University of Bern

University of Bern, public, coeducational institution of higher learning in Bern, Switzerland. The school was founded as a seminary in 1528, offering instruction in theology, philosophy, Greek, and Hebrew. The seminary became an academy in 1805 with departments of theology, mathematics, medicine, and philosophy. In 1834 the academy was renamed the University of Bern and began to receive funding from the canton of Bern. The school has received considerable financial support from the Swiss government since 1966.

The university offers a four- to five-year Lizentiat degree (equivalent to a master's degree) and doctoral degrees in the arts and sciences, humanities, and theology. Professional degrees are conferred in law, medicine, and education. The university’s medical school is considered especially strong. Courses are conducted in German.

The University of Bern is home to a number of research institutions, including the M. E. Műller Institute of Biomechanics and the Coordinating Center for General Ecology. In 1993 the European Cooperation Department was formed to coordinate international research and technology programs in Europe. In 1995 the International Space Science Institute was founded by University of Bern professor Johannes Geiss, a space science researcher. Geiss created the institute to facilitate international cooperation in space science research.