03. – 05.05.2019
Bernese space scientists at the Fantasy Basel
From May 3 to May 5, the team of the NCCR PlanetS of the University of Bern together with the Swiss Space Museum will be present at the Fantasy Basel - The Swiss Comic Con - with a brand new exhibition about astronomy and space: Lift Off to Space! 600 square-meters to learn everything about the space race, rocket launching, the solar system, exoplanets, and to meet scientists ready to answer all questions about space!
17.04.2019
Stimulation of the Sleeping Brain
While we sleep, the "brain waves" consolidate our memory traces. Professor Lucia Talamini from the University of Amsterdam explains how this works and how brain waves can be stimulated with sounds in the seminar series "Multimodal Non-Invasive Brain Stimulation". The lecture will take place on April 17, 2019, at 16.30 in the lecture hall B102, Institsgebäude Roll, Fabrikstrasse 8.
15.04.2019
Public Lecture by Fields Medalist Alessio Figalli
Alessio Figalli, 2018 Fields Medal winner and Professor of Mathematics at ETH Zurich, will show the beauty and importance of mathematics through examples that have been most relevant to his research. The public event will take place on Monday, April 15, at 6 p.m. in the Aula of the Main Building at Hochschulstrasse 4.
07.03.19
Marketing Saints
Medieval Marketing, censorship in pre-modernity, trade with luxury goods, trophies of a maritime trading power –the Berner Mittelalter Zentrum (BMZ) dedicates its lecture series in the spring semester to the topics of art, economics and capital in the Middle Ages. In his lecture on Thursday, March 7, Andrew Sears of the Institute of Art History of the University of Bern will talk about "Marketing Saints: The Serial Production of Mechelen Statuettes". The public lectures take place on Thursdays from 17.15 to 18.45 in the main building, lecture hall 220, Hochschulstrasse 4.
04.03.19
"The Destruction of Memory" on Screen
In Syria and Iraq, the "cradle of civilization", millennia of culture are being destroyed. On Monday, March 4, 2019, at 18.15 in room F023 at Unitobler, the Institutes for Islamic and Middle Eastern Studies, of Art History and of Archaeological Sciences organize a film screening of Tim Slade’s award-winning documentary "The Destruction of Memory". Afterwards, the director will answer questions from the audience. The public event is free of charge. The film will be shown in English with German subtitles and the discussion will be held in English.
21.02.19
Diversity Management – What works?
Which diversity initiatives are successful in companies? This question will be discussed by Frank Dobbin, professor of sociology at the renowned Harvard University, and personalities from business, politics and science on Thursday, 21 February 2019, 6.30pm, in room A003 at UniS, Schanzeneckstrasse 1. The public event, which is free of charge, will be organized by the WISO Faculty of the University of Bern and the cantonal office for equality between women and men. The event will be in English and German. Please register via email (info.fgs@sta.be.ch) by 15 February.
11.02.19
Astronomy on Tap
If talking about astronomy and space science over drinks in a bar sounds like fun to you, then better join scientists from the University of Bern and beyond for the fifth «Astronomy on Tap» Science-Slam at ONO in Bern on Monday, February 11th. In honor of the 100-year anniversary of the International Astronomical Union (IAU) and the "Women & Girls in Astronomy Day", the public Science-Slam has an all-female line-up. Doors open at 19:00, show starts 20:00. The Science-Slam is in English. Free entry.
21.01.19
Economic Future of Switzerland
The Swiss economy is booming. Yet, there are clouds on the horizon that might impair the outlook for 2019. At the public event «Economic Forecast 2019», organized by Bern-Rochester Executive Programs, Aymo Brunetti, Professor of Economics at the University of Bern, and Dr. Daniel Kalt, UBS Chief Economist Switzerland, will discuss the main risks and opportunities for the coming year. The event takes place on January 21, 2019, in room A003 at UniS on Schanzeneckstrasse 1. Door opening is at 17:30. The Entry fee is 15CHF.
06.12.18
Inequality and the City
What makes some cities attractive to people who wish to live in circumstances in which they can regard themselves and others as equals? Jonathan Wolff from the University of Oxford, addresses this question on Thursday, December 6, 2018, at 6.15pm. The public lecture takes place in F021 Unitobler as part of the lecture series PLEP Talks of the study program Political, Legal, and Economic Philosophy of the University of Bern.
22.11.18
Einstein Lectures 2018: Videos
Barry Barish and his team achieved something which not even Albert Einstein himself believed possible: they obtained direct evidence for the existence of gravitational waves. At the Einstein Lectures 2018, Barry Barish spoke about what gravitational waves have to do with Albert Einstein, how their existence can be proven directly, and what significance these findings will have for science in the future. His Lectures are now available as videos.
28.11.18
Mongolia’s role in Asia
What role does Mongolia play in the security challenges of Northeast Asia? H.E. Lundeg Purevsuren, Ambassador of Mongolia to the Swiss Confederation, will illuminate this question in a public lecture on Wednesday, November 28, 2018, at 18.15 in Lecture hall F022 at Unitobler, Lerchenweg 36. The event is organized by the Center for Global Studies and the Institute for the Science of Religion and Central Asian Studies. @ PACIFIC PRESS / Alamy Stock
05.11.18
Female Representation in Academia
There are persistent myths related to recruitment and selection which are often used to explain away the under-representation of women in senior academic positions. In a lecture in the main building of the University of Bern, Marieke van den Brink, Professor of Gender & Diversity at Radboud University Nijmegen, will unmask some of these myths. The event is organized by the Faculty of Business, Economics and Social Sciences. The public lecture is free of charge and takes place on Monday, November 5, 18.15 in room 114 at Hochschulstrasse 4.
16.10.18
Negotiating identity through language online
Rap videos and YouTube commentary as sources of scientific research? Of course! Sociolinguist Unn Røyneland from the University of Oslo analyses how identities are negotiated online through distinct dialect features. She will present her research on October 16, 18.15 in Lecture Hall F-121 at Unitobler, Lerchenweg 36. The public guest lecture is part of the Forum «Language and Society» which invites national and international sociolinguists to discuss current issues.
01.10.18
Social Integration in Sports Clubs
What sports clubs integrate socially vulnerable groups? Who are the members and volunteers who feel socially integrated in clubs? Dr. Karsten Elmose-Østerlund from the University of Southern Denmark will address these questions in the first talk of the colloquium “Berner Gespräche zur Sportwissenschaft” on October 1. The colloquium aims at intensifying the exchange in sport science and invites scholars from around the world to discuss issues that deal with the interlink of Social Science and questions of movement and sport. The public events take place on Mondays, 16.15-17.45 at the Auditorium C001 at the Institute of Sport Science of the University of Bern, Bremgartenstrasse 145, 3012 Bern.
16.05.2018
A Universe of Mystery and Awe
On Wednesday, May 16, the astrophysicist Dr. Jennifer Wiseman from NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center will hold a public lecture at the University of Bern. She will show breathtaking images of the universe and will talk about the latest astronomical research - from black holes, distant galaxies and star formation processes. She is also interested in philosophical and existential questions, such as the meaning of human life as part of a vast cosmos. Kathrin Altwegg, emeritus professor of astrophysics and former director of the Center for Space and Habitability (CSH) of the University of Bern, will hold a short welcoming speech. The lecture takes place from 6:15 to 8 pm in the UniS, Schanzeneckstrasse 1, lecture hall A003. Attendance is free of charge and doesn’t require any expertise.
25.04.2018
Progressive Trading Politics in Canada
Canada is a global leader in championing a rules-based international trading system. The World Trade Institute will host a Distinguished Lecture on "Canada’s Progressive Trade Agenda" by Stephen de Boer, Canada’s Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the World Trade Organization in Geneva. In his lecture he will speak about how Canada is promoting a global trading system that reflects an inclusive and progressive approach. The event will take place on Wednesday, April 25, from 5 to 6:30 pm at the Silva Casa Auditorium, World Trade Institute, Hallerstrasse 6. Please register on the website. Attendance is free of charge.
19.04.2018
Ivan Krastev on the future of the European Union
Facing rising far-right nationalist parties, United Kingdom’s vote for Brexit and the refugee movements, the European Union is plagued by doubts as never before. On Thursday, April 19, Ivan Krastev, the author of the book “After Europe” and renowned Bulgarian intellectual, will speak about the political destabilization and the future of the European Union. The lecture will be followed by an open discussion. The evening with Ivan Krastev will take place at 18:15 to 19:45 pm at Hallerstrasse 6, Room 205 (in the same building as the Schweizerische Osteuropabibliothek SOB). The event is free and will be held in English (questions can be translated from French or German).
22.03.2018
Public award celebration of the Bernese Award for Environmental Research
For the eleventh time the Bernese Award for Environmental Research was given at the Dies academicus 2017. Dr. Miriam Zemanova received the main prize for her dissertation on the invasive slug "Arion vulgaris". The recognition award was granted to Rahel Jud for her master's thesis on the impact of trading of CO2 emission rights. The work of the two winners will be presented on Thursday, March 22. The public award celebration will take place at 17:15 in the Aula of the University of Bern, Hochschulstrasse 4. Please register on the website until Friday, March 13.
21.03.2018
The Restoration of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem
The Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem is one of the most important sites of Christianity - according to Christian tradition, it contains the tomb of Christ. It was now restored for the first time after 460 years. At a public lecture on Wednesday, March 21, the chief scientific supervisor Prof. Dr. Antonia Moropoulou from the University of Athens will talk about the restoration work. The orthodox theologian Dr. Stefanos Athanasiou from the Institute for Old Catholic Theology of the University of Bern will introduce the history of the Church of the Holy Sepulcher and the funerary chapel (Aedicule). The event takes place at 6.15 to 8 pm in the main building, Hochschulstrasse 4, in room 101. The public lecture is free of charge.
16.01.2018
Panel Discussion: New Economic Forecast 2018
How will the economy develop in times of increasing political tensions, rising inflation risks and emerging cryptocurrencies? In a panel discussion, the leading Swiss economists Prof. Aymo Brunetti, Professor of Economics at the University of Bern and Dr. med. Daniel Kalt, UBS Chief Economist Switzerland, will discuss on potential risks and opportunities for the current economy. The panel discussion of "Rochester-Bern Executive Programs" will take place on Tuesday, January 16, from 5 to 7 pm in the main building of the University of Bern, Kuppelraum. The event is public and free of charge. Registration on the website is required.
21.12.2017
An historical analysis of religious extremism
In his new book "Religion and Extremism. Rejecting Diversity", Prof. Dr. Douglas Pratt of the University of Waikato, New Zealand, analyses the Dynamics of radicalization in Christianity, Judaism and Islam. He shows that the violence which is part of the history of all religions is largely due to the rejection of diversity. On Thursday, December 21, the book launch will take place in the presence of the author, who since 2011 has been researching and teaching as an Adjunct Research Professor at the "Institut für Christkatholische Theologie" of the University of Bern. The book launch will take place at 17:30 in the Unitobler, Lerchenweg 36, lecture hall F-121. The event is public and free of charge.
02.12.2017
Dies academicus 2017
On Saturday, December 2, the University of Bern will celebrate its 183rd foundation ceremony. Bern’s director of education Bernhard Pulver will speak for the last time on behalf of the Canton of Bern on the Dies academicus. The ceremonial address will be given by Peter Maurer, President of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and himself alumnus of the University of Bern. The Dies academicus takes place at 10 a.m. in the French Church Bern, Zeughausgasse 8. The celebration is public and free of charge.
01.12.2017
An Evening with Nobel Prize Winner Takaaki Kajita: The Mysteries of the Neutrino
On the occasion of the Dies academicus of the University of Bern on December 2, 2017, Takaaki Kajita will receive an honorary doctorate by the Faculty of Science. The night before the Dies academicus, Antonio Ereditato, Director of the Laboratory of High Energy Physics (LHEP) of the University of Bern, will talk with the Nobel Prize Winner Takaaki Kajita about the most fascinating among all elementary particles: the neutrino. The public event will take place on Friday, December 1, at 6 p.m. in the Aula of the Main Building at Hochschulstrasse 4.
01.12.2017
Einstein Lectures 2017: Video Podcasts
Is there such a thing as absolute objectivity and truth? In the Einstein Lectures, the British philosopher Simon Blackburn addressed one of the oldest and most difficult questions in philosophy. His Einstein Lectures are now available as video podcasts.
16.11.2017
Podium discussion: «Current challenges of trade policy»
For some years, the right level of free trade has been the subject of controversial discussions. In the US, President Donald Trump is advocating a turning away from multilateral trade law. What do these developments mean for the future of trade policy? Three experts will discuss this question in a podium discussion on Thursday, November 16. The event will be moderated by Prof. Michael Hahn, Director of the Institute for European and International Economic Law and Co-Director of the World Trade Institute (WTI) at the University of Bern. The panel discussion will take place at 18:30 in the main building, Hochschulstrasse 4, Auditorium maximum. The event is public and free of charge. The discussion will be held in German and partially in English.
15.11.2017
Robert Keohane on global climate policy
Robert Keohane is Professor of International Affairs at Princeton University and Balzan Prize winner in 2016. The prize will be presented during an award ceremony in Bern. On this occasion, Robert Keohane will also give a talk at the Oeschger Centre Climate Change Research (OCCR) at the University of Bern on Wednesday, November 15. He will speak about «Designing a global climate regime without US leadership». The talk will take place from 16:30 to 18:00 at Unitobler, Lerchenweg 36, Room F-105. The event is public and free of charge.
20.10.2017
Pioneer in Astrochemistry at the University of Bern
How are stars and planets formed? Why are exoplanets so different from those in our own solar system? The Dutch astronomer and chemist Prof. Dr. Ewine van Dishoeck works on these questions and will talk about «Building stars, planets and the ingredients for life in space» at the «CSH Distinguished Lecture» on Friday, October 20. The Lecture will start at 18:00 in the Main Building of the University of Bern, Aula 210. The event is public and participation is free of charge. Please register on the Website of CSH.
16.09.2017
Researcher’s Night 2017
The third «Researcher’s Night» will take place at the University of Bern on the 16th of September 2017. Over 400 researchers provide insights into their work - presented in a way that is comprehensible and entertaining for all. We will of course also be offering our guests some delicious titbits of both food and culture. A warm welcome to the big Festival of Knowledge at the University of Bern. Entry is free.
14.09.2017
Public Lecture on U.S. Foreign Policy under Trump
On 14 September, Dr James Lindsay, Senior Vice President of the think-tank «Council on Foreign Relations» will hold an early evening lecture on «U.S. Foreign Policy Under Trump: Implications for Europe and Global Trade». The lecture takes place from 17:00 to 18:30 at the Silva Casa Auditorium, World Trade Institute, Hallerstrasse 6. Participation is free of charge, however registration is mandatory. For more information on the event and for a link to registration, please visit the event website.
22.08.2017
Switzerland and the World Bank
5 years ago, Switzerland joined the World Bank. Multilateral development banks like the World Bank are needed to address global challenges such as climate change or financial crises, as well as to implement the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. On the occasion of this anniversary, SECO, SDC, and the Centre for Development and Environment (CDE) of the University of Bern would like to commemorate and take stock of the successful cooperation, as well as discuss future collaboration. The public event (in German and English) is free and will take place on Tuesday, August 22 at 16:30 in room 220 (Aula) of the main building of the University of Bern. Registration via the SECO-Website is open until Wednesday, August 16.
05.07.2017
Public Lecture with Micheline Calmy-Rey, former President of the Swiss Confederation
On Wednesday, July 5, former member of the Swiss Federal Council Micheline Calmy-Rey will hold a public lecture at the World Trade Institute in the context of the Global Negotiation Conference (GNC). In her lecture "Negotiation Engineering in Practice: Russia's Accession to the WTO and Reflections on International Diplomacy", she will talk about the concept of "negotiating engineering" and international diplomacy taking Russia's Accession to the WTO and her own experiences as examples. The event takes place from 11:00 to 12:00 at the Silva Casa Auditorium, World Trade Institute, Hallerstrasse 6. Attendance is free of charge. Please register by email to mrh@negotiationconference.org. Registration is open until Friday, June 30. Seating is limited.
22.06.2017
Populism and migration
On Thursday, June 22, the World Trade Institute will host a special lecture on "Populism and Migration". The keynote speaker is Professor François Crépeau, Special UN Rapporteur on the Human Rights of Migrants and Hans & Tamar Oppenheimer Professor in Public International Law at McGill University, Montreal. In his lecture he will address topics such as the missing political representation of migrants and the attitude of right-wing populists towards international human rights control mechanisms. The event will take place between 16:30 and 18:30 at the Silva Casa Auditorium, World Trade Institute, Hallerstrasse 6. Please register by email to rebecca.gilgen@wti.org until Monday, June 19, 12:00. Attendance is free of charge.
01.06.2017
Brexit: A view from north of the border
The implications of the UK's trading relationships post-Brexit are far reaching. A central issue is whether ideology or pragmatism will dominate the negotiations between the UK Government and the other member states of the EU. In the upcoming NCCR Trade Regulation Brown Bag Seminar, Strathclyde Business School Economics Professor Ian Wooton will discuss the potential directions of the Brexit negotiations. The 30-minute presentation which is followed by a 30-minute Q&A session will take place on Thursday, June 1 at 12:30 at the Anna Nussbaum Auditorium, World Trade Institute, Hallerstrasse 6.
26.05.2017
The Ethics of Christian Atheism
On Friday, Mai 26, the University of Bern welcomes one of the most eminent philosophers in the tradition of Hegel, Marx and Lacan: Slavoj Žižek. His lecture is the first of the Walter Benjamin Kolleg Distinguished Lecture Series 2017 "Ethics and/of Contingency". Taking his cue from the figure of the "terminally depressive" detective Morck, the hero of "A Conspiracy of Faith", a Danish film noir, Žižek will show that he personifies a unique ethical stance: as an irredeemable atheist, is ready to sacrifice his life for others at any time. Starting from this fictional example, he will try to demonstrate why only a radical atheist who dispenses with any form of the reliance on a big Other (God, Society, Good) can today save the emancipatory legacy of the Christian tradition. The event starts at 18:30 in room 220 of the main building of the University of Bern. It is public and free of charge.
23.05.2017
Literary reading: "The Orphan Master’s Son"
This year’s Collegium generale Literary readings are dedicated to a topic which has gained unexpected attention recently: Dictatorship. Various authors read from their recent literary works covering this topic. The series will be launched with a reading by Adam Johnson who will read from his novel "The Orphan Master's Son", which is set in North Korea and won the 2013 Pulitzer Prize for fiction. The public reading in English will take place on May 23 at 18:15 in room 201 of the main building of the University of Bern and is free of charge.
16.05.2017
Anthropology Talks 2017 with Veena Das
In its bi-annual lecture series "Anthropology Talks", the Department of Social Anthropology invites important scholars in social and cultural anthropology to present and discuss their latest work. This year’s guest Veena Das will open the event with a public lecture on "Violence of and Against the Everyday: Learning to See What is Before Our Eyes". She is one of the most renowned contemporary anthropologists and was awarded the honorary doctorate of the Faculty of Humanities of the University of Bern last December. The public opening lecture will take place on Tuesday, May 16 at 18:15 in the Auditorium Maximum (room 110) of the main building of the University of Bern. It will be followed by a lecture and three workshops on Wednesday and Thursday May 17 and 18, 2017.
27.04.2017
Difficulties of Negotiating CETA and Mixed Agreements with the EU
Treaty-making with the European Union has become very difficult with ever more complex legal procedures and the twists and turns of domestic EU politics. In his NCCR Trade Regulation Brown Bag Seminar, McGill University Emeritus Professor Armand de Mestral will illustrate this by telling the story of the negotiation of the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) between Canada and the EU. The 30-minute presentation which is followed by a 30-minute Q&A session will take place on Thursday, April 27 at 12:30 at the Silva Casa Auditorium, World Trade Institute, Hallerstrasse 6.
06.04.2017
Public Lecture with Diana Taylor
On Thursday, April 6, Diana Taylor, New York University Professor of Performance Studies and Latin American Studies, will hold a public lecture at the University of Bern. In her talk, she invites the audience to think about our commercialized usage of knowledge and how we could improve it using different knowledge originating from fields such as the performative or fine arts. The event is part of the lecture series on key concepts in the humanities and social sciences by the doctoral program Interdisciplinary Cultural Studies. It will take place at 18:15 in room F013 at Unitobler.
06.04.2017
Sustainability Day 2017
On 6 April 2017, the University of Bern, PHBern and Bern University of Applied Sciences will be holding their first joint sustainability day. The event aims to highlight and illustrate the latest sustainability questions in teaching, research and everyday operations at Bern's higher education institutions. The event is open to the public. The deadline for registration is 17 March 2017.
09.03.2017
The earth-like exoplanets around the dwarf star TRAPPIST-1
TRAPPIST-1 is a dwarf star only 40 lightyears away from Earth. Recently scientists announced the discovery of seven Earth-size planets around the star. On Thursday, 9 March 2017, scientists from the University of Bern will speak about the findings. And as a special guest SF writer Laurence Suhner will read her latest novel. The event is open to the public, registration is mandatory.
11.01.2017
Trump’s Foreign Economic and Development Policy
What are the implications of Donald Trump’s election for US foreign aid or for trade agreements such as TTIP? At the NCCR Global Series Roundtable Discussion, WTI Deputy Managing Director Manfred Elsig brings together five leading scholars in political economy and foreign aid to discuss the challenges and prospects ahead. The event will take place on Wednesday, January 11 at 18:00 in the Kuppelraum 501 of the main building of the University of Bern.