ibW Höhere Fachschule Südostschweiz

What ibW Höhere Fachschule Südostschweiz does

ibW Höhere Fachschule Südostschweiz is a private, non-profit higher vocational education institution (Höhere Fachschule) headquartered in Chur, canton of Graubünden, Switzerland, founded in 1990 and operating under Swiss federal and cantonal education law. It is the largest non-university continuing education institution in the Südostschweiz region, serving approximately 1,400 students in diploma programs plus 3,500 short-course participants annually across more than 100 recognized programs spanning roughly 30 professional fields. Its portfolio is organized into six schools/departments: Wirtschaft (business administration, banking, HR, real estate, logistics, marketing, law, accounting, insurance), Technik & Informatik (systems, electrical, building, automotive technology, and business informatics with AI/Cyber Security focus), Wald (forestry, forest machine operation), Holz, Bau & Energie (timber construction, joinery, energy), Schule für Gestaltung Graubünden in Maienfeld (interior architecture, product design, communication design, interaction design, art & craft, Junior Academy), and Coiffure & Make-up, plus a Nachdiplomstudien (postgraduate) division and a Sprachkurse / Kurse & Seminare continuing-education arm. The institution operates five physical sites — Chur (headquarters and AGVS-Zentrum), Maienfeld (design school, forestry center, Technologiezentrum), Sargans (from 2026 in co-location with ZbW), and Ziegelbrücke — and delivers digital learning through an OpenOlat LMS and an internal Blended Learning Center (BLC) producing podcasts, visualizations, and AI-integrated learning materials. Revenue is generated through tuition and semester fees (CHF 3,300/semester for the Wirtschaftsinformatiker HF, net of HFSV intercantonal subsidies), Firmenseminare/corporate training, language courses, short courses and seminars, room rental, and on-site gastronomy (Bistro Chur, Mensa Maienfeld). Go-to-market combines direct-to-consumer enrollment via the website and physical locations, event-driven acquisition through info evenings and the annual Wirtschaftsforum Südostschweiz (which attracts 500-600 regional decision-makers), and partnership-driven channels including a 2026 Bildungspartnerschaft with HF Uster for the Zurich Oberland and co-location with ZbW in Sargans. The institution holds ISO 21001, ISO 9001, and eduQua certifications, is led by Direktor Stefan Eisenring, and is governed by a board chaired by Martin Candinas.

Name

ibW Höhere Fachschule Südostschweiz

Legal name

ibW Höhere Fachschule Südostschweiz

Website

https://ibw.ch

Company type

Private

Founded year

1990

Operating status

Operating

Short description

ibW Höhere Fachschule Südostschweiz is a non-profit Swiss higher vocational education institution in Chur offering 100+ HF diploma, federal, and short-course programs to working adults and regional businesses across Southeast Switzerland.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Chur

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Tuition and Course Fees: The institution generates revenue primarily through tuition fees from HF programs, course fees, and semester fees. HF programs are partially subsidized through the Intercantonal Agreement on Contributions to Higher Vocational Education (HFSV).
2. Corporate Seminars: Firmenseminare (corporate seminars) and specialized training services offered to businesses and organizations
3. Room Rental and Catering: Room rental and gastronomy services including Bistro Chur and Mensa Maienfeld, as well as accommodation rental at multiple locations

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

ibW is a non-profit higher vocational school that provides diploma programs, federal examination preparation, advanced post-diploma studies, language courses, and short professional seminars. Its subject portfolio includes business administration, IT, engineering, design, forestry, wood and construction, energy, hairdressing, and project and process management, delivered through part-time, campus-based, online, and blended formats.

Product overview

ibW Höhere Fachschule Südostschweiz is a comprehensive higher vocational education institution (Höhere Fachschule) offering over 100 recognized programs across multiple schools and departments. The institution operates as a unified platform-plus-modules architecture, organized into distinct schools: Schule für Gestaltung (Design School) in Maienfeld offering programs in Interior Architecture, Interior Design, Product Design, Communication Design, Art & Craft, and the Juniors Academy for youth; Technik & Informatik (Technology & IT) covering Systems Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Building Technology, Automotive Technology, and Business Informatics; Wirtschaft (Business) encompassing programs in Administration, Banking, Business Administration, Human Resources, Real Estate, Logistics, Management, Marketing, Law, Trust & Accounting, and Insurance; Wald (Forestry) with Forester, Forest Machine Operator, Ranger, and related programs; Holz, Bau & Energie (Wood, Construction & Energy) featuring Timber Construction, Joinery, Energy, and Construction programs; Coiffure & Make-up for hairdressing and cosmetics; and a Nachdiplomstudien (Postgraduate Studies) division offering advanced diplomas including Project & Process Management and AI Business Specialist. The institution also provides Sprachkurse (Language Courses), Kurse & Seminare (short courses), and operates a Blended Learning Center for digital education. Key facilities include the Technologiezentrum Maienfeld for hands-on technical training. With approximately 1,400 students and 3,500 course participants annually, ibW is the largest non-university continuing education institution in the Südostschweiz region.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Schule für Gestaltung Graubünden: Design school offering Interior Architecture, Product Design, Communication Design, Interior Design, Art and Craft programs
• Technologiezentrum Maienfeld
• Blended Learning Center (BLC)

Products and services

• Business Informatics Specialist HF (Dipl. Wirtschaftsinformatiker/-in HF)
• Interior Architecture (HF Innenarchitektur)
• Interior Design
• Product Design (HF Produktdesign)
• Communication Design (Kommunikationsdesign)
• Art and Craft (Kunst und Handwerk) A two-semester part-time program in which students explore artistic and craft processes including pigments, ceramics, lime, and art casting under the guidance of professional artists.
• Juniors Academy
• Interaction Design
• Architecture Pre-course (Bauvorkurs)
• Systems Technology (HF Techniker/-in HF Systemtechnik)
• Electrical Engineering (HF Techniker/-in HF Elektrotechnik)
• Building Technology (HF Techniker/-in HF Gebäudetechnik)
• Timber Construction Technician (Dipl. Holztechniker/-in HF Holzbau)
• Automotive Technology (HF Techniker/-in HF Autotechnik)
• Forester (Dipl. Förster/-in HF)
• Forest Machine Operator (Forstmaschinenführer/-in mit eidg. FA)
• Ranger (Ranger/-in) A ranger training program offered in collaboration with BZwLyss that prepares students for conservation and outdoor management roles.
• Joinery Project Manager (Schreiner/-in Projektleiter/-in mit eidg. FA)
• Federal Diploma Hairdresser (Eidg. dipl. Coiffeuse/Coiffeur)
• AI Business Specialist with Federal Proficiency Certificate (AI Business Specialist mit eidg. FA) A federal proficiency examination program that trains professionals to strategically apply artificial intelligence and generative AI in business, including strategic analysis, AI use-case development, and change management. The target audience includes project managers, business analysts, HR and marketing professionals, product managers, and executives.
• Project and Process Manager NDS HF (Dipl. Projekt- und Prozessmanager/-in NDS HF)
• Language Courses (Sprachkurse)
• Courses and Seminars (Kurse & Seminare)
• Corporate Seminars (Firmenseminare)

Quantifiable outcome

• 166 HF diplomas awarded in record year
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration6 records

AI capability9 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• ICT-Berufsbildung SchweizcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBildungspartner (education partner) for the Wirtschaftsinformatik HF program, providing industry alignment and professional recognition for the IT business program curriculum.
• HF UstercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBildungspartnerschaft (education partnership) starting January 2026 for joint programs in Zurich Oberland region. Includes technical programs (Systemtechnik, Elektrotechnik, Energie- und Umwelttechnik, Informatik) and business programs (Höheres Wirtschaftsdiplom, Technische/r Kaufmann/Kauffrau, Fachleute Unternehmensführung KMU).
• ZbW (Zentrum für berufliche Weiterbildung)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-location partnership at Bahnhofpark Sargans starting 2026, combining educational offerings from both institutions in shared facilities. ZbW brings programs from St. Gallen; ibW brings programs including Dipl. Rechtsfachfrau HF / Rechtsfachmann HF.
• IG Lehm (Lehm Fachverband Schweiz)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCooperation for the 2nd Swiss Lehmbau-Symposium held May 8-10, 2026 in Chur and surrounding area. Event focused on earthen construction bringing together professionals and practitioners.
• Landquart Fashion OutletminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBildungspartnerschaft (education partnership) for retail and fashion industry training programs.
• Schule für Gestaltung Zürich (SFGZ)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAnnual cooperation for Werkschau exhibitions. HF Produktdesign student work displayed at Schule für Gestaltung Zürich after the Maienfeld exhibition.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• HWSGR Höhere Wirtschaftsschule Graubünden: Höhere Wirtschaftsschule Graubünden is a direct peer operating in the same region offering similar higher vocational business programs. Explicitly co-located on ibW's website (HWSGR Chur), indicating direct comparability in target market and program mix.
• HF Uster: Höhere Fachschule Uster is a direct partner of ibW since January 2026, offering similar HF diploma programs in technical and business fields (Systemtechnik, Elektrotechnik, business programs) in the Zurich Oberland region. Directly comparable in program mix and target audience of working professionals.
• ZbW Zentrum für berufliche Weiterbildung: ZbW is a St. Gallen-based continuing education institution offering similar vocational and continuing education programs. Direct co-location partner with ibW at Bahnhofpark Sargans from 2026, combining complementary educational offerings.
• Schule für Gestaltung Zürich (SFGZ): SFGZ is a Zurich-based design school that is a direct partner with ibW for the annual Werkschau exhibitions. Comparable in offering design programs (Interior Architecture, Product Design, Communication Design) at HF level for similar target audiences.
• FFHS Fernfachhochschule Schweiz: FFHS is Switzerland's leading distance learning higher education institution, offering bachelor's and master's programs with similar vocational orientation. Competes with ibW for working professional students across Switzerland through a primarily online delivery model.
• HTW Chur (Hochschule für Technik und Wirtschaft): HTW Chur is a University of Applied Sciences located in the same city as ibW's headquarters, offering bachelor's and master's degrees in technical and business fields. Comparable for technology and business program competition in the same regional market.
• Benedict-Schulen: Benedict-Schulen is a Swiss private education group offering HF and other programs across multiple Swiss locations, comparable to ibW's multi-campus model and similar vocational/continuing education mix in business and technology fields.

Broad incumbents

• Kalaidos Fachhochschule: Kalaidos is a Swiss private university of applied sciences with broader academic offerings than ibW's vocational focus, but operates in similar continuing education markets and competes for similar working professional students across multiple Swiss locations.
• ZHdK Zürcher Hochschule der Künste: ZHdK is one of Europe's largest arts universities, offering design and arts programs at HF, bachelor, and master level. Comparable for design programs (Interior Architecture, Product Design, Communication Design) competing for similar design students in the Swiss German-speaking market.

Regional players

• BZW Lyss (Bildungszentrum Wald Lyss): BZW Lyss is a forestry education center that partners with ibW to deliver the Ranger program in the Südostschweiz region. Comparable for forestry education programs (Dipl. Förster HF, Forest Machine Operator) with similar federal diploma credentials, but primarily serves a different geographic region.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 records

Subsidiaries3 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 ibW Höhere Fachschule Südostschweiz