Site consolidation

Project

BFH has grown steadily since its foundation in 1997 and is now spread over 33 locations in three regions. The aim of the campus project in Biel is to concentrate technical disciplines on one site. Today, these are spread across 10 locations in the Bern, Biel and Burgdorf regions. The new Biel/Bienne campus will allow BFH to make use of synergies in teaching and research and increase its competitive edge.

The campus is to be built on the ‘Feldschlössli’ site near Biel railway station. The construction project is based on the winning project ‘Trèfle’ by pool architects from Zurich. The construction work begun at the start of 2018 is currently suspended, as various legal procedures are still ongoing. Construction can only continue once the land procurement and building permit procedures have been completed. A Supreme Court ruling on land procurement in September 2021 could delay the opening of the Biel/Bienne campus until 2029. The canton of Bern is committed to accelerating the process.

Project

The School of Health Professions, the School of Social Work, the Business School and the Academy of the Arts’ performing arts divisions, along with the President’s Office and services, are currently spread across 22 different locations in Bern. The Bern campus will bring them all together in one place in Weyermannshaus Ost in Ausserholligen, in the west of the city. The Bern campus will allow BFH to make use of synergies in teaching and research and increase its competitive edge. The campus is connected with other projects in Ausserholligen, including those involving SBB and the City of Bern. These projects are technically and financially intertwined, as well as in terms of their schedule. BFH and the canton of Bern currently expect the Bern campus to open in autumn 2028 at the earliest.

TecLab Burgdorf will:

• Promote STEM subjects and related professions (science, technology, engineering, mathematics)
• Provide professional development programmes for industry and commerce in the field of sustainability
• Offer sustainability-related services for businesses

Pilot phase to begin in 2020

In 2020, TecLab will run and evaluate pilot programmes in all three areas. These programmes will be based at the Tiergarten location in Burgdorf. As soon as the divisions involved have completed the move to the Biel/Bienne campus, the building will be redeveloped and repurposed.

Through TecLab, Burgdorf will remain a BFH location and benefit from the joint programmes of BFH and TF Bern, which will also be relocating to Burgdorf. TecLab Burgdorf will play an important role in making the city and region of Burgdorf an attractive place to study.