Research Cooperations

Future Earth Projekte

Future Earth is a global network of innovative researchers, scientists and projects happening across the globe — all working towards making our planet sustainable.

Global Land Programme

GLP is an interdisciplinary community of science and practice fostering the study of land systems and the co-design of solutions for global sustainability.

Global Mountain Biodiversity Assessment (GMBA)

The Global Mountain Biodiversity Assessment (GMBA) is a platform for international and cross-disciplinary collaboration on the assessment, conservation, and sustainable use of mountain biodiversity.

Experimental Animal Center (EAC)

Work with laboratory animals at the University of Bern should be characterised by the realisation that, on the one hand, humans cannot do without scientific studies on animals in order to solve their problems, while on the other hand, the ethical principle of "reverence for life" and respect for the "dignity of the creature" requires the protection of animals. (Ethical Principles and Guidelines for Animal Experiments, Preamble; Swiss Academies of Arts and Sciences, 2005)

On our website you will find comprehensive information on the diverse topics of animal experiments and laboratory animals. With the EAC information platform, we want to offer researchers in biomedical research, managers and animal keepers of laboratory animal facilities, as well as the university committees involved, an efficient tool in their work with animal experiments.

PAGES

PAGES (Past Global Changes) supports science aimed at understanding the Earth’s past environment in order to make predictions for the future.

Museum of Natural History

The University of Bern and the Museum of Natural History regularly have joint research projects.

Research on Meteorites

Around 200,000 years ago it must have rained large pieces of ice over the Twannberg and the adjacent Jura heights. And that in rough quantities. Scientists from the Natural History Museum Bern (NMBE) and the Physical Institute of the University of Bern as well as several private meteorite collectors have found around 1000 fragments of an asteroid in the area north of Lake Biel in recent years. The "hunters of the lost treasure", as the NMBE affectionately called the colourfully mixed research crew in a special exhibition on the Twannberg meteorite, were particularly successful at and on the Mont Sujet, where they made up a largely intact strewn field. Due to the existing debris, it is considered certain that the asteroid had a diameter of 4 to 20 meters before the explosion and weighed at least 250 tons. "Such a finding directly on our doorstep is an absolute stroke of luck," enthuses Beda Hofmann.

The NMBE presented some of the fragments at the one-year special exhibition on the Twannberg meteorite, which ended in August 2017. It was the temporary highlight of a project that could spatially shift towards Lake Neuchâtel in the foreseeable future. "There may be a chance there to make more big finds," says Hofmann.

Microscopy Imaging Center (MIC)

The Microscopy Imaging Center at the University of Bern (MIC) is the interdepartmental platform for high-end microscopy. MIC provides access to state-of-the-art imaging techniques for researchers from 19 Institutes of 3 Departments of University of Bern as well as for the external visitors.
Currently MIC manages 60 instruments among which are 46 light, 9 electron, 2 atomic force and 2 meso- and nanoscopic microscopy systems from the leading industrial partners. Current usage of the facility has exceeded 25000 hours per year with more than 250 active users.

High-Alpine Research Stations Jungfraujoch & Gornergrat

Jungfraujoch Research Station

The High Altitude Station at Jungfraujoch (46°33´N, 7°59´E) is widely recognized as an important research site because of its unique location, its year-round accessibility, and an excellent infrastructure. The research station is situated at an altitude of 3450 m above sea level, between the peaks of the Jungfrau (4158 m a.s.l.) and the Mönch (4099 m a.s.l.). A second research location, the Sphinx laboratory (3580 m a.s.l.) was constructed in 1937. Because of its altitude, the station is mostly in the free troposphere and is quite insensitive for ground-based pollution sources. The sampled air is therefore representative for the atmospheric background mixing ratios of many constituents which are monitored by several research groups. The infrastructure and support for scientific research are provided by the International Foundation High Altitude Research Stations Jungfraujoch and Gornergrat (HFSJG) which was founded in 1930.

Gornergrat Research Station

The Gornergrat lies at an altitude of 3'135 m above sea level about three kilometres east of Zermatt. The Gornergrat is located between the Gorner Glacier in the south and the Findel Glacier in the north and offers a view of more than 20 four-thousand-metre peaks, including the Dufourspitze (Monte Rosa massif), Liskamm, Matterhorn, Dom and Weisshorn. The two towers of the Kulmhotel Gornergrat (3,089 m above sea level) house two observatories: Gornergrat North and Gornergrat South. The "Stellarium Gornergrat" project is located in the south tower. The infrastructure and support for scientific research is provided by the International Foundation High Alpine Research Stations Jungfraujoch and Gornergrat (HFSJG), founded in 1930.

SCAI – Swiss Center for Augmented Intelligence 

A national competence center for the development and implementation of augmented intelligence is to be established under the name SCAI – Swiss Center for Augmented Intelligence. This center is an initiative of the Swiss Capital Region. Three strategic development priorities are envisaged: an interdisciplinary scientific center of excellence, an independent national reference institution for augmented intelligence and an “Innovation & Partnership” pole for the joint development of projects with companies and the public sector.