A Lighthouse of Teaching
From October 22 to 24, the University of Bern hosted the “Teaching and Learning Conference 2026” organized by the European university alliance ENLIGHT. Approximately 250 students, lecturers, and experts in higher education pedagogy from ten European universities exchanged ideas on innovative teaching—and continued building the network that increasingly connects them.
Text: Ori Schipper
The winners of the 2026 ENLIGHT Teaching and Learning Award from Uppsala University (Photo: Yoshiko Kusano).
On the Gurten, with its beautiful view over the city of Bern, cheers erupted on Friday evening when Sidonia Christ from the University of Bern’s Student Union (SUB) announced the winner of this year’s “ENLIGHT Teaching and Learning Award”. The enthusiastic applause was for the course “Environment, Health, and Climate Change.” It is taught at Uppsala University, with the participation of lecturers from the University of Tartu, Estonia, and the University of Groningen in the Netherlands.
Knowledge and Critical Thinking Lead to Action
The course introduces students to the challenges humanity must face, says award winner Syed Moshfiqur Rahman. Those who take the course learn how to transcend the boundaries of their own discipline and collaborate with experts from other fields. Above all, however: “We don’t just impart knowledge to students; we also encourage them to think critically—and in doing so, empower them to take action and help shape a sustainable future,” says Rahman.
“With the ENLIGHT Conference, we want to give teaching a platform—and give it the attention it deserves.”
Fritz Sager, Vice Rector Teaching, University of Bern
A jury of students decided which course would receive the award. Each of the ten ENLIGHT universities is represented on the jury by one student. All ten universities had submitted a course in advance to compete for the award. According to the ENLIGHT website, the “Teaching and Learning Award” not only “recognizes best teaching practices,” but also offers “an opportunity to sincerely thank those who are particularly committed to the education they provide.”
Approximately 250 students, lecturers, and experts in higher education pedagogy from all ten member universities of the European university alliance ENLIGHT attended the conference (Photo: Dres Hubacher).
From the lecture hall out into the world
It is striking that in virtually all of the nominated courses, the mere transfer of knowledge is not the primary focus. In addition to acquiring the fundamentals, the main goal is to apply what has been learned—and to carry it out of the lecture hall and into the world. In a course offered by Ghent University, for example, engineering students no longer analyze standardized case studies. Instead, they tackle real-world challenges by working in project groups to develop, for instance, an environmentally friendly sailboat or a self-driving electric race car.
In another course, students are confronted not with polished spreadsheets but with incomplete and disorganized data: “messy data” from real life. As a result, graduates of the “Practical Statistical Training” program grapple not only with “beautiful statistical formulas” but also with questions about study design—and how best to arrive at a successful result with incomplete data, explains Thomas Kneib of the University of Göttingen, Germany.
The 2026 conference in Bern focused on the theme “Context and Learning.” The central question was how knowledge and skills can be imparted through practical, interdisciplinary, and transdisciplinary learning approaches. Thomas Tribelhorn, Head of Learning and Development at the University of Bern, delivered the introductory presentation. (Photo: Dres Hubacher).
Diversity Is the Order of the Day
Among the numerous projects being presented at the conference, it is above all the great diversity that stands out. This diversity is one of the key features of the conference, emphasizes Fritz Sager, Vice Rector Teaching at the University of Bern. “The main aim of the conference is for people to exchange ideas and, in doing so, develop new ones.” Here in Bern, he notes, it is essential that the university strives for excellence in teaching as well as outstanding research. Often, research alone is in the spotlight, but: “With the ENLIGHT conference, we want to give teaching a platform—and give it the attention it deserves,” says Sager.
Furthermore, in research, working within broad networks is becoming increasingly important. This approach could be applied to teaching as well. “Teaching, too, can benefit greatly from bringing together international perspectives and from developing and applying interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary concepts,” says Sager.
“We want to develop knowledge together and facilitate seamless mobility between the participating universities,” says Sager. The vision is a Europe-wide campus. The conference plays an important role in achieving this—thanks to the connections participants forge with one another. The result is an increasingly tightly-knit and more resilient network.
“We want to develop knowledge together and facilitate seamless mobility among the ENLIGHT universities,” says Fritz Sager, Vice Rector Teaching at the University of Bern.
Against Sexism, for Inclusion and Civic Courage
Thanks to the ENLIGHT University Alliance, it is not only faculty members who gain access to the European Higher Education Area; students also benefit from the alliance. In addition to the award for innovative teaching, the conference recognized projects that have excelled in the areas of sustainability, diversity, and inclusion.
The recognition she receives at this meeting is wonderful and does her a world of good, says doctoral candidate Anuschka Arni. “Because it takes a lot of perseverance to combat sexism during internships and in everyday student life.” The resident physician is active in the Bern chapter of CLASH, the “Collectif de Lutte contre les Attitudes Sexistes en milieu Hospitalier.” The initiative, which won the “Diversity & Inclusion” award at the conference, has established an anonymous reporting platform at the Institute of Primary Health Care and has already won the Prix Lux for equal opportunity in 2023. In addition, CLASH organizes training sessions to raise awareness of the issue—and to encourage people to speak up: “Don’t go along with it; instead, show moral courage when, for example, a sexist remark is made in a group at another person’s expense,” says Arni.
The lighthouse in the ENLIGHT logo symbolizes the radiance of excellent teaching and the collaborative spirit of the alliance (Photo: Dres Hubacher).
Tangible Enthusiasm
At UniS, where most of the three-day conference took place, a lighthouse nearly two meters tall stood right at the entrance. A smaller version of the tower can also be seen as the “I” in the center of the ENLIGHT logo. This logo appears on posters and on the backs of the sweaters worn by volunteers supporting the conference. There is something infectiously inspiring about the radiance of this lighthouse—just like the enthusiasm for quality teaching at this conference.
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About the ENLIGHT Teaching and Learning Conference The ENLIGHT Teaching and Learning Conference brings together faculty, students, and experts in higher education pedagogy from the ten ENLIGHT universities to discuss innovative, student-centered, and research-oriented teaching and learning approaches. It is held each year at a different ENLIGHT member university. The 2026 conference in Bern focused on the theme “Context and Learning.” The focus was on how knowledge and skills can be imparted through practice-oriented, interdisciplinary, and transdisciplinary learning approaches. Four areas were addressed: teaching and learning methods, innovative learning spaces, interdisciplinary approaches, and the connection between learning and professional practice. The ENLIGHT Teaching and Learning Award recognizes courses and programs that implement innovative and international pedagogical approaches and learning practices. |
About the Author: Ori Schipper is a science writer. He lives and works in Bern.
This article was originally published in UniAktuell, the online magazine of the University of Bern. Source: UniAktuell, “ENLIGHT Teaching and Learning Konferenz: Leuchtturm der Lehre“, 29/10/2026, https://www.uniaktuell.unibe.ch/2026/leuchtturm_der_lehre/index_ger.html