Partnership with Finland’s Laurea UAS

07.04.2026 The three-day visit by Finland’s Laurea University of Applied Sciences featured strategic discussions and exchanges on cybersecurity, digitalisation, and Bern’s innovation ecosystem.

The PIONEER University Alliance (see box) provides an institutional framework specifically designed to bolster collaboration between its partner universities. Among these partners is Laurea University of Applied Sciences, which operates six campuses across southern Finland. With approximately 11,000 students, it is currently one of the fastest-growing universities of applied sciences in the country. From 9 to 11 March 2026, a delegation from Laurea – including President Jouni Koski, the vice-presidents for teaching and research, the vice-president for support services and the director of development – visited BFH to share expertise and explore new collaborative opportunities.

President Jouni Koski remarked: “As a member of the PIONEER European higher education network, Laurea University of Applied Sciences, gaining comprehensive understanding of our partner’s activities was highly beneficial. The growth in research, development, and innovation at BFH is hugely impressive. Benchmarking our own processes against theirs and discussing potential collaborations in R&D and innovation activities proved to be extremely valuable.”

Driving cybersecurity

Security is one of Laurea’s key priorities, especially in light of Finland’s sensitive geopolitical position. Laurea adopts a holistic approach, integrating and examining multi-sectoral perspectives that range from cybersecurity and critical infrastructure protection to environmental risk management.

During the visit, the Finnish delegation held discussions with BFH’s Institute for Cybersecurity and Engineering (ICE) and the Institute for Digital Technology Management (IDTM). While the ICE focusses on developing innovative technologies to shield society, the economy and critical infrastructure from cyber threats, the IDTM specialises in digital transformation as a cultural process. The talks centred on enhancing digital resilience and building trust in digital technologies.

Strengthening business contacts

The visit also focussed on competitiveness and partner management. As a business-oriented institution, BFH maintains strong ties to Bern’s innovation ecosystem. A tour of the Switzerland Innovation Park Biel/Bienne afforded the guests insights into the regional collaboration between the university, industry, and startups. Furthermore, BFH highlighted its pivotal role in establishing and developing the be-advanced network in Bern.

PIONEER University Alliance

Since 2020, the EU has supported international university alliances through interdisciplinary, transdisciplinary, and cross-border collaboration to make European universities future-proof.

PIONEER brings together ten European universities, including BFH, Laurea, Gustave Eiffel University, IUAV University of Venice and the Technical University of Cologne. By merging technical and socio-cultural expertise, the alliance addresses critical urban sustainability challenges ranging from public health and safety (social sustainability) to energy and mobility (environmental and technical challenges). A defining characteristic of PIONEER is the deep integration of industry partners across all activities, with a thematic focus on UN Sustainable Development Goal 11: make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable (Sustainable Development Goals).

The collaboration encompasses interdisciplinary research projects and joint study programmes, connecting researchers and students with both international and regional partners from the worlds of politics, business, and innovation.

The discussions between the two universities focused on how to institutionalise and further develop the strategic management of partnerships. Laurea’s President Jouni Koski observed: “We were deeply impressed by BFH’s substantial impact on regional development within the Canton of Bern.”

Learning from each other

With both universities currently refining their long-term strategies, the visit was characterised by intensive exchange and mutual learning. The two institutions leverage their similar yet complementary profiles, as Jouni Koski emphasised: “While the strategic processes at Laurea and BFH align closely, we have gained valuable new perspectives for Laurea’s own strategic management.” BFH President Sebastian Wörwag added: “It is highly beneficial for us as PIONEER partners to share identical thematic priorities across so many strategic areas.”