PIONEER meets HKB ‘Climate Resilient Cultural Heritage’

On 29 October 2026, the ‘Climate Resilient Cultural Heritage’ research project was a key focus of the programme of events for the International Staff Week organised by the multinational PIONEER university alliance. The HKB welcomed staff from ten European universities and presented its current teaching and research activities in the field of conservation and restoration.

The Bern Academy of Applied Sciences has been a member of the PIONEER Alliance since 2022 and is thus an active partner in the European exchange of knowledge. In particular, it is committed to Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 11, ‘Sustainable Cities and Communities’. Target 11.4 explicitly calls for the protection and preservation of cultural and natural heritage. The stops on the tour illustrated how the HKB makes an important contribution to this goal through its research, teaching and international networking.

The programme included guided tours of the studios for the specialisation programmes in Conservation and Restoration of Contemporary Art and Media, as well as Architecture and Interior Design. The excellent infrastructure of the Art Technology Laboratory was also showcased. Afterwards, guests were given an insight into the HKB’s current research activities. The projects ‘Removed Wall Paintings in Switzerland’ and ‘Climate Resilient Cultural Heritage’ were presented. These examples clearly demonstrated how research and teaching in the field of conservation and restoration help to safeguard cultural heritage in the long term and develop new approaches to current challenges.