About us



The ch Foundation for Federal Cooperation (ch Foundation), based in Solothurn, is a foundation under private law and was created in 1967. The Foundation is sponsored by all 26 Swiss cantons, each of which is represented on its Board of Trustees by a member of the respective cantonal government. The ch Foundation promotes bridge-building between Switzerland's different language communities, the preservation of its linguistic and cultural diversity, and the concept of federalism.

Our areas of responsibility and activities:

Bridge-building between language communities and preservation of linguistic and cultural diversity

  • ch Series (since 1974)
  • ch (youth) Exchange (since 1976)


Promoting the concept of federalism

  • Secretariat to the Conference of Cantonal Governments (since 1993)
  • Monitoring federalism (since 2005)


Services in the field of intercantonal and canton/Confederation cooperation

  • Running the House of Cantons (since 2008)
  • Liaison office for the conferences of cantonal directors


Training events for members of cantonal governments

  • Government Seminar of the ch Foundation (since 1989)


Implementing the EU's general education, vocational education and training (VET) and youth programmes

  • ch Agency (since 2010)


On the strength of new mandates, in early 2011 the ch Foundation established the Swiss Competence Centre for exchange and mobility.

Deed of foundation

The deed of foundation of the ch Foundation for Federal Cooperation defines the purpose, endowment capital, financing, headquarters and governing bodies of the Foundation.