Virtual Exchange Seminar

The University of Bern wants to offer its students inspiring mobility experiences; at the same time, the university is committed to climate neutrality. The format of Virtual Exchange seminars is an attempt to resolve this conflict of objectives. Furthermore, these kinds of teaching formats could enable students who are unable to spend a semester abroad for personal reasons to gain an international experience "at home". Lecturers can use this format to test the use of innovative technologies in cooperation with an international partner and possibly initiate new collaborations.

The event should be characterized as follows:

• At least two lecturers jointly run the course, one from UniBE and one from a ENLIGHT university. Additional partner universities may be involved.
• The course can either take place purely virtually or with attendance components. While students can also meet physically on site at their home universities, the encounter and dialog between Bernese students and students from the partner university takes place online.
• It is a newly designed seminar (not a lecture) including interactive modules that lead to exchange and cooperation between students from both universities.
• Each university awards ECTS points to its students.
• The language of instruction is English (with the exception of linguistic studies).
• The target group can be bachelor or master students (or both, but not PhDs).
• Students at UniBE can have the course credited to their studies as a regular course.

For 2026, you have the possibility of acquiring 6 personnel points as support for the additional work in preparing such a format.

If you are interested, please use the Virtual Exchange Seminar application form 2026. If you are looking for collaboration partners at our ENLIGHT partner universities, please feel free to contact us via the corresponding form or by email at enlight@unibe.ch.

Please send the application form to your faculty Dean – please note the faculty's internal deadline.

Dean's offices are requested to forward applications to the Vice Rectorate International and Academic Careers by 21 November 2025 (Contact person: Sebâ Topuz, seba.topuz@unibe.ch).