Committees

*Non-voting member

The Equal Opportunities Committee develops strategies, concepts and tools to ensure that men and women are equally represented at all levels and on all boards and committees at Bern University of Applied Sciences (BFH). The Committee advises the University Executive Board and the individual departments on all political, strategic and operative matters relating to equal opportunities at BFH.

The Research Committee develops strategies and guidelines for applied research and development at Bern University of Applied Sciences (BFH) and oversees their implementation. The Committee encourages the transfer of knowledge and technology in teaching and practice and maintains relationships with partners in business, social, cultural and public institutions. Part of its remit is to coordinate and promote research activities throughout BFH. Its goal is to position BFH as an established and recognised research partner on the national and international stage.

The Internationalisation Committee encourages and coordinates the international dimension of the teaching, continuing education and research and development activities at Bern University of Applied Sciences (BFH). It helps ensure that BFH as an institution and its individual staff members and students benefit from the opportunities that an international outlook offers as we carry out our core activities. The Committee promotes and supports compliance with international standards and accreditations. It is also responsible for cooperation with international exchange programmes and encourages participation in international research programmes and research activities. As part of its remit, the Committee represents BFH on university committees and in national and international organisations.

BFH has an International Relations Office (IRO). The IRO carries out central tasks, coordinates activities and supports the departments in implementing internationalisation.

The Teaching Committee supports teaching at Bern University of Applied Sciences. It deals with the national and international development of university teaching, addresses the concerns of groups that have a stake in teaching within the university and encourages an exchange of experience and mutual support. The Committee supports the departments in delivering targets that affect teaching and advises them on curriculum development. It also develops a regulatory framework for the university’s study programmes and recommendations for department-specific regulations.

The remit of the Sustainable Development Committee includes setting goals and policies for sustainable development in teaching, continuing education, research, consulting services and management in line with the BFH strategy, the cantonal and federal sustainability strategies and the UN’s sustainable development goals.

The Quality Development Committee oversees systematic quality management at Bern University of Applied Sciences (BFH). It develops tools for assessing the quality of teaching, applied research, consulting services and management at BFH. It also devises measures to enhance quality and initiates their implementation.

The Continuing Education Committee coordinates continuing education at Bern University of Applied Sciences (BFH), ensures quality management and publishes approved continuing education programmes. It seeks to ensure that the continuing education activities at BFH are recognised as being of a high quality, in line with market requirements and self-supporting and that they meet federal guidelines and the recommendations of the Rector’s Conference of Swiss Universities of Applied Sciences (KFH).

The Appeals Committee is the internal administrative judicial authority at Bern University of Applied Sciences (BFH). Its handles students’ complaints about rulings and decisions made by their university. The Committee is headed by a member with a background in law who is not employed by BFH. The Appeals Committee also includes two lecturer representatives, a representative of the mid-level academic staff and a student representative.