Annual Report 2020: Knowledge strengthens society

The Executive Board of the University of Bern From left to right: Christoph Pappa (Secretary General), Achim Conzelmann (Vice-Rector for Development), Daniel Candinas (Vice-Rector for Research), Silvia Schroer (Vice-Rector for Quality), Christian Leumann (Rector), Bruno Moretti (Vice-Rector for Teaching), Markus Brönnimann (Director of Administration). University of Bern, Ramon Lehmann - The COVID-19 crisis has also been extremely challenging for the University of Bern. Nevertheless, the articles in the 2020 annual report impressively show that the University is leveraging its expertise to make a vital contribution toward efforts to overcome this crisis and serve as a catalyst for the future. The University of Bern's future success is being called into question, however, by the sluggish pace of infrastructure renewal as well as collaborative research projects with Europe that are in jeopardy. According to Rector Christian Leumann in his video message in this year's annual report, "In 2020, the coronavirus crisis was the omnipresent topic at the University of Bern, as well, and stretched us to our limits. But the year also revealed the enormous importance of the University's work." Even under difficult conditions, Bern's researchers were still highly successful in 2020 - particularly with respect to research into COVID-19 and ways to combat it - and made an important contribution toward overcoming the crisis by lending their expertise to efforts such as the scientific task force.