Find data

SWISSUbase, the online platform used by FORS, provides information on social science research projects in Switzerland and access to a large number of datasets.

Enhanced by the constant arrival of new data, SWISSUbase is a reliable and sustainable platform that meets current international standards and follows the FAIR principles.

FORS has obtained, for the second time, the CoreTrustSeal certification.

The CoreTrustSeal is a globally recognized certification awarded to organizations that have demonstrated their dedication to responsible data stewardship and excellence in data management practices. By obtaining this seal, FORS has officially confirmed its adherence to rigorous international standards and best practices for ensuring the authenticity, integrity, and reliability of research data. You can see a copy of the certificat here.

What data and information does the catalog contain?
By browsing the SWISSUbase catalog you can find information on social science research projects conducted in Switzerland and you can access a large number of datasets on various topics, including data from Swiss and international surveys such as SHP, ESS, MOSAiCH, Selects, TREE, PISA, and CCS, among others.

For more details, see our Acquisition policy.

What are the conditions for accessing the data?
The datasets can be downloaded online free of charge by users with a SWITCH edu-id account (if you do not have an edu-id account, you can create one on their website).

However, the conditions for accessing certain datasets may vary:

  • Some are available only for research and teaching purposes
  • Some require permission, which you can request via SWISSUbase. You will then be informed if and when you have been granted permission to download the data.

For more details, see our Data protection policy.

Would you like to explore some of our datasets in more detail?
Some datasets are available on our other platform FORS – De Visu. This platform allows you to view data from hundreds of surveys in our catalog and to search and view questions, variables, and response frequencies.

However, the download of data sets is done via SWISSUbase and requires a SWITCH edu-id account. (If you do not have an edu-id account, you can create one on their website).

If you too would like to improve the visibility and accessibility of your own research data, just deposit it via SWISSUbase. Our team of expert archivists will take care of the long-term preservation of your data and make these accessible to other researchers. For more information on deposit, click here.

SWISSUbase

Visit the SWISSUbase Info website to learn about the mission, services, and available support for sharing and accessing data.

To access European social science research data, consult the data catalog of CESSDA, the Consortium of European Archives with which FORS collaborates and which contains the metadata of all data held by partner archives.

Contact

Marieke Heers

Dr.
Head of group DAS
+41 (0)21 692 37 19
marieke.heers​@fors.unil.ch

Data Live

Join Data Live, your monthly Q&A on data management and data sharing. Experts from FORS Data Management & Archive Services answer your questions.

Whether you are tackling data management challenges, navigating ethical considerations, or looking for best practices in data sharing, this is your chance to get expert insights in real time.

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When? Every second Thursday of the month, 13:00–14:00 CET.

Further information

News

The new cumulative Selects dataset (1971-2023) is now available

The Selects cumulative dataset provides a pooled set of Swiss election survey data which covers the period between 1971 and 2023.

How we protect your data in our surveys

Have you ever wondered how your data is handled when you participate in one of our FORS surveys? To ensure full transparency, we have created a short video that takes you behind the scenes of our data security processes.