SwissCollNet Conference 2026
SwissCollNet: what next? Promoting natural history collections in Switzerland and beyond
Venue
Display map on Google MapsThe SwissCollNet annual conference will take place on Tuesday, 1 September 2026, at UniS, Bern. As the SwissCollNet initiative draws to a close, this final conference offers a moment to reflect on its achievements, celebrate its successes, and look ahead to the future of the network.
The event will place SwissCollNet and Swiss collections within the broader European and global landscape of natural history collections. Key questions will guide the presentations: What are the current priorities and future objectives for natural history collections and their data in Europe and beyond? What critical improvements are needed to better promote collections, and how can Switzerland contribute? Which resources and tools are already available, and which are still under development? How can AI process data from collections?
Swiss and international speakers will share their perspectives on these topics, including representatives of the French network of natural history collections (RECOLNAT), the Natural Science Collections Facility of the South African National Biodiversity Institute (NSCF-SANBI), the Consortium of European Taxonomic Facilities (CETAF), the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF), and other inspiring stakeholders.
View the provisional programme
Register for the event. Deadline is 7 August, 2026
Join the contest
Have you heard of the Swiss Natural History Collections portal? Since autumn 2025, this portal – developed as part of the SwissCollNet initiative – has provided access to more than 2 million digitised specimens from collections in Switzerland, and this figure is growing by the day. Can you guess how many specimens will be published by the time of the conference? Take part in our contest and try to win a small prize! Bets are open until the 31st of May 2026.
Take part in the contest (open to conference registered participants only).
