February 11, 2026 · Campus
Short Advanced Studies (SAS) – modular continuing education
HWZ Short Advanced Studies (SAS) are individual, modular continuing education options. As micro-credentials, they bridge the gap between seminars and CAS and MAS programmes. In just a few seminar days, participants can build targeted, practice-oriented skills – compact, flexible and aligned with labour market needs.
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With a Short Advanced Study (SAS) at HWZ, participants can complete a modular continuing education format over a short period. SAS are currently offered in the competency areas of Digital, Leadership, Marketing and Media Selling, and the portfolio may be expanded over time..
Each SAS consists of three seminars,each typically runs over one or two days, and can be certified with 3 ECTS credits upon successful completion of an assessed assignment. Depending on the programme and focus, a SAS may be recognised towards further continuing education programmes such as CAS, MAS and the EMBA. With these short courses, HWZ offers continuing education options from seminars through to the Executive MBA..
Short Advanced Studies are designed for professionals who want to build targeted new skills over a short period.. They bridge the gap between a seminar and a CAS and support a coherent, modular continuing education pathway from 3 to 90 ECTS – from a single seminar through to the EMBA. Thanks to their modular design, SAS offer flexibility for individual learning pathways.
5 Key Facts
1. Target audiences & benefits
Micro-credentials such as Short Advanced Studies (SAS) are aimed at working professionals who want to acquire specific skillsover a short period. They support targeted upskilling and reskilling and with a focus on professional relevance. Thanks to their modular structure, SAS are suitable both as an entry point to continuing education and as a supplement to CAS or MAS programmes. Employers benefit from clear visibility of the skills acquired.
2. Crediting & continuing education structure
Depending on the programme, SAS may be eligible for recognition towards CAS, MAS or EMBA programmes. This helps HWZ to recognise continuing education achievements from other universities and improves the progression options of its programmes within the European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (ECTS) framework.
At the same time, this provides the basis for a coherent, modular continuing education system at HWZ – from individual seminars through to the Executive MBA. It offers a high degree of flexibility in terms of content and timing and adapts to the requirements of a constantly changing working world.
Short Advanced Studies are designed to be compact and suitable alongside professional commitments, with an emphasis on practical application. The emphasis is not only on acquiring knowledge, but above all on applying it and transferring it to professional challenges and participants’ own projects.
3. Competency areas & content
HWZ offers Short Advanced Studies in four competency areas:
Digital
Leadership
Marketing
Media Selling
Each SAS offers a selection of seminars, from which participants choose three. Seminar duration varies, typically one day. In total, 32 practice-oriented seminars are available to choose from.
4. Fees & pricing model
The SAS pricing model is also modular. Example: three one-day seminars at CHF 890 each result in a price of CHF 2,670. An additional CHF 500 is charged for the optional ECTS credit, bringing the total to CHF 3,170.
5. Assessment
The assessment takes the form of a practice-oriented, academically grounded project rather than a written paper. With this new assessment format for the optional award of 3 ECTS credits, the focus is on transferring what has been learned into participants’ day-to-day professional practice. The project is produced as a presentation deck and consists of:
a summary of up to 10 slides
reporting of up to 20 slides
Assessment covers content, presentation technique, and the discussion and defence of the work in a Q&A session. In this way, HWZ pursues a contemporary approach to assessing competence development that not only permits but also supports the use of advanced AI tools.
Bootcamps are now called “Short Advanced Studies”
Up to the end of November 2025, what are now known as Short Advanced Studies (SAS) at HWZ were offered under the name “Bootcamps”. The format has been updated, while retaining its modular approach. The key difference is this: instead of an “HWZ Bootcamp” academy certificate, participants may be able to earn ECTS credits through an assessment, subject to the relevant requirements.
As with the former Bootcamps, Short Advanced Studies are modular. Participants put together their programme individually and select three seminars from a wider range of practice-oriented options, aligned with their personal learning goals. The competency areas Digital, Leadership, Marketing and Media Selling remain unchanged and are being expanded on an ongoing basis.
With the introduction of Short Advanced Studies, the previous Bootcamps have been transferred into a continuing education format that can be recognised across the university. The micro-credentials earned are shown transparently and may be credited – depending on the programme – towards further study such as CAS, MAS or the EMBA. In this way, HWZ combines the flexibility of the former Bootcamps with the formal recognition associated with higher education programmes.
Curious to learn more?
The Short Advanced Studies (SAS) at HWZ offer a compact way to acquire targeted new skills over a short period and to deepen existing knowledge. Thanks to a high degree of flexibility in scheduling, SAS designed to be compatible with professional commitments. SAS can be an option for those who want to explore further learning before moving on to a longer programme. Find out more about HWZ’s SAS portfolio and explore which SAS best match your professional goals.
