Upcoming events

The Night of Research offers a unique opportunity to connect more easily with the general public and broaden our network as well as our community. Come and find out about the University of Bern's key research projects in Africa and with partners from Africa! Discover the tradition of partnership between the University of Bern and research institutions from Africa.

As the coordinating body for all Africa-related projects at the University of Bern, Initiative Afrique organises numerous academic and cultural activities on its own and/or with other institutions within and outside the university. However, Initiative Afrique always strives to reach a wider audience outside the University of Bern. This is why participation in major outreach events such as the Night of Research is of central importance. In this way, we aim to

• inform the wider public in the city and canton of Bern about Initiative Afrique;
• inform participants about past and future activities of Initiative Afrique;
• inform interested parties about some of the University of Bern's key research projects in Africa and with partners from Africa;
• inform visitors about the University of Bern's contribution to the Clusters of Research Excellence (CoRE) of The Guild/ARUA;
• make the public aware of the tradition of partnership between the University of Bern and research institutions from Africa.

Sign up for this workshop!

AfricArXiv is a project by colleagues from Europe and Africa to have an Open Access Digital Archive with servers on the African continent. Ultimately, the goal is to increase the discoverability of African Research Output. In that regard, the community reiterates the importance of Open Science for the African continent. The colleagues who launched the project will be in Bern for two days, 16/17 October 2025, to present a workshop on Open Science and its tools.

AfricArXiv is an open-access digital archive designed to support African researchers, universities and research institutions by providing a platform for sharing and preserving scholarly output. It aims to increase the visibility and accessibility of research from and about Africa, as well as to foster collaboration among researchers on the continent and globally. 
Through AfricArXiv, institutions meet the need to comply with open access mandates, enhance their visibility in the global research landscape, and contribute to the advancement of research agendas. AfricArXiv is part of the larger Open Science movement, promoting transparency, inclusivity, and the democratisation of knowledge.

Our key services include:

• Open Access Repository: Researchers can upload and share their preprints, postprints, and published papers, making their work freely accessible to a wider audience; https://africarxiv.ubuntunet.net
• Collaboration and Networking: By connecting researchers across disciplines, languages, and borders, AfricArXiv facilitates partnerships and collaborative projects.
• Language Diversity: We support the submission of research in multiple African languages, promoting linguistic diversity and inclusion in academia; see https://africarxiv.ubuntunet.net/handle/1/1531
• Capacity Building: We offer resources and training to help researchers improve their skills in scholarly communication, data management, and open science practices; see https://africarxiv.ubuntunet.net/handle/1/19
• Increased Visibility: Our platform increases the discoverability of African research, ensuring that it is included in global academic conversations and databases through persistent identifiers (PIDs).

The services of AfricArXiv are free of charge for individual researchers to upload research items, such as articles, manuscripts, preprints, datasets, presentations, reports, proposals, books, etc.  

In this hands-on workshop organised by science.wemakeit.com, you will dive into the world of science crowdfunding: what it is, how it works and how you can use it to bring your research to the public. You'll learn from real-world examples, explore what makes a compelling campaign and reflect on how to tell your scientific story in an engaging way. Most importantly, you’ll begin designing your very own crowdfunding campaign, from goals and rewards to target groups and visuals. Expect a lively mix of storytelling, strategy and creative planning.

Participants will
- Understand what crowdfunding is and how it can be used for science
- Learn how to define clear goals, budgets and rewards
- Practice crafting messages that resonate with different audiences
- Design the core elements of their first personal crowdfunding campaign

science.wemakeit.com