PHBern & Timly
The Bern University of Teacher Education shows how digital transformation in education can succeed. With Timly, PHBern automates its key and inventory management, drastically reduces its annual workload, and creates more room for what really matters: teaching and learning.
Company Overview
The Bern University of Teacher Education (PHBern) is one of the largest educational institutions in Switzerland.
Since its founding in 2005, it has brought together teaching, practice, and research under one roof, shaping the education of tomorrow’s teachers. Around 1,200 staff work on the modern vonRoll campus in Bern, as well as at additional locations, continuously advancing the educational landscape.
The Challenge
With its numerous buildings, classrooms, and administrative units, PHBern manages a substantial amount of furniture and keys. The annual inventories required significant time and administrative effort:
- Furniture inventory: approximately 3 weeks
- Key control: approximately 2 weeks per year
- Total annual inventory effort: over 1 month
The university was looking for a solution to simplify these processes, increase its level of digitalization, and improve transparency regarding resources and key movements. The goal was a central, easy-to-use system that combines administration and tracking in a single platform.
The Solution
With Timly, PHBern found software that met all requirements—intuitive, cloud-based, and mobile-accessible.
Key features of the implementation:
- Digital and automated key assignment with real-time tracking
- Centralized management and categorization of furniture and resources
- Location- and user-based inventory assignment
- Mobile access via app—real-time access to current data
- Smooth integration with existing IT systems
Timly enables PHBern to transparently track key movements and systematically manage furniture. Responsible staff can assign, report, or inspect inventory directly through the app—without bureaucratic effort.
The Results
With Timly, PHBern has established a foundation for efficient, secure, and digital resource management. The institution now benefits from noticeable improvements across multiple areas:
- Significant reduction in inventory effort through automation
- Transparent tracking of all key and inventory movements
- Rapid response to irregularities
- Better oversight of resources and their usage
- Increased operational safety and accountability
Proactive real-time monitoring enhances security and efficiency within the institution, while automated processes provide sustainable relief in daily operations.
Key Takeaways
- Digitalization can be implemented quickly and effectively, even in large educational institutions.
- Unified systems save time while increasing transparency and security.
- Collaborative partnerships with providers like Timly accelerate sustainable change in the education sector.
PHBern demonstrates that smart inventory management is more than just technology—it is the key to a modern, connected, and future-ready university organization.
