In switzerland, higher education institutions have a high level of independance regarding the implementation of evaluation of teaching by students. some institutions such as the University of Lausanne have opted for models keeping control to a minimum ; other institutions, such as the yverdon school of Engineering and Business, have chosen to put in place a system that aims at controlling the performance of teachers. swiss higher education institutions offer an interesting ground for research into the impact of teaching evaluation policies. In this paper, the authors chose a mixed qualitative and quantitative case study approach in order to examine the impact of different students ratings processes on fostering the professional development of teachers and the learning experience of students. They conclude the paper with suggestions for further research.