No. 119, June

In May 2018, the KOF Business Situation Indicator for the Swiss private economy improved substantially, overcoming the two slight dampeners of March and April, and following up on the positive trend that prevailed until February. The Swiss economy is enjoying a pronounced upswing.

The exchange rate between the CHF Swiss franc and other currencies plays a central role in terms of the development of Swiss tourism. However, a new study conducted by KOF shows that its impact varies significantly depending on the region.

The public debate frequently conveys the impression that the social status of vocational education and training (VET) has declined. Can this impression be substantiated by empirical evidence? In a new study based on PISA data, KOF researchers show that the relative cognitive skills of prospective VET students and grammar school students have remained constant over time. This suggests that the social status of vocational education and training has not declined.

Conventional wisdom is that a main constraint for reforming the European project is not the shortage of ideas or tools but the lack of priorities. To put it differently, economists have discussed what to do and how, but have been silent on who and when. Which institutions and rules are needed and when? The new eBook of by Campos and Sturm (2018) makes the case that such institutional questions are of fundamental importance for the future of Europe.