Centre for Development and Environment (CDE), University of Bern

What Centre for Development and Environment (CDE), University of Bern does

The Centre for Development and Environment (CDE) is a strategic research centre of the University of Bern, designated Switzerland's centre of excellence for sustainable development, with 105 employees headquartered at Mittelstrasse 43, 3012 Bern. CDE conducts inter- and transdisciplinary research on sustainable development spanning climate adaptation, sustainable land management, food systems transformation, digital development, biodiversity, and trade policy, with a research agenda built through long-standing partnerships across the global North and South. Core assets include the WOCAT database — a global catalogue of over 2,000 sustainable land management examples from five continents — and specialized frameworks such as the UPDATE transdisciplinary methodology for studying gender dynamics in digital employment.

CDE's primary outputs are research projects, policy briefs, scientific publications, and educational programs. Educational offerings include the Master in Sustainability Transformations degree, the periodic Online Winter School on Sustainable Development, and continuing-education programs. Active projects at the time of data collection include a US$4.5 million Swiss government-funded sustainable land management program in Laos, the intercantonal Biel/Bienne food system model region spanning six Swiss cantons, the UPDATE digital employment and gender project in Kenya, and comparative climate adaptation research under the NCCR North-South programme.

Revenue derives almost entirely from competitive research grants and project funding, with the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF), the Federal Office for Spatial Development (ARE), the Leopold Bachmann Foundation, and the Temperatio Foundation identified as funders. Secondary revenue comes from fee-based education (Master's program, Winter School). Distribution is achieved through direct institutional partnerships with governments and international organizations, academic publications and open-access channels, media engagement, and policy briefs. Customers are predominantly Swiss federal and cantonal government agencies, international development organizations, academic institutions, and students.

Name

Centre for Development and Environment (CDE), University of Bern

Legal name

Centre for Development and Environment (CDE)

Website

https://cde.unibe.ch

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

The Centre for Development and Environment (CDE) is a University of Bern strategic research centre conducting inter- and transdisciplinary sustainability research across climate adaptation, land management, food systems, digital development, and trade policy, serving Swiss federal agencies, international development organizations, and academic institutions through grant-funded projects, policy briefs, and graduate education.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Sustainability Research and Policy Advisory

NAICS

Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities (54172), Administration of Environmental Quality Programs (9241)

SIC

Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)

akta.pro primary industry

Climate Change Mitigation/Adaptation & Natural Resource Management Technical Assistance (BPADAEAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Sustainable Agriculture, Food Systems & Land Management (BPADALAG), Humanitarian-Development-Peace Nexus & Resilience Programming (BPADAEAK), Digital Development & ICT4D / GovTech Technical Assistance (BPADAEAL), Agriculture, Environmental & Earth Sciences (EDAGABAL)

Keywords

• Sustainability research
• Sustainable development
• Policy advisory services
• Environmental research centre
• Transdisciplinary research

Headquarters

HQ city

Bern

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Research Funding and Grants: Primary revenue from competitive research grants and project funding from Swiss government agencies (Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation - SDC, Swiss National Science Foundation - SNSF), international organizations, foundations, and the Federal Government. Projects include specific deliverables and timelines.
2. Education and Training Services: Revenue from Master in Sustainability Transformations program, continuing education offerings, and Winter School programs.
3. Policy Advisory Services: Science-policy interface work providing evidence-based recommendations to governments and international organizations on sustainable development topics.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

CDE conducts inter- and transdisciplinary research on sustainable development, combining social sciences, natural sciences, and humanities to address climate adaptation, sustainable land management, food systems, digital transformation, and biodiversity. It delivers educational programs (Master in Sustainability Transformations, Online Winter School, continuing education) and produces evidence-based policy briefs and advisory services for governments, international organizations, and development agencies. The WOCAT global database of sustainable land management practices (2,000+ documented examples) constitutes its flagship knowledge asset.

Product overview

CDE is Switzerland's centre of excellence for sustainable development and one of the University of Bern's strategic research centres. It is not a commercial product company but rather an academic research institution that offers educational programs (Master in Sustainability Transformations, Online Winter School), produces policy briefs on sustainability topics, and conducts research projects on climate adaptation, food systems, digital transformation, and biodiversity. CDE's offerings include research publications, media content (Spotlights), and virtual exhibitions, all focused on mainstreaming sustainability through inter- and transdisciplinary approaches in partnership with institutions across the global North and South.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Master in Sustainability Transformations A master's degree program focused on sustainability transformations, combining inter- and transdisciplinary approaches to sustainable development research and teaching, offered to graduate students at the University of Bern.
• Online Winter School on Sustainable Development An online winter school program on sustainable development offered periodically to international bachelor and master students, with sessions such as Winter School 2027 (application deadline October 15, 2026).
• Policy Briefs A series of policy briefs providing evidence-based policy recommendations on current sustainability challenges, covering topics including urban food systems, biodiversity, trade measures, mining impacts, sustainable landscapes, coffee agriculture, commodity taxation, working time reduction, pesticide regulation, and inequality, distributed to governments, international organizations, and the public.
• Adaptation to Climate Change Research A research project synthesizing findings on climate change adaptation, examining livelihoods in transition, sustainable natural resource use, and health of vulnerable populations, with comparative studies in East Africa, West Africa, South Asia, and the Swiss Alps, conducted under the NCCR North-South programme.
• Food System of Biel/Bienne Project A model region project developing sustainable food systems around Biel/Bienne, supporting regional organic value chains for institutional catering and hospitality, with regulations requiring 60-100% organic food sourced within 35km, across six Swiss cantons (Bern, Fribourg, Jura, Neuchâtel, Solothurn, Vaud).
• UPDATE Project (Updating Gender Dynamics for Digital Employment in Kenya) A research project exploring how enhanced connectivity and digital work could be reimagined in a feminist way in Kenya, focusing on safe employment and women's mobilization, conducted in collaboration with University of Nairobi, Pollicy, and Graduate Institute Geneva.

Quantifiable outcome

• 2000+ sustainable land use examples documented in WOCAT database
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• University of NairobicoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch collaboration on digital employment and gender dynamics in Kenya, part of UPDATE project. Primary research location in Kibera informal settlement.
• PollicycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFeminist technology collective based in Uganda working across East Africa, providing expertise on gender dynamics in digital contexts and organizing stakeholder meetings.
• Graduate Institute Geneva (IHEID)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGender Centre collaboration providing theoretical frameworks and expertise on gender studies and international development.
• CETRAD (Centre for Training and Integrated Research in ASAL Development)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch partner in East Africa for climate adaptation studies, part of NCCR North-South programme.
• NCCR North-South ProgrammecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSwiss National Centre of Competence in Research coordinating comparative studies in East Africa, West Africa, South Asia, and Swiss Alps.
• Parc naturel régional ChasseralminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional nature park partner in Biel/Bienne food system project, contributing to sustainable food distribution.
• Parc du DoubsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional nature park partner contributing to food system transformation in intercantonal model region.
• Naturpark ThalminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional nature park partner in sustainable food system development.
• Open Food Network SwitzerlandminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPlatform partner supporting regional organic value chain development and distribution.
• City of Biel/BiennecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMunicipal partner with pioneering regulations for healthy diet in municipal care facilities (60-100% organic within 35km).
• WLRC EthiopiaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWater and Land Resource Centre collaboration on EU deforestation regulation implementation in Ethiopian coffee sector.
• Lao GovernmentcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerExecuting partner for US$ 4.5 million Swiss government-funded sustainable land management project.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• World Resources Institute (WRI): Large global research organisation working on environment and sustainability. Operates at greater scale than CDE but with overlapping climate, food, and land-use policy research and similar funder base (foundations, governments).
• Wageningen University & Research: Dutch university with a major global food systems and sustainable land use research portfolio. Overlaps with CDE on sustainable agriculture, land management, and food system transformation, but at much larger scale.
• ETH Zurich — Department of Environmental Systems Science: Swiss university with deep climate, sustainability, and environmental research capacity. Comparable in geography and academic standing, with overlapping themes (climate adaptation, sustainable land use), but CDE's development-focus is distinct.

Others

• NCCR North–South (University of Bern): Swiss National Centre of Competence in Research based at the University of Bern, where CDE is a core partner. Shares infrastructure and field sites with CDE and represents an internal ecosystem participant rather than a competitor.

Direct peers

• Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI): Independent research organisation working on environment and development across multiple continents. Highly comparable to CDE's transdisciplinary, policy-oriented, global-South engagement model.
• Stockholm Resilience Centre: University-affiliated research centre focused on sustainability, resilience, and planetary boundaries. Highly comparable to CDE in its transdisciplinary model, North–South partnerships, and policy advisory role, though with a stronger planetary-boundaries focus.
• International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD): Independent policy research organisation working on sustainable development trade, climate, and natural resources. Comparable to CDE in policy advisory role and North–South research partnerships, particularly on commodity trade and land governance.
• International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA): Austria-based international research institute applying systems analysis to global sustainability, energy, and development challenges. Comparable in cross-disciplinary approach, international partnerships, and science-policy interface.
• Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK): German research institute producing interdisciplinary climate and sustainability science with strong policy engagement. Comparable to CDE in its academic anchoring, sustainability focus, and influence on climate adaptation policy.
• German Institute of Development and Sustainability (IDOS): German policy-oriented research institute on sustainable development and international cooperation. Directly comparable to CDE in development-research mandate, transdisciplinary methods, and donor-funded model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xbsky.app/profile/cdeunibe.bsky.social
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCJGZaw2GARXS8Wfwf0SgBxg
• Facebookfacebook.com/cdeunibe
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/centre-for-development-and-environment-cde-
• Instagraminstagram.com/cdeunibe

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Centre for Development and Environment (CDE), University of Bern