University of Bern
The year 1834 marked a turning point when the government of Bern transformed an existing theological college into a university. This shift occurred after liberals gained control of the canton in 1831 and pushed for educational reform. Before this date, the institution served only to train pastors following the Reformation. In 1805, the state had already reorganized it as an academy offering theology, law, and medicine. By 1834, the new university employed just 45 academic staff members to teach 167 students. Political tensions between conservative and liberal factions delayed peaceful development until the federal constitution arrived in 1848. Between 1885 and 1900, student numbers doubled from 500 to 1,000. Foreign students, particularly Germans and Russians, made up half of the total enrollment at that time. Russian female students fought for and won the right to study during the 1870s.
The Senate serves as the highest governing body responsible for issuing statutes, rules, and regulations. Directly answerable to the Senate is the University Board of Directors which manages coordination and administration. The board comprises the rector, vice-rectors, and administrative director. Their structures and functions are regulated by the Universities Act. A completely revised University Act passed in 1996 transformed the institution into an autonomous legal entity separate from the Department of Education. This act clearly defined competencies between the university and the state. In summer 2010, amendments allowed the Board to choose its own ordinary professors and keep accounts separate from the government. Strategic research priorities like climate research emerged alongside inter-university cooperation efforts. The Bologna Declaration introduced ECTS credits and a bachelor's and master's degree structure. Enrollment reached 10,000 students in 1992 before stabilizing around 19,000 in recent years.
The University of Bern does not maintain a single large campus on the city edge but pursues a principle of being embedded within the urban fabric. Most institutes and clinics remain located in the Länggasse district adjoining the city centre. These facilities sit within walking distance of one another. The Faculty of Theology and various humanities institutes now occupy an old chocolate factory known as Unitobler. In 2005, a former women's hospital was refurbished to house law and economics departments under the name UniS. Another former factory building called the vonRoll site is currently being converted for human sciences and social sciences. A new Main Building opened on the Grosse Schanze in 1903 as the institution expanded with growing prosperity. The decentralized model allows academic life to flow directly into the streets of Bern rather than isolating scholars behind gates.
The Physics Institute contributed to the first flight to the Moon and continues providing apparatus for NASA and ESA space missions. Researchers participate regularly in experiments aboard spacecraft like the Rosetta mission. The Center for Space and Habitability leads the European CHEOPS project studying extrasolar planet formation. Launch windows for this telescope were scheduled between October and November 2019. The Oeschger Centre for Climate Change Research sits at the forefront of international climate science policy work. Its researchers have served as co-chairs or lead authors in all assessment reports published by the IPCC. Ice core analyses conducted by physicist Hans Oeschger played a pioneering role in developing modern climate research. The university also manages strategic centers focusing on sustainability including regional development and global economic governance. The World Trade Institute handles outreach focused on global economic governance and sustainability policy.
Albert Einstein taught three semesters of theoretical physics starting in 1908 during his time at the university. Anna Tumarkin became the first female professor in Europe authorized to examine doctoral and post-doctoral theses when appointed in 1909. Theodor Kocher received the Nobel Prize in Medicine in 1909 while serving as a Bernese surgeon. Gabriel Gustav Valentin was the first Jewish professor elected to a chair at any German-speaking university. Theodor Oskar Rubeli co-founded the world's first faculty of veterinary medicine. These pioneers shaped global scientific history through their groundbreaking work. Their contributions spanned from fundamental physics to medical surgery and gender equality in academia. The institution consolidated its position as a small center of higher learning with stable enrollment around 2,000 students following these achievements.
The University of Bern had 19,608 students registered in 2024 according to official records. Forty-one percent or 8,071 students were enrolled in bachelor programs that year. Twenty-five percent or 4,992 students pursued master's degrees while 18 percent or 3,518 were doctoral candidates. Another 15 percent or 3,027 students participated in continuing education programs. Graduation figures for 2021 included 1,667 bachelor's degrees, 1,603 master's degrees, and 725 PhD completions. For some time now, female students have outnumbered male students across all faculties. At the end of 2024 women accounted for 60% of the total student body. Enrollment grew steadily from 17,428 in 2014/2015 to 19,608 by 2024/2025. This growth reflects increasing accessibility and diverse program offerings including theatre studies and sports science.
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Common questions
When did the University of Bern transform from a theological college into a university?
The government of Bern transformed an existing theological college into a university in 1834. This change occurred after liberals gained control of the canton in 1831 and pushed for educational reform.
Who was the first female professor authorized to examine doctoral theses at the University of Bern?
Anna Tumarkin became the first female professor in Europe authorized to examine doctoral and post-doctoral theses when appointed in 1909. She held this position at the University of Bern following her appointment that year.
Where are most institutes and clinics located within the city of Bern?
Most institutes and clinics remain located in the Länggasse district adjoining the city centre. These facilities sit within walking distance of one another and are embedded within the urban fabric rather than on a single large campus.
What percentage of students were women at the University of Bern by the end of 2024?
At the end of 2024 women accounted for 60% of the total student body. The institution had 19,608 students registered according to official records from that year.
Which Nobel Prize winner served as a surgeon at the University of Bern in 1909?
Theodor Kocher received the Nobel Prize in Medicine in 1909 while serving as a Bernese surgeon. He was among the pioneers who shaped global scientific history through his groundbreaking work at the university.