Happy Holidays
Season’s greetings! As we look back over the year and reflect on the many achievements during the GCB´s 20th year, we wish you all a well-deserved break over the holidays. Here’s to shared successes, new opportunities, and a wonderful year ahead.
- GCB Symposium
- A look at highlights from 2025.
- SPOTLIGHT TOPIC
- Mentors Needed
June 25, 2026
GCB Symposium
The next GCB Symposium is on June 25, 2026. The website and registration are open. Eligible students (registered in the GCB since April 15, 2025) who have not participated in two symposia will receive the Call for Abstracts in January. Abstract submissions will open after the Call for Abstracts. In 2026, there will be a career development session with a round table format discussing the versatility needed in today's job market. The session will be chaired by Prof. Dr. Carmen Faso from the Institute of Cell Biology at the University of Bern. Roundtable participants from various organizations, for- and not-for-profit will be invited.
A look at highlights from 2025.
SPOTLIGHT TOPIC
Co-Supervisor, Co-Advisor
The roles of the co-supervisor and co-advisor are different.
The official GCB promotion regulations in German, Art. 5,1, «Die Doktorierenden werden von einer Betreuungs-gruppe betreut, bestehend aus zumindest einer Dissertationsleiterin oder einem Dissertationsleiter, einer Ko-Betreuerin oder einem Ko-Betreuer und einer Mentorin oder einem Mentor.» The unofficial English translation for Art. 5,1 read, “The doctoral candidates are supervised by a Thesis Committee which is made up of at least one thesis supervisor, co-advisor and mentor.” The supervisor (and co-supervisor, if there is one) can be in the same research group and are responsible for the supervision of the student. (In the German version, this is the Dissertationsleiter, therefore, the co-supervisor is the Co-Dissertationsleiter). Co-advisors (Ko-Betreuerin) are experts working in the research area of the dissertation, who do not work at the same institute or clinic as the thesis supervisor. The co-advisor is proposed by the thesis supervisor and confirmed by the Expert Committee. Please ensure that the supervisor and co-supervisor listed on the Confirmation of Supervision form match the information provided in the GCB application. Inconsistencies may cause delays in processing your application.
Mentors Needed
Inspiring a legacy of excellence in science.
We continue to search for GCB Mentors. The mentor is a member of one of the five GCB expert committees and represents the GCB in the PhD thesis committee of the student for whom he or she is a mentor. Each expert committee member should be prepared to serve as mentor for several PhD students.
Qualifications: a mentor is a project leader, group leader (successful SNSF grant application or similar grant, SNSF professorship, endowed professor, or similar). Mentors commit to being a member of the PhD thesis team through to graduation, regardless of change in own circumstances, e.g., retirement, change in institution.
If you are interested in becoming a GCB mentor, please contact PD Dr Monica Schaller, GCB Coordinator at info.gcb@unibe.ch for more information.
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