Organisation

The Institute of Federalism is attached to the University of Fribourg and directed in collaboration with the ch. Foundation for Federal Cooperation. It is an institute of the Law Faculty, and under the co-direction of Professors Eva Maria Belser and Bernhard Waldmann. Prof Andreas Stöckli is also a member of the board of directors. All members of the board of directors hold a chair for Constitutional and Administrative law thus securing the Institute’s close cooperation with the University of Fribourg. Until the end of 2022, the Institute was also part of the Swiss Center of Expertise in Human Rights where it was responsible for the cluster «Institutional Issues». 

  • Institute council

    President 
    Florence NATER, Cantonal Minister for Employment and Social Cohesion (Neuenburg) and President of the ch Foundation (member since 2022)

    Vice-President
    Sylvie BONVIN-SANSONNENS, Cantonal Minister for Education and Cultural Affairs (Fribourg) (member since 2023)

    Representatives of the ch Foundation

    Roland MAYER,  Secretary-General of the Conference of Cantonal Governments (membre since 2019)

    Markus DIETH, Cantonal Minister for Finance and Resources (Aargau), President of the Conference of Cantonal Governments CdC (membre since 2023)

    Representatives of the University of Fribourg

    Martin BEYELER, Professor of Infrastructure Law and New Technologies (member since 2020)

    Flaminia DAHINDEN, Graduate Assistant, Representative of the academic mid-level faculty (member since 2023)

    Clémence GRISEL RAPIN, Professor of Administrative Law (member since 2020)

    Hubert STÖCKLI, Professor of Civil Law (member since 2024)

    Simon WERTHMÜLLER, Student Representative (member since 2025)

    Other members

    Christoph AUER, Secretary of the Canton of Bern (member since 2017)

    Peter MISCHLER, General Secretary, Swiss conference of the cantonal financial directors (member since 2015)

    Christian RATHGEB, Advocate, Rathgeb Advokatur (member since 2021)

    Michael HASLER, Secretary of the Government of the Principality of Liechtenstein (member since 2025)

  • Board of Directors
    Eva Maria Belser

    Full Professor

    Co-Director of the Institute of Federalism

     +41 26 300 81 30
    Office: BRG.01 1.04
     Email

    Bernhard Waldmann

    Full Professor

    Co-Director of the Institute of Federalism

     +41 26 300 81 56
    Office: BRG.01 1.12
     Email

    Andreas Stöckli

    Full Professor

    Member of the Board of Directors of the Institute of Federalism

     +41 26 300 81 62
    Office: BRG.01 1.08
     Email

  • Team