After classes started at DFA/ASP at the end of August, courses also started in the other three departments and three affiliated schools. There are 5,800 Bachelor's and Master's students at the University of Applied Sciences and Arts of Southern Switzerland (SUPSI). There are 2,045 freshmen in this new academic year, a positive increase of 166 more matriculations than in the 2022/23 academic year (+9 percent).

Current enrollees will attend one of the 30 Bachelor's and 17 Master's courses offered by the four Departments (Department of Environment Constructions and Design, Department of Business Economics, Health and Social Care, Department of Education and Learning / University of Teacher Education, Department of Innovative Technologies) and the three affiliated Schools (Accademia Teatro Dimitri, Conservatorio della Svizzera italiana-University of Music, Fernfachhochschule Schweiz).
Applications for admission to the 2023/2024 academic year received by SUPSI totaled 3,280 compared to 3,237 registered last year at the same date (+1%).

Professional outlets are confirmed as the main motivation in choosing SUPSI
For more than three-quarters of enrolled applicants (76%), professional outlets are one of the main motivations behind their choice of SUPSI for their university education.
This is up slightly (+1%) from the 2022-2023 academic year. This is followed by practice orientation and the school's reputation, also up from last year (55 percent, +4 percent; 37 percent, +2 percent). As other relevant reasons for choice, obtaining a university degree and the possibility of combining study with a professional activity, sports or for other family commitments are confirmed as the latter, indicated by 24 percent of applicants.

These figures confirm the interest in the professionalizing university education offered by SUPSI, the attractiveness of its graduates on the labor market as well as the interest in a flexible educational offer that allows combining professional needs with studies.

There is no shortage of challenges
Reaching out and training future professionals is a priority challenge for SUPSI's Basic Education, especially in those areas where difficulties in finding qualified personnel are looming or already occurring: in health care, in all areas of engineering, and in teaching some school subjects. Day after day, it will be important to continue the close collaboration with companies, trade associations and institutions to promote and incentivize among young people these professions and the training paths to access them.