The projects of the Wyss Academy for Nature’s Bern Hub focus on finding approaches and solutions for the most pressing problems at the interface between climate, biodiversity and land use.
The Wyss Academy for Nature’s Bern Hub has been operational since 2020. It implements a range of projects geared towards identifying, researching and testing solutions for the major challenges at the interfaces between climate, biodiversity, and land use. Finding effective and far-reaching solutions to these ever more pressing problems is vital, and the Wyss Academy for Nature is committed to playing a decisive role in this. Through its three foundation partners, the Wyss Foundation, the Canton of Bern and the University of Bern, it is investing CHF 200 million worldwide over a ten year period. Of the Canton of Bern’s CHF 50 million contribution, CHF 30 million is being spent on the implementation program in our canton.
Translating knowledge into concrete action fast
The combination of science, practice and innovation is key. Now more than ever, knowledge needs to be rigorously translated into concrete action. The Wyss Academy for Nature follows this principle: it is not merely a research organization, it also implements projects of its own. The experience gained in practice is combined with current insights and assessed by researchers and experts.
The Canton of Bern also recognizes the substantial added value in this practical approach. The Wyss Academy offers it a unique opportunity to bring together research and practical application, exploit synergies, and try out novel approaches. Its CHF 50 million investment in the Wyss Academy will create new jobs, foster innovation, and provide more knowledge that will help the canton meet local challenges in sustainable development.
The cantonal government engages with the Academy’s implementation program on an annual basis and releases the financial resources the Academy applies for for its projects.
Profile
The Wyss Academy for Nature at the University of Bern is a place of innovation where research, business, policymakers, and communities come together to design solutions for sustainable futures. Its mission is to transform scientific insights into action. Combining ambitious, innovative goals with a transformative approach, it was established to develop innovative, long-term pathways that strengthen and reconcile the conservation of biodiversity, human wellbeing, and the sustainable use of natural resources across a variety of landscapes around the world. The Wyss Academy for Nature currently operates hubs in Central Europe (Bern, Switzerland), South-east Asia (Laos), East Africa (Kenya), and South America (Peru).
The Wyss Foundation, the University of Bern, and the Canton of Bern signed the tripartite framework agreement for the Wyss Academy for Nature at the University of Bern in December 2019. Following on from this, the Wyss Academy was established as an independent foundation, the foundation board was set up, and the director was elected in May 2020. The Wyss Foundation is donating CHF 100 million to the Wyss Campaign for Nature, and the Canton and the University of Bern are each contributing CHF 50 million.