Zurich rejects proposal to offer yodelling as university degree

Zurich’s cantonal council has rejected a proposal to offer yodelling as a university degree. While Stefan Basler believes yodellers are in decline, officials argued that the Swiss tradition is already on offer in Lucerne.

Council rejects yodelling degree in Zurich

A proposal to offer yodelling as a university subject has been rejected by Canton Zurich. The initiative was submitted by Swiss People’s Party (SVP) politician Stefan Basler who argued that there should be more yodellers in Switzerland.

Himself a yodeler, the SVP politician believes that the Swiss tradition is in decline, particularly in the shortage of conductors. To combat this, the proposal calls on the Zurich city council to offer yodelling as part of Swiss higher education.

However, the cantonal council in Zurich “showed little enthusiasm for the idea” and only one person voted in favour of the proposal, according to Tages-Anzeiger. The initiative needed 60 votes to move forward.

While politicians expressed support for yodelling and “its deep roots in Swiss culture”, the subject “does not belong in a state-funded major subject, summarised Martina Novak (GLP).” 

Where can you already study yodelling in Switzerland?

Since 2018, the Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts (HSLU) has offered a programme in folk music (on their website) where budding yodelers can study the art as a degree. “Why should Zurich compete with Lucerne in this matter?” continued Thomas Forrer (Greens).

At the end of last year, yodelling was awarded UNESCO cultural heritage status after the Swiss government submitted an application in 2024. The popular Swiss folk music was added to UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity and recognised for its cultural significance.