---
title: "Night of Research 2025: a review"
description: "At the Night of Research 2025 in Bern, the UniBE Foundation asked visitors where they would invest research funding: health, climate and society led the way."
url: https://unibefoundation.ch/en/blog/review-night-of-research
updated: 2026-09-16
---

# Night of Research 2025: a review

> At the Night of Research 2025 in Bern, the UniBE Foundation asked visitors where they would invest research funding: health, climate and society led the way.

Blog

08. September 2025

## **Five coins, one priority: where do we invest tomorrow?** [\#](#five-coins-one-priority-where-do-we-invest-tomorrow "Direct link to Five coins, one priority: where do we invest tomorrow?")

The **Night of Research (Nacht der Forschung) 2025** once again turned the Grosse Schanze in Bern into a stage for science – with **10,000** visitors, **800** researchers and **80+** projects (5th edition). Between experiments, talks and interactive stations – and even a change of shift at the ProfBAR with **22** professors – we asked visitors a simple question: *Imagine Bern had to redistribute 100 research francs today –* *which topics would get a boost – and why?* In our mini-experiment, visitors could each distribute **five symbolic gold coins** among “research pots”. Not a vote, but a snapshot of opinion: *What answers does the world of tomorrow need – and what does Bern as a centre of science need?*

## **Three signals from many conversations** [\#](#three-signals-from-many-conversations "Direct link to Three signals from many conversations")

**1) Health – plus the mind.**
Health remains the foundation. Remarkably strong: the call for **psychological research** – resilience, mental health, prevention.

**2) Climate & sustainability as a cross-cutting theme.**
Not one area among others, but a **pacesetter**: from energy to biodiversity – “the clock is ticking” was a recurring motif.

**3) Society & communication matter.**
Alongside the major natural sciences, **people & society**, **communication** – and even **theatre studies** – were named as levers: making findings understandable, opening up perspectives.

## **Two productive tensions** [\#](#two-productive-tensions "Direct link to Two productive tensions")

**Breadth vs. focus:** Many would put “one coin in every box” – at the same time, there is a growing need for **clear priorities**.
**Today vs. the day after tomorrow:** Acute problems are pressing, but **long-term research** remains indispensable. Good strategies achieve both.

## **What we make of it** [\#](#what-we-make-of-it "Direct link to What we make of it")

For us at the **UniBE Foundation**, research is a **social contract**. Micro-impulses like these help to sharpen **priorities through dialogue** – between science, the public and funders. We bring these voices together, **support researchers** and thus strengthen **Bern as a centre of knowledge and research**.

➡️ **Watch the video** and distribute your five coins: *Where would your research franc go – and why?*

Author

*Patrick Castellani*

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