Call for Applications «Doctoral Programs University of Bern 2025-28»

Applications for financial support of doctoral programs may, in principle, be submitted for the period 2025-28. However, the University Executive Board expressly reserves the right to redefine, if necessary, approved funds during the funding period 2025-28, e.g., in light of possible structural reforms in the domain of doctoral studies (as part of Fit for Future) or on account of any changes that may arise in the programs (e.g., number of doctoral students). This applies, in particular, to approved funding for coordination and administration of doctoral programs.

Within the scope of the present «Doctoral Programs University of Bern 2025-28» call for applications, funding applications may be made for establishing and operating research-related and research-based structured training programs specifically geared to doctoral students. The aim of the doctoral programs is to provide a high-quality (inter-)disciplinary, methodological and transversal training offer that equips doctoral students with excellent qualifications for both a research-centered career within academia as well as for careers outside academia. Furthermore, the programs foster active exchange among doctoral students from the participating disciplines and universities (creation of peer groups) and bolster scientific socialization and networking of doctoral students with established researchers from Switzerland and abroad. They also contribute decisively to the visibility of the University of Bern and its doctoral students at both national and international level, and constitute an important aspect in the recruitment of first-rate doctoral students.

Applications for funding may, in principle, be made for the following:

• Continuation of existing – modified if necessary – programs (i.e., programs already in receipt of support in the 2021-24 funding period)
• Launching of new programs

Funding applications for (sub-)programs or specific activities offered under the auspices of a Graduate School are not the subject of this call for applications.

Funds may only be applied for that are directly required for running a doctoral program. These are, in particular, the following cost items:

• Travel, accommodation and meal costs for doctoral students,
• Travel, accommodation and meal costs for lecturers, provided an active contribution within the scope of the doctoral program is made,
• Fees for visiting lecturers,
• Fees for participating in external activities,
• Costs for specially rented rooms/premises,
• Costs for consumable supplies needed to carry out the doctoral program (e.g., handouts, photocopies),
• Personnel costs for program administration / coordination (e.g., budget management, invoice processing, membership administration and course registration, contact to program members and partners, reporting, maintenance of the program’s website). Program administration/coordination is to be kept as lean as possible and does not take on any academic functions.

Funding may not be requested for:

• Resources for funding doctoral students’ research (salaries and grants of any kind),
• Lump sum payments to doctoral students,  
• Resources for infrastructure (workspaces, devices, software, etc.),
• Costs for external doctoral students and for lecturers of partner universities participating in the doctoral program.  

• Clear thematic focus of the doctoral program.
• Clear positioning of the doctoral program within the University’s existing training offers for doctoral students^[1].
• Strengthening of national and international visibility of the University of Bern and its doctoral students.
• Solidly devised, high-quality training program for the balanced promotion of (inter-)disciplinary, methodological and transversal skills, as well as to support exchange and networking of doctoral students.    
• Diversity and innovation of activities formats.
• The majority of the activities is devised, organized and implemented by the doctoral program itself.
• Scope of the doctoral program: Minimum 10 ECTS Credits over the course of 4 years^[2].
• Collaborations:
  • Intra-university: Participation of at least two units of the University of Bern (faculties, centers, departments, institutes).
  • Interuniversity and across university types (Universities of Applied Sciences, Universities of Teacher Education)^[3] at national and international level.
  • Form and objective of collaboration(s).
  • Collaborations with universities from the European University alliance ENLIGHT are explicitly encouraged.
• The program’s doctoral students are not members of Graduate Schools or of other doctoral programs that are already being funded by the University Executive Board (e.g., CUSO doctoral programs).
• Critical size^[4]:
  • For programs without interuniversity collaborations/collaborations across university types: Minimum 10 doctoral students.
  • For programs with interuniversity collaborations/collaborations across university types: Minimum total of 10 doctoral students, of whom at least 5 must be doctoral students of the University of Bern.  
  • Balanced composition of doctoral students from the participating institutions. 
• Transparent criteria and processes in relation to the admission of doctoral students to the program.  
• Inclusion of the doctoral students in designing the program. 
• Realistic and transparent budget as well as cost efficiency.  
• For interuniversity collaboration projects/collaboration projects across university types: Appropriate and transparent cost sharing by the partner universities.  
• Financial support from the participating faculties is desired.

^{[1] Funding applicants must inform the participating faculty/faculties about the planned funding application before submitting it.
[2] ECTS Credits are awarded by virtue of evaluations. The courses are listed in an electronic course directory (KSL). It must be possible for ECTS Credits earned within the scope of the doctoral program to be credited to the required study achievements as stipulated in the respective regulations for conferring a doctorate (“Promotionsreglement”).
[3] Applications for cooperation projects with universities of applied sciences (FH) and/or universities of teacher education (PH) may only be made if admission to doctoral studies of master graduates with an FH/PH degree is enshrined in the respective regulations for conferring a doctorate (“Promotionsreglement”) of the participating faculties, and the corresponding degrees are listed on the admissions list of the Admissions Office. Doctoral students with a master’s degree from an FH or a PH are subject to admission requirements of minimum 30 and maximum 60 ECTS Credits (cp. Regulations governing admission to the University of Bern with a degree from a university of applied sciences FH or a university of teacher education PH).
[4] Consideration will only be given for doctoral students who are accepted to the doctoral program and who fully complete the program.}

The University Executive Board herewith invites the university units to submit funding applications for doctoral programs for the funding period 2025-28, paying heed to the above-listed criteria. No further calls for funding applications are planned until 2028.  

Form and Scope

Funding applications are to be submitted electronically as a single PDF file (scope: max 8 pages without annex). An application form is available to download below. Applicants submitting funding requests must make sure to use this form only. Applications may be submitted in German, English or French.

Application Deadline

The deadline for submitting funding applications is May 13, 2024. Please email to:

Marco Hollenstein (marco.hollenstein@unibe.ch), for the attention of Prof. Dr. Virginia Richter, Vice-Rector for Development.

Selection of Programs

The selection of programs to be funded through resources of the «Doctoral Programs University of Bern 2025-28» funding program will be made by the University Executive Board on the basis of the criteria listed, and in consideration of the overall funding available. There is no legal right to the awarding of «Doctoral Programs University of Bern 2025-28» funding.

Miscellaneous

A report is due at the beginning of the respective year for programs supported by the «Doctoral Programs University of Bern 2025-28» funding program, documenting the use of funds and detailing the success status of the doctoral students. The expectation is for funded doctoral programs to be appropriately promulgated on the websites of participating institutes.

An application form is available. Please use this form only.

If you have any questions, please contact Marco Hollenstein:
marco.hollenstein@unibe.ch or tel. +41 31 684 85 41