Apprentissages Sans Frontières (ASF)

What Apprentissages Sans Frontières (ASF) does

Apprentissages Sans Frontières (ASF) is a Geneva-based non-profit association founded in 2005 that operates through a bicapital structure combining certified adult continuing education in Switzerland with international development cooperation projects in West Africa. On the continuing-education side, ASF runs four primary training products at its Geneva headquarters (Rue de Saint-Germain 3): the FSEA adult trainer certificate (Module 1 of the Swiss Federal Brevet; CHF 4,100; hybrid format with 8 in-person plus 6 online days), the FORA five-day project management course based on the logical framework method (CHF 1,000–1,050), the Université des Médias et des Droits Humains covering human rights journalism (CHF 500–550, online or hybrid), and a recently introduced five-module AI literacy course covering ChatGPT and generative tools (CHF 1,050, 40 hours). ASF is certified eduQua (Swiss quality label for continuing education) and SVEB-FSEA (Swiss Federation for Adult Learning), making it an accredited provider whose FSEA certificate feeds into the national Federal Brevet pathway.

On the international cooperation side, ASF manages a portfolio of field projects — SolarNet Africa (solar-powered computer rooms and IT literacy in Guinea, with over 1,000 computers deployed by 2015), the Multifunctional Learning Centers (CAM) in Matoto, Guinea offering vocational training in sewing, hairdressing and multimedia, the Senior Dual program pairing retired Swiss professionals with apprentices in Senegal and Guinea, the Senegal dual apprenticeship mandate executed under DFAE funding with Canton de Vaud and IFFP (covering Sandiara with planned scaling to six further schools), and ecology projects including the 150-hectare Boffa mangrove reforestation pilot and the Panier Tropical fair-trade fruit import initiative. The organization pursues a UN advocacy track via three colloquia at the Human Rights Council (2012, 2013, 2016) and a working push toward a UN resolution on the right to dual apprenticeship.

The business model blends individual course fees, public training subsidies (CAF chèques, FFPC subsidies for Geneva private-sector employees, federal 50% exam support, OCE coverage for job seekers), and institutional grants from Swiss federal and cantonal authorities (DFAE, Canton de Vaud, Ville de Genève, Ville de Neuchâtel, HES.SO Valais). Customer segments span Swiss adult learners (job seekers, journalists, project managers, adult-trainer candidates), West African youth in vocational programs, and institutional clients including the Government of Senegal, the Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture of Guinea, the UN Human Rights Council, and impressum.ch. With approximately ten employees in Geneva and an operational subsidiary (ASF Guinée), ASF combines blended-learning pedagogy with on-the-ground vocational training delivery under a self-sustaining model in which training revenue cross-subsidizes development projects.

Name

Apprentissages Sans Frontières (ASF)

Legal name

Association Apprentissages Sans Frontières (ASF)

Website

https://asf-ge.org

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Geneva-based non-profit association operating certified adult continuing education in Switzerland (eduQua and SVEB-FSEA accredited) alongside dual vocational training and development cooperation projects in Guinea and Senegal, funded by course fees and Swiss government mandates.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Adult Continuing Education

NAICS

Educational Services (611), Professional and Management Development Training (611430), Educational Support Services (611710), Technical and Trade Schools (6115)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYEDAAABAK

College & Career Transition Services (Bridge Programs, Dual Enrollment Pathways)

Education/Adult & Continuing Education/Adult Secondary Education (ASE) / High School Equivalency (GED/HiSET)

SECONDARYEDAAABAG

Online/Hybrid ASE Programs & Virtual Classrooms

Education/Adult & Continuing Education/Adult Secondary Education (ASE) / High School Equivalency (GED/HiSET)

SECONDARYEDAAABAH

Intensive Bootcamps & Accelerated ASE Programs

Education/Adult & Continuing Education/Adult Secondary Education (ASE) / High School Equivalency (GED/HiSET)

SECONDARYEDAIAJAA

University-Affiliated Pathway & Foundation Programs

Education/International Education & Study Abroad/Overseas Pathway, Foundation & Bridging Programs

Keywords

• Adult continuing education
• Vocational training
• Professional certification
• International development cooperation
• Project management training

Headquarters

HQ city

Geneva

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Training Course Fees: ASF generates revenue primarily through fees charged for professional training courses offered at its Geneva center and online. These include short courses (5-day project management FORA at CHF 1,000–1,050), the FSEA adult trainer certificate (CHF 4,100), AI training (CHF 1,050), and the University of Media and Human Rights (CHF 500–550). Revenue from training fees supports the organization's international development cooperation activities.
2. International Cooperation Mandates and Grants: ASF receives funding through mandates from government bodies such as the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (DFAE), cantonal authorities, and international organizations. This includes mandates for expertise in vocational training (e.g., Senegal dual training mandate), conference organization, and development projects.
3. Fair Trade Product Sales (Panier Tropical): The Panier Tropical project generates revenue through the sale of tropical fruits imported from Guinea to Switzerland under fair trade principles, supporting local producer communities.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

ASF delivers certified adult continuing-education courses in Geneva (FSEA adult-trainer certificate, FORA project management, AI applications training, and UMDH media/human-rights university) and operates international development-cooperation projects in West Africa (Senegal, Guinea) that adapt the Swiss dual vocational-training model, supported by mandates from the Swiss federal government and international organizations.

Product overview

ASF is a non-profit organization based in Geneva, Switzerland, certified eduQua and SVEB-FSEA, specializing in adult education, professional skills development, and educational/social project cooperation. The organization operates through two interdependent structures: a continuing education center in Geneva and an international development cooperation division. ASF's product portfolio consists of four main training programs (AI training, FSEA trainer certification, FORA project management, and UMDH media/human rights), plus multiple international cooperation projects including SolarNet Africa, Multifunctional Learning Centers, Senior Dual, Dual Apprenticeship in Senegal, and ecology projects focused on mangrove reforestation and fair trade.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Certificat FSEA FFA CF-AF - Module 1 du Brevet fédéral de formatrice/formateur d'adultes Module 1 of the Federal Brevet for adult trainers, certified by FSEA. A hybrid course teaching participants to design and deliver training sessions for adult learners using a blended-learning, neuroscientific and intercultural approach. Target: professionals pursuing the Swiss Federal Brevet.
• Formation en Intelligence Artificielle Multioptions A 5-module training program (40 hours) teaching professionals how to use ChatGPT and other AI tools for text generation, office management, marketing, website management, and image creation/manipulation. Modules can be taken individually or as a complete program. Target: professionals seeking AI literacy for productivity.
• Formation en gestion & management de projets - FORA (5 jours) A 5-day intensive (40-hour) project-management training based on the FORA logical-framework method (Finalités, Objectifs, Résultats, Activités), covering project conception, financing, and evaluation. Target: project managers in public administration, NGOs, private companies, and international institutions.
• Université des Médias et des Droits Humains (UMDH) A 42-hour (10-day) program covering universal and regional human-rights systems, fundamental rights, and media practices, including a special session on women's rights. Available in-person in Geneva or online. Target: journalists and media professionals.
• SolarNet Africa (Cooperation Project) Project to establish solar-powered computer rooms with internet access in schools in Guinea, including computer collection in Switzerland, lending to schools, basic IT training, and computer recycling. Target: West African educational institutions.
• Centres d'Apprentissages Multifonctionnels (CAM) Multifunctional learning centers in Matoto (Guinea) offering vocational training in sewing/embroidery, hairstyling, and multimedia, plus literacy courses. Target: youth aged 15-25 in West Africa.
• Apprentissage Dual - Sénégal Project to promote vocational training and professional insertion for youth aged 16-25 based on the Swiss dual training system, implemented in Senegal in partnership with the Canton de Vaud, IFFP, and the Government of Senegal. Target: Senegalese youth and government vocational-training system.
• Projet Mangrove Mangrove reforestation project along the Guinean coastline in Boffa prefecture, including GIS analysis, environmental-awareness campaigns, and sustainable-fishing practices. Target: coastal Guinean communities and ecosystem.
• Projet Panier Tropical Fair-trade project importing tropical fruits from Guinea to Switzerland while supporting local producer communities. Target: Swiss consumers of fair-trade tropical produce and Guinean producer communities.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 1,000 young people trained through international programs
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 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 capability5 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and moderate.

• Canton de VaudcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2015ASF partnered with the Canton de Vaud in the 'Mandate for Vocational and Dual Training Expertise in Senegal 2015,' initiated by the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (DFAE). The Canton of Vaud is responsible for the third phase of the mandate, which involves implementing the dual model in a vocational school in Sandiara (Mbour) before scaling to 6 other schools in Senegal.
• Institut Fédéral de Formation Professionnelle (IFFP)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2015ASF partnered with the IFFP in the 'Mandate for Vocational and Dual Training Expertise in Senegal 2015.' Together with the Canton de Vaud and ASF, the IFFP participated in expert missions to Dakar in April 2015 to assess the conditions for implementing a dual vocational training system in Senegal.
• Ecole Technique et Ecole des Métiers de LausannemoderateStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2015The Ecole Technique et Ecole des Métiers de Lausanne donated equipment to ASF's SolarNet Africa project and participated in a joint expert mission to Senegal in April 2015.
• Government of SenegalcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2015Under the initiative of the Senegalese government, ASF works on implementing a dual vocational training system in Senegal. The government has partnered with ASF for policy reforms at the public policy level, including organizing a pre-symposium in Dakar in November 2015 to prepare for the March 2016 symposium.
• United Nations (Human Rights Council)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2012ASF has organized three international colloquia (2012, 2013, 2016) at the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva on the right to vocational training and apprenticeship. The organization is working toward a UN resolution on the right to dual apprenticeship as part of the right to education.
• Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture (Guinea)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerASF signed a partnership convention with the Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture of Guinea for the Fishing project. The Ministry provides premises for the project, and ASF collaborates with the Ministry on training fishermen in responsible fishing techniques.
• impressum.ch (Swiss Journalists Union)moderateStrategic or Co-development PartnerJournalists who are members of impressum.ch (the Swiss journalists' union) have their UMDH (Université des Médias et des Droits Humains) training fully covered, indicating a partnership arrangement for professional development support.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Fondation Hirondelle: Swiss-based media and human rights NGO operating internationally. Comparable to ASF in terms of Swiss HQ location, UN access (UN Human Rights Council), and the specific intersection of media training + human rights that ASF addresses through the UMDH program. Both are mid-sized Swiss NGOs with international project portfolios.
• Swisscontact: Swiss foundation promoting economic and vocational development in emerging markets. Highly comparable to ASF: both are Swiss-anchored NGOs implementing vocational training programs in developing countries, particularly in Francophone Africa, and both leverage Swiss dual training expertise as a core offering.
• Helvetas Swiss Intercooperation: Swiss development organization running vocational training, education, and economic development projects in dozens of developing countries. Direct peer to ASF's international cooperation pole, with overlapping thematic focus on skills development and a comparable Swiss NGO structure, though at significantly larger scale.
• Enfants du Monde: Swiss NGO focused on education, child health, and training programs in developing countries. Comparable to ASF as a Geneva-based non-profit combining Swiss continuing education with international cooperation, though with thematic focus on health/children's education rather than vocational training.
• Formation et Développement (F&D): Swiss training organization specializing in logistics and supply chain vocational programs in Francophone Africa. Comparable to ASF as a small Swiss-anchored NGO exporting vocational training methodologies to West Africa, with overlap in target geographies (Senegal, Guinea) and dual-training export concept.

Regional players

• IFA (Institut de Formation des Adultes) - Geneva continuing education providers: Local Geneva-based adult education institution offering continuing education and certification programs including FSEA-adjacent training. Comparable to ASF's Geneva training pole as a direct competitor for the same Swiss adult learners in the same catchment area.
• CINFO: Swiss foundation providing training and career services for international cooperation professionals. Comparable to ASF's FORA project management course and adult learner segment, serving a similar Swiss-resident professional population seeking development-sector competencies.

Others

• Geneva Centre for Security Policy (GCSP): Geneva-based foundation offering executive education for international affairs professionals. Comparable to ASF as a Geneva continuing-education institution serving international professionals, with overlapping institutional partners (Swiss government, UN ecosystem) though with a security-policy rather than vocational focus.

Broad incumbents

• ITC ILO (International Training Centre of the ILO): UN/ILO training centre based in Turin providing vocational and professional development programs globally, with strong focus on decent work and apprenticeships. Comparable as a multilateral training provider whose mandate, audience, and curriculum emphasis on apprenticeship align with ASF's dual-training international work.
• Institut Fédéral de Formation Professionnelle (IFFP / SFIVET): Switzerland's federal institute for vocational education and training. Direct ASF partner on the Senegal dual-training mandate and the broader institutional steward of the Swiss dual model ASF adapts internationally. Comparable as the upstream authority whose frameworks ASF operationalizes abroad.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/ApprentissagesSansFrontieres
• Instagraminstagram.com/asf_news
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/apprentissages-sans-frontieres-asf

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Apprentissages Sans Frontières (ASF)