1. Bern University of Applied Sciences
  2. About BFH
  3. An Engaged University
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An Engaged University

Bern University of Applied Sciences BFH is actively committed to solving social challenges. Its dialogue-based knowledge transfer makes BFH a reliable, forward-looking knowledge partner for society.

Engaged University

BFH’s strategy for the period 2023 to 2026 is to raise the university’s profile as an engaged institution that guides the process of societal change towards a responsible society. By providing conducive framework conditions and appropriate funding instruments, BFH supports its students and lecturers in sharing their activities with the public and fostering innovations that serve the common good. With this, BFH assumes a significant role with respect to social responsibility and fulfils its vision of an Engaged University.

Social responsibility and knowledge sharing

One the main priorities of Bern University of Applied Sciences is to get to grips with the challenges that face society and work with experts in the field to find solutions for them.

The aim is to pursue ethical, responsible and socially reflective research and education, where innovations are fostered that serve the common good.

Specifically, this means:

  1. Long-term engagement with external knowledge partners: as a university that assumes social responsibility, BFH is committed to long-term engagement. This includes collaboration with partners from various sectors.
  2. Dialogue-based knowledge transfer: the overall focus is a partnership-based exchange on an equal footing with experts from the field and the public, where everyone is able to learn from each other.

As an Engaged University, BFH consistently aligns its activities to these goals.

Institutional framework conditions, funding instruments and BFH projects

An Engaged University creates an institutional framework that supports the university’s stakeholders in sharing their activities with the public. BFH promotes such activities through targeted Public Engagement. With its Global Engagement programme, it builds bridges between different regions and networks worldwide.

PIONEER University Alliance

BFH is part of the PIONEER University Alliance. Through research projects and collaborations on degree programmes, this Alliance contributes to the development of urban spaces. This international alliance, which focuses on sustainability and better ecosystems in cities and municipalities, also benefits the Bern region and its SMEs.

PIONEER Alliance
Visual Pioneer Allianz

Scholars at Risk

BFH is a member of the Scholars at Risk network, which comprises numerous universities worldwide that stand up for academic freedom and respect for human rights, especially in the context of teaching and research.

Scholars at Risk

Continuing education

BFH’s continuing education programmes (EMBA, MAS, DAS, CAS), seminars and courses stand out for their high degree of practical application. They encourage students to pursue professional specialisations and broaden students’ horizons beyond the familiar.

All our continuing education courses

Funding of student projects

Students become actively engaged in the area of sustainability and benefit from support programmes.

Students4Sustainability
Visual Students4Sustainability

Entrepreneurship for startups and company founders

As part of the Bern ecosystem for innovation and entrepreneurship, BFH supports business startups.

Entrepreneurship BFH

APPs Academy Practice Partnerships

The Academy Practice Partnership facilitates the harnessing of synergies between the Bern University of Applied Sciences and Insel Gruppe. Here the focus is on the disciplines of nutrition and dietetics, obstetrics, nursing and physiotherapy and their interprofessional added value.

Academy-Practice-Partnership (APP) Insel Group

Service Learning implementation

Tackling civil society issues collaboratively: Service Learning makes it possible. The project serves to develop and implement Service Learning in university tuition at BFH.

Service Learning implementation

HKB touches ground

An annual call for projects gives the Canton of Bern an unconventional platform: the 350 or so Bern municipalities are invited to submit ideas for artistic projects to be realised in a one-year collaboration with HKB lecturers and students.

HKB touches ground
Foto von Plakat HKB geht an Land

Emma on a farm tour

A project in which budding agronomists give children aged 4+ an exciting insight into their specialist field.

Emma on a farm tour

Food Hub 

A place for startups in the field of food science, offering 1,000m2 of technological pilot infrastructure not only to research projects, but also to startups and SMEs.

Collaboration with Kornhausforum

Under the label “Science, arts and politics in conversation”, the Kornhausforum regularly hosts discussion events on socially relevant issues organised by BFH.

Kornhausforum