University of Bern, Public university in Bern, Switzerland.
The University of Bern is a public institution with eight faculties and numerous institutes spread across the city center, accommodating around 19,000 students. It offers programs across multiple disciplines at bachelor, master, and doctoral levels in both German and English.
It began as a theological college in the 16th century and gained university status in 1834, representing a shift toward secular learning in Switzerland. This transition established it as one of the country's pioneering modern universities.
The university shapes the city's daily rhythm, with its buildings scattered throughout the old town and filled with students and researchers from around the world. The presence of international scholars makes the corridors and squares feel genuinely cosmopolitan.
The campus is walkable through the medieval old town, with individual buildings easy to locate along the way. Visitors should move at a leisurely pace and explore the surroundings, as the institution blends seamlessly into the urban landscape.
Albert Einstein worked on ideas related to his theory of relativity while teaching here as a lecturer. The institution also appointed Anna Tumarkin as Europe's first female professor authorized to examine doctoral candidates.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.