A study carried out in 40 countries by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) in 2003, the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), showed that Swiss 15 year olds were were above average in all the areas tested (mathematics, reading, science and problem solving.)

Results in 2003 were better than those in 2000. Nevertheless, for no subject area was Switzerland among the very best. The three countries obtaining the best marks in every area were Finland, Hong Kong-China, and Korea.

Switzerland has been overtaken as the OECD country with the greatest number of students completing Secondary II education. And no other OECD country has such a wide gap between the numbers of men and of women completing tertiary education.

However, Swiss universities enjoy a high reputation and attract far more foreign students than any other OECD country. Many more foreigners take advantage of exchange programmes to come to Switzerland than young Swiss do to study abroad.