The Bern University of Applied Sciences (BUAS, German: Berner Fachhochschule BFH, French: Haute école spécialisée bernoise HESB) is a public vocational university in Switzerland with a strong national and international profile. It comprises six departments and also incorporates the Higher Technical School of Wood, which is affiliated to the Department of Architecture, Wood and Civil Engineering.
Locations BFH is currently spread across 26 locations in Bern, Biel, Burgdorf, Magglingen and Zollikofen. In 2012, the Grand Council of the Canton of Bern decided to bring together the Department of Architecture, Wood and Civil Engineering and the Department of Engineering and Information Technology onto a single campus in Biel. The launch of the Biel/Bienne campus is scheduled for autumn 2023. The Health Professions, Social Work and Business departments and Bern University of the Arts will likely move to a shared campus in Bern in autumn 2026.
Departments The Departments of the Bern University of Applied Sciences include: Architecture, Wood and Civil Engineering Health Professions Business School of Agricultural, Forest and Food Sciences HAFL Bern University of the Arts Social Work Engineering and Information Technology Swiss Federal Institute of Sport Magglingen SFISM
As well as Bachelor and master's degree programmes, BFH offers continuing education, applied research and development and other services.
The sports, agriculture, forest science, automotive engineering, nutrition and dietetics, literary writing and medical informatics degree programmes are unique in German-speaking Switzerland or throughout the whole of Switzerland.
Persons 1898–1938: Johann Friedrich Jungen (1873–1952), drawing teacher 1953–1993: Marc-André Houmard (1928–2014), Director of the wood technical school in Biel 2005–2017: Maurus Schifferli (* 1973), Lecturer for Urban Open Spaces Jonas Ulmer (* 1983), Architecture student 2006: Raphael Zuber (* 1973), Guest Lecturer in Architecture
Growth The following table shows how student numbers at the Bern University of Applied Sciences have grown since the university was founded in 1997. Year1 Bachelor studies Master studies Diploma programmes2 Continuing education3 Total 1997 800 2000 4190 2005 3893 940 4831 2006 4255 868 5123 2007 3454 62 256 557 4952 2008 3944 372 20 479 4935 2009 4835 663 32 593 5673 2010 4734 883 5 715 6337 2011 4938 975 0 506 6419 2012 5127 1100 0 497 6724 2013 5284 1090 0 401 6775 2014 5477 1121 0 559 7157 2015 5528 1136 0 151 6851 2016 5609 1255 0 179 70432017 5642 1249 0 203 709420185'6891'28102207'19020195'6031'37602097'188
1 Figures as of 31 December 2 Degree programmes prior to the Bologna Reform (which introduced Bachelor/Master's degree programmes) 3 Only MAS/EMBA students (not including CAS/DAS students). From 2014 onwards, non-matriculated MAS/EMBA students are also included in the statistics for BFH's areas of activity.
See also List of largest universities by enrollment in Switzerland
Notes and references
External links Bern University of Applied Sciences website