Federal Department of Economic Affairs, Education and Research

Federal Department of Economic Affairs, Education and Research
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Name	Federal Department of Economic Affairs, Education and Research
Native name	Eidgenössisches Departement für Wirtschaft, Bildung und Forschung
Native name a	Département fédéral de l'économie, de la formation et de la recherche
Native name r	Dipartimento federale dell'economia, della formazione e della ricerca
Formed	1848 (as Department of Trade and Customs), 2013 (current form)
Preceding1	Federal Department of Economic Affairs
Preceding2	Federal Department of Home Affairs
Jurisdiction	Federal administration of Switzerland
Headquarters	Bern
Minister1 name	Guy Parmelin
Minister1 pfo	Head of Department
Child1 agency	State Secretariat for Economic Affairs
Child2 agency	State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation
Child3 agency	Federal Office for Agriculture
Child4 agency	Federal Office for National Economic Supply
Child5 agency	Swiss Federal Institute of Intellectual Property
Website	[https://www.wbf.admin.ch www.wbf.admin.ch]

Federal Department of Economic Affairs, Education and Research. It is one of the seven departments of the Federal Council and is responsible for Switzerland's economic, education, research, and innovation policy. The department was formed in 2013 through the merger of competencies from the former Federal Department of Economic Affairs and the Federal Department of Home Affairs. Its head, Federal Councillor Guy Parmelin, is a member of the Swiss People's Party.

History

The department's origins trace back to the founding of the modern Swiss federal state in 1848, when the Department of Trade and Customs was established. This entity evolved over the decades, becoming the Federal Department of Public Economy in 1873 and later the Federal Department of Economic Affairs in 1979. A major reorganization occurred in 2013 under the Federal Council led by Alain Berset and Ueli Maurer, which transferred the domains of professional education, universities, and research from the Federal Department of Home Affairs to create the current, expanded department. This structural change aimed to better align economic policy with education and innovation strategies, enhancing Switzerland's competitiveness in fields like life sciences and information technology.

Organization

The department is led by the federal councillor, currently Guy Parmelin, who is assisted by a state secretary for each of its two main policy pillars. Its structure is divided into several federal offices and secretariats, each with specialized mandates. The core administrative units include the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs, which handles economic and labor market policy, and the State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation, responsible for coordinating the Swiss university system and promoting international research cooperation. Other significant units are the Federal Office for Agriculture, the Federal Office for National Economic Supply, and the Swiss Federal Institute of Intellectual Property.

Responsibilities

Its primary mandate is to foster a prosperous, innovative, and resilient Swiss economy. This involves shaping national and international economic policy, including trade agreements negotiated with the European Union and within the World Trade Organization. The department oversees the Swiss vocational education and training system, the funding of universities like ETH Zurich and EPFL, and major research initiatives through the Swiss National Science Foundation. It is also responsible for agricultural policy, national economic supply in crises, and the protection of copyrights and patents.

Associated offices and agencies

The department directly supervises several key federal offices and affiliated entities. These include the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs in Bern, the State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation, and the Federal Office for Agriculture. Other associated agencies are the Federal Office for National Economic Supply, the Swiss Federal Institute of Intellectual Property in St. Gallen, and the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (for economic development aspects). It also works closely with autonomous institutions such as the Swiss National Science Foundation and the Innosuisse innovation agency.

List of heads of department

The department in its current form has had one head since its 2013 creation. Prior to that, the leadership list corresponds to the heads of its predecessor departments, primarily the Federal Department of Economic Affairs. * Johann Jakob Scherer (1848–1853) – Department of Trade and Customs * Wilhelm Matthias Naeff (1853–1855) * Constant Fornerod (1855–1857) * Melchior Josef Martin Knüsel (1857–1858) * Constant Fornerod (1858–1859) * Wilhelm Matthias Naeff (1859–1860) * Constant Fornerod (1860–1861) * Jakob Stämpfli (1861–1863) * Constant Fornerod (1863–1864) * Josef Martin Knüsel (1864–1865) * Constant Fornerod (1865–1866) * Wilhelm Matthias Naeff (1866–1867) * Constant Fornerod (1867–1868) * Emil Welti (1868–1869) * Victor Ruffy (1869–1870) * Paul Cérésole (1870–1871) * Karl Schenk (1871–1872) * Johann Jakob Scherer (1872–1873) – Federal Department of Public Economy from 1873 * Eugène Borel (1873–1874) * Karl Schenk (1874–1875) * Johann Jakob Scherer (1875–1876) * Eugène Borel (1876–1877) * Karl Schenk (1877–1878) * Simeon Bavier (1878–1879) * Bernhard Hammer (1879–1880) * Numa Droz (1880–1881) * Simeon Bavier (1881–1882) * Louis Ruchonnet (1882–1883) * Numa Droz (1883–1884) * Adolf Deucher (1884–1885) * Numa Droz (1885–1886) * Louis Ruchonnet (1886–1887) * Numa Droz (1887–1888) * Adolf Deucher (1888–1889) * Walter Hauser (1889–1890) * Louis Ruchonnet (1890–present (2023|Federal Council (2013. . . . . . . . The list.a,a. . . . . . . . ,,a,a, * . The list ofaa,a.a