2021 at a glance
As a center for academia, Switzerland is currently facing a number of tough challenges, not only in connection with the pandemic but especially as a result of the failed framework agreement between Switzerland and the EU. Cooperation with other academic institutions in Europe, in particular, is immensely important to the success of the University.
For the University, the current delays in infrastructure development constitute a huge challenge. Without a long-term plan and the certainty this brings, the University’s performance is in serious jeopardy.
The year’s biggest highlight was the return to in-person teaching in the fall semester. Direct contact between students, teachers and researchers is indispensable for critical analyses of knowledge and networking.
The University has continued to grow and now boasts a student body of 19,441 including continuing education. In the future, they will benefit even more from digital tools incorporated into classroom teaching.
Another major achievement for the University of Bern was its successful accreditation by the Swiss Accreditation Council, which was granted without any conditions.
Researchers at the University of Bern adapted to the volatile conditions of the pandemic to release outstanding publications, attract external funding and win prestigious prizes and honors. To do so, they need a framework that applies regardless of the zeitgeist and independent of the mainstream.
The University of Bern aspires to promote equal opportunity at every level and to that end has expanded the topic of equality in its action plan to include other issues such as age, origin and sexual orientation.