The Swiss University Conference (SUC) is the joint organization of the cantons and the Confederation for university politics. The legal basis for the organization was laid down, on the one hand, in the Law on Promotion of the Universities of 8 October 1999 and, on the other, in the Intercantonal Convention on Coordinating University Policy of 9 December 1999. It succeeded the former University Conference on 1 January 2001 under the Cooperation Agreement between the Federal Government and University Cantons on Matters Relating to Universities. It has the power to enforce a number of decisions in defined areas and has the following tasks:

• Issuing directives on the length of studies and recognition of previous studies and qualifications binding on the partners to the agreement;
• Awards project-specific grants;
• Periodical assessment of how National Centers of Competence in Research are allotted with respect to distribution of tasks among universities throughout Switzerland;
• Recognition of academic bodies and courses;
• Issuing directives on evaluation of teaching and research;
• Issuing directives on knowledge transfer in research.
  

Further, the SUC makes recommendations on cooperation, on plans for the future and on balanced division of tasks within the universities; it informs parties affected by current projects and consults them.

The SUC consists of the ministers of public education of the cantons with universities, two representatives of cantons without a university, the Secretary of State for Education and Research and the President of the ETH Board. The President of the Rectors' Conference of the Swiss Universities also has a seat in a consultative capacity as do the director of the Federal Office for Professional Education and Technology, the head of the department "universitiy institutes" in the State Secretariate for Education and Research and the secretary general of the SUC. Day-to-day business of the SUC is cared for by its general secretariat, which also assists various commissions such as: the Conference of Chief officers at the ministerial departments for university education, the Agency for University Buildings as well as the steering committees for equal opportunities, for the Consortium for University Libraries and for cost calculation.

A close partner of the SUC is the Rectors' Conference of the Swiss Universities (CRUS), which is entrusted with supervision of academic affairs.