Universitätsarchiv Universität Bern

History and Founding

The University of Bern was founded in 1834, though its predecessor institutions — including the Hohe Schule (founded 1528) and the subsequent Academy (from 1805) — trace the university's educational lineage to the sixteenth century. The University Archives functions as the institutional memory of the university, operating as an intermediary archive (Zwischenarchiv) between the university's records-generating units and the State Archives of the Canton of Bern (Staatsarchiv des Kantons Bern), which serves as the permanent repository under the Canton of Bern Archives Act of 31 March 2009.

Legal Framework and Mandate

The University Archives' mandate is defined by the Bernese Archives Act and the University of Bern's own Archiving Regulations (adopted by the Senate on 17 April 2012). All university units — faculties, institutes, and administrative offices — are required to offer records no longer needed for active business to the State Archives via the University Archives. Evaluation is carried out in collaboration with the delivering unit, the University Archives, and the State Archives.

Collections and Holdings

The archival holdings of the University of Bern consist primarily of administrative files from faculties, institutes, and the central administration. Fonds are held at the State Archives of the Canton of Bern and are accessible through its online portal under designations including: BB IIIb Schulwesen: Akten des Universitätsarchivs 1834 ff., 1805–1973; BB 8.2. Universität Bern (Universitätsarchiv), 1804–2003; and BB 05.10. Universität Bern (Universitätsarchiv), 1663–2019. The archive also maintains documentation on the history of the university, including scanned serial documents made freely available online as non-citable working copies.

Access

The University Archives does not maintain a public reading room; researchers consult archival materials at the State Archives of the Canton of Bern, within the bounds of applicable law. The University Archives staff are available to assist with research queries and to help locate records within the State Archives' holdings.