Tsering Dhundup
DHARAMSHALA, Mar. 26: The University of Bern, the last academic institution in Switzerland offering courses in Tibetology has announced that it will discontinue its Tibetan culture and classical language classes starting from the fall semester of 2025. The decision, which marks the end of several decades of Tibetology instruction in Switzerland, has been met with concern and dismay from scholars and the Tibetan community.
According to Swiss newspaper Le Temps, the university cited the expiration of a professorship and a restructuring of the Faculty of History and Philosophy as the reasons for the decision. Nathalie Matter, head of communications at the University of Bern, explained that the specialisation in Asian religions—particularly Tibet and Mongolia—had seen low student enrolment. She also noted that the difficulty of learning these languages had acted as a deterrent for prospective students.
The university intends to redirect its focus towards empirical religious studies, which do not require compulsory language skills. However, it emphasised that the “history of ideas of Indo-Tibetan Buddhism” would remain a fundamental part of its religious studies programme.
Prof. Yannick Laurent, a Tibetology lecturer at the university who has spent a decade living with Tibetan communities in India and Tibet, expressed regret over the decision. He pointed out that the number of students attending Tibetology courses had been stable—between five and ten students per year—which is comparable to similar programmes at European universities.
Laurent also highlighted the global rise in interest in Tibetan and Himalayan studies, particularly due to their interdisciplinary nature, which encompasses language, religious studies, ethnology, geography, and history. He cited Harvard University’s two Tibetology professors and the European Research Council’s funding of five Tibetan studies projects as examples of the field’s growing relevance. Laurent voiced hope that private foundations might fund a new Tibetology chair at a Swiss university.
The Tibetan community in Switzerland, home to one of the largest Tibetan diasporas in Europe, has also expressed strong opposition to the move. Drongpatsang Ngedun Gyatso, president of the Tibetan Community in Switzerland and Liechtenstein, called the decision “very regrettable” given Switzerland’s historical role in hosting Tibetan exiles. He pointed out that institutions such as the Tibet Institute Rikon, a Tibetan monastery in Switzerland founded under the guidance of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, provide religious instruction but cannot replace a university-level Tibetology programme.
For students like Tenzin Yundung, currently completing a master’s degree in Central Asian cultural studies at the Bern University, the closure of the program is deeply concerning. She noted that as a third-generation Tibetan, university-level language courses have been essential for maintaining her connection to her heritage.
The International Association for Tibetan Studies (IATS), represented by Secretary General Prof. Ulrike Roesler of Oxford University, issued a formal statement condemning the decision. The association emphasised that the discontinuation of Tibetan studies in Bern runs counter to the increasing academic interest in the field worldwide. The statement noted that Switzerland, which was among the first Western nations to welcome Tibetan refugees in the 1960s, has played a crucial role in preserving Tibetan cultural and academic research.
Scholars have also warned that the move may be influenced by geopolitical pressures. In recent years China has increasingly sought to suppress the use of the term “Tibet,” favouring the official designation “Xizang.” Some European institutions have adopted this terminology in response to external pressure, including French museums such as the Guimet and Quai Branly, and the British Museum, which made the change in 2024.
Several Swiss-Tibetan organisations, including the Swiss-Tibetan Friendship Society and the Tibetan Youth Association in Europe, have called on the University of Bern to reverse its decision. In an open letter, these organisations emphasised the importance of Tibetology for cultural preservation, warning that the closure of the programme could align with broader efforts to erase Tibetan identity from academic and public discourse.
