Career
Career opportunities in Bern
Bern has a stable and prosperous economy. The main industries supporting Bern’s growth are: agriculture, manufacturing, mining, construction, insurance and finance, health care.
Names of important companies in Bern are: Swisscom, La Poste, Galenica, La Mobilière, eBay, Swiss Federal Railways, Alcon, Swatch, Breitling, Ericsson, Novartis Pharmaceuticals.
Any international student looking for an internship opportunity can choose from several offers available in local companies, either based in Switzerland, or a multinational company.
Life
Bern city life
Explore Bern in your spare time and discover the city’s unique charm, especially around the historic old town in the centre, area which became a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Important attractions in Bern are:
- "Time Bell" – an elaborate medieval clock tower with moving puppets
- The Federal Palace (Bundeshaus)
- The Münster – a 15th century Gothic cathedral
- Alpine Museum
- Einstein Museum (Einsteinhaus)
- The Holy Ghost Church – one of the largest Swiss Reformed churches in Switzerland
- The Kindlifresserbrunnen (Child Eater Fountain)
Check out the Rose Garden (Rosengarten), a Rosarium located on a hill, today transformed into a park, offering you nice views of the medieval town centre. Gurten is a splendid hill just outside the city where you can also admire landscapes of the whole city and another natural, relaxing spot is the Bear Park (bear is the emblem of Bern).
Bern has one of the longest covered shopping promenades in Europe so you can wander around many fashion stores.
If you feel like seeing a play, go to Bern Theatre or Tojo Theatre among the theatres you can find here.
At night, you can choose from many cafes, trendy night clubs and fancy bars and simply relax and have fun.
Anytime you feel the need to change the scenery, take trips to Zurich and Basel – around an hour away by train, or to Geneva – about two hours away.
International atmosphere in Bern
Apart from the international student population, Bern counts several foreign residents: Germans, Italians, Spanish, Portuguese, Turkish, Macedonians.
The whole Switzerland is rated as one of the most attractive countries for doing business in the world and Bern makes no exception. With a relaxed attitude towards foreign investment, many international entrepreneurs, including multinational managers are attracted to Bern due to the economic and political stability, efficient capital markets, highly skilled labour force and high quality of life.
Weather Bern
In Bern you will experience mild winters, but with significant amounts of snow, and the summers are moderately warm. Daily mean temperatures in December – January are around 0 °C (31 °F) and in the summer they ranges between 16 and 18 °C (60 – 64 °F). June and July are the wettest months, recording many rainfalls.
Universities in Bern
The World Trade Institute is the leading interdisciplinary academic institution dedicated to teaching and research on international trade and investment regulation, economic globalisation and sustainability. As a centre of excellence at the University of Bern with an international, interdisciplinary focus, we explore the interconnections between the fields of law, economics and political science.
The University of Bern offers top quality across the board: it enjoys special recognition in leading-edge disciplines, is reputed for the excellent quality of its teaching, offers a delightful setting, and a campus environment intimately linked to the social, economic and political life of the city.