delivering practice-oriented Bachelor's and Master's degree programs in six engineering and architecture disciplines. Teaching is integrated with applied research conducted through ten specialized institutes covering chemical technologies, energy, AI, printing, plastics, secure systems, built environment, sustainable engineering, and architecture. The institution also offers continuing education (CAS, seminars, certifications) to working professionals.

Product overview

HEIA-FR (Haute école d'ingénierie et d'architecture de Fribourg) is a University of Applied Sciences offering a portfolio of educational programs and applied research services. The institution provides six Bachelor programs (Architecture, Chemistry, Civil Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, and Computer Science and Communication Systems), joint Master programs, and continuing education. Research is conducted through ten specialized institutes (ChemTech, ENERGY, HumanTech, iCoSys, iPrint, iRAP, iSIS, iTEC, SeSi, and TRANSFORM) that collaborate with industry and the economy. This is an educational institution, not a commercial software or technology product company.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Bachelor in Architecture Three-year Bachelor of Arts program in architecture focusing on architectural design, construction, and sustainable building practices, offered in partnership with HES-SO.
• Bachelor in Chemistry Three-year Bachelor of Science program in applied chemical sciences and industrial chemistry, part of the HES-SO network.
• Bachelor in Civil Engineering Three-year Bachelor of Science program in civil engineering focused on structural design, construction management, and sustainable infrastructure.
• Bachelor in Electrical Engineering Three-year Bachelor of Science program in electrical engineering covering electronics, power systems, and automation technologies.
• Bachelor in Mechanical Engineering Three-year Bachelor of Science program in mechanical engineering focusing on design, manufacturing, and mechanical systems.
• Bachelor in Computer Science and Communication Systems (ISC) Three-year Bachelor of Science program (extendable to four-year part-time) in computer science and communication systems, covering software development, networks, and telecommunications.
• Joint Master of Architecture Fribourg (JMA-FR) Master-level architecture program offered in partnership with HES-SO and the University of Fribourg, focusing on transformation and sustainable construction.
• Continuing Education Programs (CAS, seminars, certifications) Professional development offerings including Certificate of Advanced Studies (CAS) programmes such as Watercourse Renaturation, Cisco CCNA certification preparation, and technical seminars on cybersecurity, inkjet technology, and sustainable construction.
• Applied Research Institutes (10 institutes) Ten specialized research institutes — ChemTech, ENERGY, HumanTech, iCoSys, iPrint, iRAP, iSIS, iTEC, SeSi, and TRANSFORM — offering applied R&D collaboration, testing services, and technology transfer to industry partners across chemical technologies, energy systems, AI, printing, plastics, secure systems, built environment, sustainable engineering, and architecture.

Quantifiable outcome

• 315 km/l fuel efficiency achieved at Shell Eco-Marathon 2024 (urban combustion category, 2nd place)
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• SwisscomflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Swisscom served as the principal partner (Hauptpartner) for HEIA-FR's 125th anniversary celebrations in 2021, providing sponsorship and visibility as the institution's main corporate partner for this landmark event.
• BCF (Banque Cantonale de Fribourg)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021BCF (FKB) was a Platinum partner for the 125th anniversary celebrations, supporting the institution's milestone event alongside Swisscom.
• Groupe EcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Groupe E was a Platinum partner for the 125th anniversary celebrations, contributing as a key regional energy partner supporting the institution's public-facing events.
• RadioFRminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2021RadioFR served as media partner for the 125th anniversary celebrations, providing promotional media coverage for the institution's events.
• HES-SO (Haute école spécialisée de Suisse occidentale)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerHEIA-FR is a constituent institution of HES-SO, Switzerland's largest applied sciences university network. HES-SO coordinates Bachelor and Master programmes, research funding, continuing education, and quality assurance across 28 institutions in Western Switzerland. Four Master programmes are delivered in partnership with HES-SO.
• Cisco Systems (Cisco Networking Academy)coreTechnology or IntegrationHEIA-FR is an official Cisco Networking Academy partner and Academy Support Center. The institution offers CCNA Routing & Switching certification preparation courses to its ISC (Computer Science and Communication Systems) students and to external professionals and companies.
• ECAL (École cantonale d'art de Lausanne)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHEIA-FR collaborated with ECAL on the Beyond Bézier research project, initiated by ECAL's Master Type Design programme. HEIA-FR mathematicians contributed Fourier transform analysis to explore alternative typographic design methods, resulting in a Swiss Design Award 2026 and a peer-reviewed journal publication.
• LYVA AssociationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHEIA-FR collaborated with the LYVA association and the Fribourg Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCIF) to organize the LYVATech camp — a two-day technical camp for girls in middle school (cycle d'orientation) to promote engineering careers, held in May 2025.
• CCIF (Chambre de commerce et d'industrie du canton de Fribourg)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe CCIF co-organized the LYVATech camp and IA-teliers series with HEIA-FR, providing industry networking and promoting technology adoption among local businesses and students.
• Smart Living LabcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHEIA-FR's ENERGY institute collaborates with the Smart Living Lab — a center for sustainable living research — on webinars covering carbon budgets, biogenic carbon in construction, and Life Cycle Assessment for low-carbon buildings.
• IS&T (Imaging Science and Technology)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHEIA-FR's iPrint institute co-hosts the international Advanced Inkjet Technology Conference with IS&T, leveraging their 40-year history of hosting leading printing conferences to create a key global event for inkjet R&D professionals.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights8 records

Direct peers

• SUPSI (Scuola universitaria professionale della Svizzera italiana): Swiss Italian UAS with parallel applied sciences structure and engineering offerings. Comparable institutional model (UAS, applied research, continuing education) addressing a different linguistic region but operating under similar Swiss UAS regulatory framework.
• HEIG-VD (Haute école d'ingénierie et de gestion du canton de Vaud): HES-SO sister institution in Vaud with directly comparable engineering programs and applied research institute structure. Operates within the same HES-SO network and competes directly for French-speaking Swiss students and HES-SO Master applicants.
• Berner Fachhochschule (BFH): Bern University of Applied Sciences is a direct UAS peer with a bilingual engineering portfolio and applied research institutes. Competes for the same regional Swiss-German and bilingual student market and overlapping industry R&D partnerships.
• HES-SO Valais-Wallis: Another HES-SO engineering sister institution with overlapping engineering portfolio and applied research mandate. Competes within the same federation for cross-institutional research funding and Master program placements.
• Hochschule Luzern (HSLU): Major Swiss UAS with engineering and architecture programs sharing HES-SO-adjacent structural similarities and competing for German-speaking Swiss students and continuing-ed clients in central Switzerland.
• ZHAW (Zurich University of Applied Sciences): Swiss University of Applied Sciences offering a comparable engineering portfolio and applied research institute model. Closely aligned in structure (UAS, applied research, continuing education), serving German-speaking Switzerland and competing for industry partnerships and continuing-ed revenue.
• FHNW (Fachhochschule Nordwestschweiz): University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland providing comparable engineering and applied research offerings. Direct competitor for industry R&D contracts and German-speaking Swiss students in the Basel-Aargau region.

Broad incumbents

• EPFL (École polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne): Swiss federal institute of technology serving the same Western Switzerland talent pool with comparable engineering and architecture disciplines. EPFL is the largest and most internationally renowned peer for HEIA-FR's prospective students and faculty, operating at materially greater scale.
• ETH Zurich: Switzerland's other federal institute of technology, the dominant Swiss university for engineering and architecture applicants. Overlaps directly with HEIA-FR's programs and competes for the same domestic matura graduate pool, with materially higher brand equity.

Regional players

• Technische Hochschule Deggendorf (THD): German UAS with comparable applied sciences, research institute, and continuing education model. Comparable structural peer in a different country, illustrating the type of cross-border applied sciences competition HEIA-FR faces for industry-funded applied research in adjacent regions.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/heiafr.htafr
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/school/heiafr
• Instagraminstagram.com/heiafr
• Xx.com/HEIAFR

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about College of Engineering and Architecture of Fribourg