PECULIARITIES OF THE TUTORING AND MENTORING REALIZATION AT HIGHER EDUCATIONAL ESTABLISHMENTS OF SWITZERLAND

Abstract

The article provides information on Swiss higher education as well as the peculiarities of tutoring and mentoring. A comparative analysis of different universities is provided. The paper includes details of assistance to students, its influence on their future success and employment. It is mentioned that the development of internationalization policy, the increase of academic mobility, the need for quality assurance require a prompt reaction of the higher education sector in order to meet the challenges in higher education. The article also includes the information on the innovative potential of the Swiss universities. The development stages of e-learning in Switzerland which influence the higher education services are discussed. The case of GARCIA “Gendering the Academy and Research: combating Career Instabilities and Asymmetries” project is mentioned, where the key ideas were defined, as well as definitions and a model of gender sensitive mentoring programs is generalized based on the different institutional case-studies across six European countries (Italy, Slovenia, Switzerland, Belgium, Iceland and The Netherlands). The article also presents the cases of Franklin University Switzerland, the University of Geneva, the University of St. Gallen, the University of Lausanne, Université de Neuchâtel and the University of Zurich. The article outlines in detail the well structured system of tutoring and mentoring at Franklin University Switzerland where students may design their own academic plan together with an academic advisor as well as plan the career they want to pursue. It is demonstrated that different types of tutors and mentors work at the Writing and Learning Center. These are language tutors, academic mentors and international student mentors. The provided in the article example of Franklin University Switzerland shows us the spectrum of students assistance at the Swiss universities.