University alliance ENLIGHT ENLIGHT membership

Strategic embedding

Membership in ENLIGHT helps the University of Bern to achieve its goals defined in the Strategy 2030 particularly in the areas of internationalization, the promotion of outstanding teaching, digitalization and social relevance.

Students benefit from an international campus and can strengthen their intercultural skills thanks to a variety of mobility offers - both abroad and at home. Mobility at the University of Bern is becoming more inclusive, sustainable and diverse thanks to innovative mobility formats.  

ENLIGHT offers members of the University of Bern a network of reliable partners, which support early career researchers in initiating international collaborations and networking throughout Europe.

Lecturers from all ENLIGHT universities benefit from the exchange on innovative learning formats and can both raise the profile of their own teaching and develop it further.

Inter- and transdisciplinarity are strongly encouraged in ENLIGHT. Jointly offered courses are often open to students from different disciplines. Students are invited to tackle global challenges in joint courses and develop solutions with the involvement of local partners - often from Bachelor level upwards.

ENLIGHT universities work on shared goals that also correspond to the strategic goals of the University of Bern, for example in the areas of digitalization, equal opportunities, sustainable development, personnel development and lifelong learning.

Being a member of ENLIGHT is in line with the University of Bern's self-image as a leading, forward-looking and international university with strong local roots and social relevance.

Difference between ENLIGHT and The Guild of European Research-Intensive Universities

Memberships in ENLIGHT and The Guild are both of great strategic importance to the University of Bern and complement each other. While ENLIGHT initiatives are often very hands-on, The Guild is primarily involved in lobbying and aims to influence European education, research and innovation policy in the interests of its members (in particular the Horizon Europe and Erasmus+ programs). Several members of The Guild are also ENLIGHT members. These universities not only get to know each other in terms of their achievements and ambitions in teaching and research, they also familiarize themselves with their governance structures and their respective political environments. This is the basis for a multi-layered, trusting and lasting cooperation.