PHZ's Exchange Programmes

The University of Teacher Education Central Switzerland (PHZ) can offer a wide range of programmes for studies in Switzerland, Europe and overseas to give students, lecturers and research staff from PHZ and partner institutions the opportunity to study abroad for varying periods of time depending on the programme.

Are you interested in spending some time abroad and want to:

• get to know new education and school systems
• broaden your intercultural competences
• reflect on your teaching skills in another Swiss canton or abroad
• get to know about the culture of some of your pupils
• experience what it means to be "foreign"
• unterstand worldwide complexity better
• develop new networks for your own teaching or research

Applicants from PHZ partner institutions, please find further information under Incomings. 

PHZ is a member of the Swiss Conference of Rectors of Universities of Teacher Education COHEP, which encourages exchange programmes between teacher education universities in Switzerland. COHEP has published recommendations to encourage national and international exchange programmes (in German) which form the framework to coordinate exchange programmes between COHEP members.

Since 1 January 2007, the European Commission has integrated its different educational initiatives into one programme, the Lifelong Learning Programme  LLP (2007-2013). As from 01.01.2011 Switzerland is a full member in the European Lifelong learning programme. PHZ can now not only participate but also initiate LLP projects. 

The whole Lifelong Learning Programme is administered by the Directorate-General for Education and Culture of the European Commission. 

Within the Lifelong Learning Programme, PHZ is involved in Erasmus partnerships and participates in Comenius cooperation projects and Erasmus Intensive Programmes (IP). Further information on each PHZ partnership can be found here. From March 2011 on Switzerland is eligible to coordinate Comenius and Erasmus Intensive projects. Our Swiss National Agency has more information on the programmes.

PHZ cultivates four partnerships with institutions outside the EU to allow the exchange of students, lecturers and research staff.

PHZ maintains a partnership with the South-East-European University (SEEU) in Tetovo, Macedonia as well as with the Teacher Training College in Patandi, Tanzania. Both partnerships are supported by the Foundation for Education and Development FED within the framework of the teacher education programme "North-South Partnerships" financed by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation SDC.

Furthermore, PHZ has a partnership with Deakin University on the south coast of Australia, a university in an OECD country outside Europe. Besides, PHZ has a successful cooperation with the Rhodes University in Grahamstown, South Africa, which is very popular especially among students.

PHZ students can do a 4 week teaching practice abroad and students from individual partner universities can do a 4 week teaching practice in Central Switzerland. The teaching practices are organised by the respective partner university for teacher education in France, Macedonia and Australia or by PHZ.