Call Engaged UniBE 2026 – Transdisciplinary Projects for Sustainable Development
Together for a sustainable future
With the Engaged UniBE Call, the University of Bern supports innovative, transdisciplinary projects that make a concrete contribution to the Climate Roadmap 2030 and advance the sustainable transformation of science and society.
We are looking for projects that…
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work transdisciplinarily: Societal and university actors are equally involved from the very beginning – with clear roles, contributions, and responsibilities (e.g., time, expertise, resources).
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demonstrate a clear contribution to climate action: A simple impact model (e.g., Theory of Change) shows how the project contributes to reducing greenhouse gas emissions, climate adaptation, or social innovations for sustainability.
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Direct impacts (e.g., CO₂ reduction, soil de-sealing, energy savings) are given particular weight.
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Indirect impacts (e.g., awareness raising, networking, governance impulses) are welcome, provided they are plausibly supported by qualitative or quantitative targets.
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use innovative approaches: e.g., real-world experiments, living labs, new teaching, dialogue, or participation formats.
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connect science and practice: Results should be applicable in societal or political contexts.
Funding Framework
Funding amount: Up to CHF 80,000 per year (max. 3 years) per project Total maximum funding per project: CHF 240,000
Project duration: Minimum 1 year – maximum 3 years
Eligibility: Researchers, lecturers, and students of the University of Bern in partnership with at least one societal actor; or a societal actor in partnership with at least one university actor.
Funding period: 2026–2028
Submit project idea by 30 April 2026
Support for funded projects
- Workshop: Transdisciplinary Methods (11 March 2026, td-net)
- Exchange formats & peer learning during the funding period
- Access to the Engaged UniBE Community of Practice
- Communication support
📩 Contact & Submission
📧 engaged@unibe.ch
🌐 https://engaged.unibe.ch/
Documents for project submission:
(currently only available in German)
A few insights from the 2025 Call:
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Average requested funding per project: approx. CHF 258,358
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Applicants:
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Societal actors: foundations, associations, federations, nature parks, and other civil society organizations
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University participation: members of the Faculties of Science, Business/Economics/Social Sciences, Humanities, and Human Sciences, as well as the university centers CDE and the Oeschger Centre
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Thematic distribution of projects: climate action, biodiversity, social innovation, sustainable mobility, circular economy, participatory urban development, dialogue, real-world laboratories, etc.