OpenFieldBern University of Applied Sciences (BFH - Berner Fachhochschule) is a premier Swiss public university located in the bilingual canton of Bern, internationally celebrated for Europe's leading Institute for Wood Engineering in Biel, digital health and medical informatics, cybersecurity, and automotive engineering.
Review checked academic pathways and funding options below:
Federal scholarship granted by the Swiss Confederation for international scientists conducting cooperative doctoral or postdoctoral investigations in engineering or forestry at BFH.
Europe's foremost master's program in timber engineering and bio-based composites, based at the Biel campus, exploring multi-story timber buildings, adhesive chemistry, and robotic CNC joinery.
Four-year cooperative doctoral fellowship conducted jointly with University of Bern Medical School, developing federated machine learning algorithms for multi-hospital EHR data privacy.
Applied automotive engineering study at the Biel Vehicle Technology Laboratory, developing thermal runaway mitigation and regenerative braking for heavy electric buses operating on steep Alpine roads.
Six-month professional engineering placement embedded within world-famous precision watchmakers (Swatch Group, Rolex) or surgical instrument manufacturers in the Jura arc region.
Two-year postdoctoral fellowship at the Institute for Human Centered Engineering (HuCE) developing non-invasive optical sensor implants, retinal prosthetics, and robotic assistive exoskeletons.
Permanent professorship at the Institute for Timber Construction, Structures and Architecture in Biel, leading applied research in tall timber buildings, structural glulam adhesives, and seismic resistance.
Tuition for Swiss and EU/EEA students is CHF 750 per semester (CHF 1,500 / ~$1,720 USD per year). Tuition for non-EU international students is CHF 950 per semester. Appointed doctoral candidates and scientific collaborators hold salaried Swiss federal employment contracts starting at CHF 60,000.
Distinguished researchers and laboratory heads at Bern University of Applied Sciences:
Head of Institute for Timber Construction, Structures and Architecture · Timber Engineering, Structural Joinery, Glulam Mechanics, Tall Timber Structures
Professor of Medical Informatics & Visual Analytics · Visual Analytics, Medical Data Visualization, Clinical Decision Support, Information Systems
Head of Institute for Human Centered Engineering (HuCE) · Biomedical Engineering, Sensor Systems, Medical Signal Processing, Microengineering
Facts reflect official Bern University of Applied Sciences documentation reviewed 2026-10-15. Degree admissions, scholarship awards, and employment positions are subject to formal university review. OpenField does not charge students application fees.
Reviewed 2026-10-15 · Editorial standards · Report an issue