Forum Einstein was founded in 2004 as a service of the Centre for Economics, Science and Politics in Bern and has established a leading position as a platform for open discussion of social issues with opinion leaders from diverse backgrounds. The Forum provides the platform needed to discuss questions and problems in an academic spirit and with mutual respect, beyond party lines and ideologies, and to explore possible solutions.

There are two reasons for adopting the name of the great physicist and thinker Albert Einstein. First, the Swiss citizen Albert Einstein was a scientist free from ideology who sought dialogue with politics and society through his ideas. At Kramgasse 49 in Bern, almost 100 years ago, Einstein discovered the theory of relativity and founded his Olympia Academy for exchange between scientists. Located at Kramgasse 16 in Bern, a stone’s throw from this historic site, Forum Einstein provides a platform for open discussion of pressing social questions and problems whose answers or solutions require joint efforts by business, science and politics.

The Forum and the Centre are funded through initial contributions from the founders, donations from third parties and a transparent, disclosed option for companies and institutions to cover the costs of selected Forum events.